Molecular cloning and functional characterization of the apple sucrose transporter gene MdSUT2.
Sucrose is not only the primary photosynthetic product but also the major component translocated in the phloem of economically important plant species. Sucrose transporters or carriers (SUTs or SUCs), function as sucrose/H+symporters and play a crucial role in determining the cell-to-cell distribution of sucrose throughout the entire plant. However, whether such genes are involved in responses to abiotic stress and other biological processes is largely unknown. Here, we report that MdSUT2 in apple is a homolog of the Arabidopsis vacuolar sucrose transporter AtSUT2. Ectopic expression of MdSUT2 in Arabidopsis decreased sucrose sensitivity in germination and seeding stage and increased sucrose transport activity. In addition, our results showed that MdSUT2 impacted on plant growth by accelerating vegetative growth and promoting early flowering in Arabidopsis. Overexpression of MdSUT2 significantly improved abiotic stress tolerance including NaCl, ABA, and mannitol in apple calli and Arabidopsis. Together, these findings provide evidence that the apple sucrose transporter MdSUT2 is involved in abiotic stress resistance and the regulation of plant growth and development.
National Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, National Research Center for Apple Engineering and Technology, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai-An, Shandong 271018, China.
Qi-Jun
QJ
Ma
National Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, National Research Center for Apple Engineering and Technology, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai-An, Shandong 271018, China.
Mei-Hong
MH
Sun
National Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, National Research Center for Apple Engineering and Technology, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai-An, Shandong 271018, China.
Ya-Jing
YJ
Liu
National Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, National Research Center for Apple Engineering and Technology, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai-An, Shandong 271018, China.
Jing
J
Lu
National Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, National Research Center for Apple Engineering and Technology, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai-An, Shandong 271018, China. Electronic address: fap_296566@163.com.
Da-Gang
DG
Hu
National Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, National Research Center for Apple Engineering and Technology, College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai-An, Shandong 271018, China. Electronic address: haoyujin@sdau.edu.cn.
Yu-Jin
YJ
Hao
D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant; D018525:Germination; D027845:Malus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D013045:Species Specificity; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013395:Sucrose / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; C078729:sucrose transport protein, plant; D013395:Sucrose
Abiotic stress; Apple MdSUT2; Growth and development; Sucrose transport activity