Genome-Wide Investigation and Characterization of SWEET Gene Family with Focus on Their Evolution and Expression during Hormone and Abiotic Stress Response in Maize

The sugar will eventually be exported transporters (SWEET) family is an important group of transport carriers for carbon partitioning in plants and has important functions in growth, development, and abiotic stress tolerance. Although the SWEET family is an important sugar transporter, little is kno...

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Main Authors: Jialun Zhu, Lu Zhou, Tianfeng Li, Yanye Ruan, Ao Zhang, Xiaomei Dong, Yanshu Zhu, Cong Li, Jinjuan Fan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-09-01
Series:Genes
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/13/10/1682
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author Jialun Zhu
Lu Zhou
Tianfeng Li
Yanye Ruan
Ao Zhang
Xiaomei Dong
Yanshu Zhu
Cong Li
Jinjuan Fan
author_facet Jialun Zhu
Lu Zhou
Tianfeng Li
Yanye Ruan
Ao Zhang
Xiaomei Dong
Yanshu Zhu
Cong Li
Jinjuan Fan
author_sort Jialun Zhu
collection DOAJ
description The sugar will eventually be exported transporters (SWEET) family is an important group of transport carriers for carbon partitioning in plants and has important functions in growth, development, and abiotic stress tolerance. Although the SWEET family is an important sugar transporter, little is known of the functions of the SWEET family in maize (<i>Zea mays</i>), especially in response to abiotic stresses. To further explore the response pattern of maize SWEET to abiotic stress, a bioinformatics-based approach was used to predict and identify the maize <i>SWEET</i> gene (<i>ZmSWEET</i>) family. Twenty-four <i>ZmSWEET</i> genes were identified using the MaizeGDB database. Phylogenetic analysis resolved these twenty-four genes into four clades. One tandem and five segmental duplication events were identified, which played a major role in <i>ZmSWEET</i> family expansion. Synteny analysis provided insight into the evolutionary characteristics of the <i>ZmSWEET</i> genes with those of three graminaceous crop species. A heatmap showed that most <i>ZmSWEET</i> genes responded to at least one type of abiotic stress. By an abscisic acid signaling pathway, among which five genes were significantly induced under NaCl treatment, eight were obviously up-regulated under PEG treatment and five were up-regulated under Cd stress, revealing their potential functions in response to abiotic stress. These findings will help to explain the evolutionary links of the <i>ZmSWEET</i> family and contribute to future studies on the functional characteristics of <i>ZmSWEET</i> genes, and then improve abiotic stress tolerance in maize through molecular breeding.
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spelling doaj.art-8f2e91a1219544278a82f909a4aa9c162023-11-24T00:14:19ZengMDPI AGGenes2073-44252022-09-011310168210.3390/genes13101682Genome-Wide Investigation and Characterization of SWEET Gene Family with Focus on Their Evolution and Expression during Hormone and Abiotic Stress Response in MaizeJialun Zhu0Lu Zhou1Tianfeng Li2Yanye Ruan3Ao Zhang4Xiaomei Dong5Yanshu Zhu6Cong Li7Jinjuan Fan8College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, ChinaCollege of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, ChinaCollege of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, ChinaCollege of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, ChinaCollege of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, ChinaCollege of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, ChinaCollege of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, ChinaCollege of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, ChinaCollege of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, ChinaThe sugar will eventually be exported transporters (SWEET) family is an important group of transport carriers for carbon partitioning in plants and has important functions in growth, development, and abiotic stress tolerance. Although the SWEET family is an important sugar transporter, little is known of the functions of the SWEET family in maize (<i>Zea mays</i>), especially in response to abiotic stresses. To further explore the response pattern of maize SWEET to abiotic stress, a bioinformatics-based approach was used to predict and identify the maize <i>SWEET</i> gene (<i>ZmSWEET</i>) family. Twenty-four <i>ZmSWEET</i> genes were identified using the MaizeGDB database. Phylogenetic analysis resolved these twenty-four genes into four clades. One tandem and five segmental duplication events were identified, which played a major role in <i>ZmSWEET</i> family expansion. Synteny analysis provided insight into the evolutionary characteristics of the <i>ZmSWEET</i> genes with those of three graminaceous crop species. A heatmap showed that most <i>ZmSWEET</i> genes responded to at least one type of abiotic stress. By an abscisic acid signaling pathway, among which five genes were significantly induced under NaCl treatment, eight were obviously up-regulated under PEG treatment and five were up-regulated under Cd stress, revealing their potential functions in response to abiotic stress. These findings will help to explain the evolutionary links of the <i>ZmSWEET</i> family and contribute to future studies on the functional characteristics of <i>ZmSWEET</i> genes, and then improve abiotic stress tolerance in maize through molecular breeding.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/13/10/1682maizeSWEET gene familyabiotic stressABAexpression pattern
spellingShingle Jialun Zhu
Lu Zhou
Tianfeng Li
Yanye Ruan
Ao Zhang
Xiaomei Dong
Yanshu Zhu
Cong Li
Jinjuan Fan
Genome-Wide Investigation and Characterization of SWEET Gene Family with Focus on Their Evolution and Expression during Hormone and Abiotic Stress Response in Maize
Genes
maize
SWEET gene family
abiotic stress
ABA
expression pattern
title Genome-Wide Investigation and Characterization of SWEET Gene Family with Focus on Their Evolution and Expression during Hormone and Abiotic Stress Response in Maize
title_full Genome-Wide Investigation and Characterization of SWEET Gene Family with Focus on Their Evolution and Expression during Hormone and Abiotic Stress Response in Maize
title_fullStr Genome-Wide Investigation and Characterization of SWEET Gene Family with Focus on Their Evolution and Expression during Hormone and Abiotic Stress Response in Maize
title_full_unstemmed Genome-Wide Investigation and Characterization of SWEET Gene Family with Focus on Their Evolution and Expression during Hormone and Abiotic Stress Response in Maize
title_short Genome-Wide Investigation and Characterization of SWEET Gene Family with Focus on Their Evolution and Expression during Hormone and Abiotic Stress Response in Maize
title_sort genome wide investigation and characterization of sweet gene family with focus on their evolution and expression during hormone and abiotic stress response in maize
topic maize
SWEET gene family
abiotic stress
ABA
expression pattern
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/13/10/1682
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