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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Houma, Louisiana » Sugarcane Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #314712
Title: Molecular cloning and expressional analysis of five sucrose transporter (SUT) genes in sugarcane

Author
item NIU, JUN-QI - Guangxi Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item HUANG, JING-LI - Guangxi Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item PHAN, THI-THU - Guangxi Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item Pan, Yong-Bao
item YANG, LI-TAO - Guangxi Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item LI, YANG-RUI - Guangxi Academy Of Agricultural Sciences

Submitted to: Sugar Tech
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/7/2018
Publication Date: 5/18/2018
Citation: Niu, J., Huang, J., Phan, T., Pan, Y., Yang, L., Li, Y. 2018. Molecular cloning and expressional analysis of five sucrose transporter (SUT) genes in sugarcane. Sugar Tech. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12355-018-0623-1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12355-018-0623-1

Interpretive Summary: In sugarcane, the transportation and accumulation process of sucrose from leaves to stalks is known to be controlled by sucrose transporter (SUT) genes. However, how SUT genes function in these processes remains unclear. In this study, five sugarcane SUT genes, designated SoSUT1, SoSUT2, SoSUT3, SoSUT4 and SoSUT5, respectively, were amplified through molecular methods called reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and rapid amplification of cDNA ends polymerase chain reaction (RACE-PCR). Each amplified product was inserted into a vector before being sequenced. Using computer software, the DNA sequence was encoded into amino acid sequence. These sugarcane SUT genes were compared with those of other plants reported previously. In addition, the expressions of these five SUT genes in various sugarcane tissues including root, stem, leaf, flower, and bud were investigated using a molecular method called quantitative real-time PCR. Major results included the following: 1) Predicted molecular sizes and isoelectric points of SUT proteins; 2) Twelve trans-membrane domains typical of SUT proteins; 3) Detailed gene structure of SoSUT3; 4) Phylogenetic classification; and 5) Tissue-specific gene expression patterns of these five sugarcane SUT genes. The results indicated that different SUT genes may be expressed during sucrose accumulation process in sugarcane stalks and that differential SUT gene expressions may play an important role in sugarcane flower development and seed formation.

Technical Abstract: The sucrose transport and accumulation in sugarcane internodes are very complicated processes and how sugarcane sucrose transporter (SUT) genes function in these processes remains unclear. In this study, five sugarcane SUT genes, namely, SoSUT1, SoSUT2, SoSUT3, SoSUT4 and SoSUT5, were cloned and their expressions in roots, stem, leaves, inflorescence, and buds at mature stage were analyzed by qRT-PCR. Major findings of the study were: 1) The molecular mass of predicted sugarcane SUT proteins was between 53.44 to 61.80 kDa, and the pIs were between 5.94 to 10.68; 2) All sugarcane SUT proteins had 12 typical trans-membrane domains; 3) There were two DNA sequences encoding the SoSUT3 gene with six exons and five introns; 4) While SoSUT2, SoSUT4 and SoSUT5 belonged to Clades SUT2, SUT4 and SUT5, other SoSUT proteins belonged to Clade SUT3; and 5) Real-time PCR analyses results showed SoSUT1, SoSUT4 and SoSUT5 had highly abundant expression in inflorescence, and SoSUT2 and SoSUT3 highly expressed in the buds and inflorescence at physiological maturity. These data indicate that different SUT genes may transcribe during the sucrose accumulation process in sugarcane stem and the expressions of SoSUTs may play an important role in sugarcane inflorescence development and seed formation.