Characterization of the Gene Family in Blueberry ( L.) and the Role of VcSWEET6 Related to Sugar Accumulation in Fruit Development

Overview

Journal Int J Mol Sci

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Biochemistry
Chemistry
Molecular Biology

Date 2025 Feb 13

PMID 39940826

Authors

Jiaxin Liu

Xuxin Jiang

Lei Yang

Dongshuang Zhao

Yifei Wang

Yali Zhang

Haiyue Sun

Li Chen

Yadong Li

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Sugars will eventually be exported transporters (SWEETs) are essential transmembrane proteins involved in plant growth, stress responses, and plant-pathogen interactions. Despite their importance, systematic studies on SWEETs in blueberries ( L.) are limited. Blueberries are recognized for their rapid growth and the significant impact of sugar content on fruit flavor, yet the role of the gene family in sugar accumulation during fruit development remains unclear. In this study, 23 genes were identified in blueberry, and their phylogenetic relationships, duplication events, gene structures, cis-regulatory elements, and expression profiles were systematically analyzed. The gene family was classified into four clades. Structural and motif analysis revealed conserved exon-intron organization within each clade. RT-qPCR analysis showed widespread expression of across various tissues and developmental stages, correlating with promoter cis-elements. , in particular, was specifically expressed in fruit and showed reduced expression during fruit maturation. Subcellular localization indicated that VcSWEET6a is located in the endoplasmic reticulum. Functional assays in yeast confirmed its role in glucose and fructose uptake, with transport activity inhibited at higher sugar concentrations. Overexpression of in blueberries resulted in reduced sugar accumulation. These findings offer valuable insights into the role of in blueberry sugar metabolism.

References

Chen L, Hou B, Lalonde S, Takanaga H, Hartung M, Qu X . Sugar transporters for intercellular exchange and nutrition of pathogens. Nature. 2010; 468(7323):527-32. PMC: 3000469. DOI: 10.1038/nature09606. View

Falchi R, Bonghi C, Drincovich M, Famiani F, Lara M, Walker R . Sugar Metabolism in Stone Fruit: Source-Sink Relationships and Environmental and Agronomical Effects. Front Plant Sci. 2020; 11:573982. PMC: 7691294. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.573982. View

Chen D, Shi Y, Zhang P, Xie W, Li S, Xiao J . Deletion of the sugar importer gene OsSWEET1b accelerates sugar starvation-promoted leaf senescence in rice. Plant Physiol. 2024; 195(3):2176-2194. PMC: 11213257. DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiae098. View

Chen L, Qu X, Hou B, Sosso D, Osorio S, Fernie A . Sucrose efflux mediated by SWEET proteins as a key step for phloem transport. Science. 2011; 335(6065):207-11. DOI: 10.1126/science.1213351. View

Mizuno H, Kasuga S, Kawahigashi H . The sorghum SWEET gene family: stem sucrose accumulation as revealed through transcriptome profiling. Biotechnol Biofuels. 2016; 9:127. PMC: 4912755. DOI: 10.1186/s13068-016-0546-6. View

Geng Y, Wu M, Zhang C . Sugar Transporter ZjSWEET2.2 Mediates Sugar Loading in Leaves of Mill. Front Plant Sci. 2020; 11:1081. PMC: 7396580. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.01081. View

Wei X, Liu F, Chen C, Ma F, Li M . The Malus domestica sugar transporter gene family: identifications based on genome and expression profiling related to the accumulation of fruit sugars. Front Plant Sci. 2014; 5:569. PMC: 4220645. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2014.00569. View

Seo P, Park J, Kang S, Kim S, Park C . An Arabidopsis senescence-associated protein SAG29 regulates cell viability under high salinity. Planta. 2010; 233(1):189-200. DOI: 10.1007/s00425-010-1293-8. View

Lynch M, Force A . The probability of duplicate gene preservation by subfunctionalization. Genetics. 2000; 154(1):459-73. PMC: 1460895. DOI: 10.1093/genetics/154.1.459. View

10.

Guo Y, Song H, Zhao Y, Qin X, Cao Y, Zhang L . Switch from symplasmic to aspoplasmic phloem unloading in Xanthoceras sorbifolia fruit and sucrose influx XsSWEET10 as a key candidate for Sugar transport. Plant Sci. 2021; 313:111089. DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2021.111089. View

11.

Liu X, Zhang Y, Yang C, Tian Z, Li J . AtSWEET4, a hexose facilitator, mediates sugar transport to axial sinks and affects plant development. Sci Rep. 2016; 6:24563. PMC: 4840376. DOI: 10.1038/srep24563. View

12.

Zhang X, Feng C, Wang M, Li T, Liu X, Jiang J . Plasma membrane-localized SlSWEET7a and SlSWEET14 regulate sugar transport and storage in tomato fruits. Hortic Res. 2021; 8(1):186. PMC: 8325691. DOI: 10.1038/s41438-021-00624-w. View

13.

Zhen Q, Fang T, Peng Q, Liao L, Zhao L, Owiti A . Developing gene-tagged molecular markers for evaluation of genetic association of apple genes with fruit sugar accumulation. Hortic Res. 2018; 5:14. PMC: 5859117. DOI: 10.1038/s41438-018-0024-3. View

14.

Zhou Y, Zhao D, Duan Y, Chen L, Fan H, Wang Y . AtSWEET1 negatively regulates plant susceptibility to root-knot nematode disease. Front Plant Sci. 2023; 14:1010348. PMC: 9941640. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1010348. View

15.

Guo C, Li H, Xia X, Liu X, Yang L . Functional and evolution characterization of SWEET sugar transporters in Ananas comosus. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2018; 496(2):407-414. DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.01.024. View

16.

Guan Y, Huang X, Zhu J, Gao J, Zhang H, Yang Z . RUPTURED POLLEN GRAIN1, a member of the MtN3/saliva gene family, is crucial for exine pattern formation and cell integrity of microspores in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiol. 2008; 147(2):852-63. PMC: 2409014. DOI: 10.1104/pp.108.118026. View

17.

Ren R, Yue X, Li J, Xie S, Guo S, Zhang Z . Coexpression of Sucrose Synthase and the SWEET Transporter, Which Are Associated With Sugar Hydrolysis and Transport, Respectively, Increases the Hexose Content in L. Grape Berries. Front Plant Sci. 2020; 11:321. PMC: 7221319. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00321. View

18.

Xie X, Yue S, Shi B, Li H, Cui Y, Wang J . Comprehensive Analysis of the SBP Family in Blueberry and Their Regulatory Mechanism Controlling Chlorophyll Accumulation. Front Plant Sci. 2021; 12:703994. PMC: 8281205. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.703994. View

19.

Ni J, Li J, Zhu R, Zhang M, Qi K, Zhang S . Overexpression of sugar transporter gene PbSWEET4 of pear causes sugar reduce and early senescence in leaves. Gene. 2020; 743:144582. DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2020.144582. View

20.

Gao Y, Zhang C, Han X, Wang Z, Ma L, Yuan D . Inhibition of OsSWEET11 function in mesophyll cells improves resistance of rice to sheath blight disease. Mol Plant Pathol. 2018; 19(9):2149-2161. PMC: 6638089. DOI: 10.1111/mpp.12689. View