Identification of Sucrose Transporter (SUT) Genes Regulating Rice Yield and Quality

doi:10.1016/j.rsci.2025.01.003

Abstract

Duan Yingqing, Li Xiaoxue, Wu Yawen, Jiao Guiai, Ma Liuyang, Dong Nannan, Chen Pengfei, Li Xinwei, Cao Ruijie, Chen Tianxiao, Hu Peisong, Wei Xiangjin. Identification of Sucrose Transporter (SUT) Genes Regulating Rice Yield and Quality[J]. Rice Science, 2025, 32(3): 287-291.

Figures/Tables 1

Fig. 1. Sucrose transporter (SUT) genes regulate rice yield and quality. A, Relative expression levels of five OsSUT genes (OsSUT1, OsSUT12, OsSUT13, OsSUT4, and OsSUT5). RNA was isolated from root, stem, leaf, and young panicle of Nipponbare at the heading stage, and grains at 5, 10, 15, and 20 d after pollination. Ubiquitin gene (Os03g0234350) serves as the internal control. B, Subcellular localization pattern of OsSUT-GFP in rice protoplasts. The MCA1 protein fused with RFP is a cell membrane-specific marker. The TIP1 (used to represent TIP1;1) protein fused with RFP is a tonoplast-specific marker. GFP, Green fluorescent protein; RFP, Red fluorescent protein. Scale bars, 5 μm. C, Plant phenotypes of wild type (WT) and ossut mutants after heading. Scale bars, 12 cm. D, Grains from one plant of WT and ossut mutants. Scale bars, 5 cm. E, Grain appearance of WT and ossut mutants. Scale bars, 1 cm. F-J, Tiller number per plant (F), grain number per panicle (G), seed-setting rate (H), 1000-grain weight (I), and grain yield per plant (J) of WT and ossut mutants. K-O, Chalky grain rate (K), total starch content (L), amylose content (M), protein content (N), and soluble sugar content (O) of WT and ossut grains. P-R, Non-structural carbon (NSC) content (P), starch content (Q), and sucrose content (R) in the stem of WT and ossut mutants. S-U, Relative expression levels of OsSUT1 (S), OsSUT2 (T), and OsSUT4 (U) in the stem of WT, ossut2-1, ossut3-1, ossut4-1, and ossut5-1. RNA was isolated from the stem of Nipponbare, ossut2-1, ossut3-1, ossut4-1, and ossut5-1 at 10 d after pollination. Ubiquitin gene (Os03g0234350) serves as the internal control. Data are Mean ± SD (n = 10 in F-H and J; n = 3 in A, I, and K-U). Different lowercase letters indicate significant differences at P < 0.05 by two-stage step-up method.

References 28

[1]	Ahmed O K. 2009. Sugar regulation of plastid reversion in citrus epicarp is mediated through organic acid metabolism. Pak J Biol Sci, 12(3): 246-251.
[2]	Aoki N, Hirose T, Scofield G N, et al. 2003. The sucrose transporter gene family in rice. Plant Cell Physiol, 44(3): 223-232.
[3]	Asim M, Hussain Q, Wang X L, et al. 2022. Mathematical modeling reveals that sucrose regulates leaf senescence via dynamic sugar signaling pathways. Int J Mol Sci, 23(12): 6498.
[4]	Braun D M, Wang L, Ruan Y L. 2014. Understanding and manipulating sucrose phloem loading, unloading, metabolism, and signalling to enhance crop yield and food security. J Exp Bot, 65(7): 1713-1735.
[5]	Chen L Q. 2014. SWEET sugar transporters for phloem transport and pathogen nutrition. New Phytol, 201(4): 1150-1155.
[6]	Chen L Q, Qu X Q, Hou B H, et al. 2012. Sucrose efflux mediated by SWEET proteins as a key step for phloem transport. Science, 335: 207-211.
[7]	Chincinska I A, Liesche J, Krügel U, et al. 2008. Sucrose transporter StSUT4 from potato affects flowering, tuberization, and shade avoidance response. Plant Physiol, 146(2): 515-528.
[8]	Doidy J, Grace E, Kühn C, et al. 2012. Sugar transporters in plants and in their interactions with fungi. Trends Plant Sci, 17(7): 413-422.
[9]	Eom J S, Choi S B, Ward J M, et al. 2012. The mechanism of phloem loading in rice (Oryza sativa). Mol Cells, 33(5): 431-438.
[10]	Gong X, Liu M L, Zhang L J, et al. 2015. Arabidopsis AtSUC2 and AtSUC4, encoding sucrose transporters, are required for abiotic stress tolerance in an ABA-dependent pathway. Physiol Plant, 153(1): 119-136.
[11]	Gong X, Chen K, Liu Y L, et al. 2022. Bioinformatics analysis of SUT gene family in maize. Mol Plant Breed, 20(11): 3499-3506. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[12]	Hackel A, Schauer N, Carrari F, et al. 2006. Sucrose transporter LeSUT1 and LeSUT2 inhibition affects tomato fruit development in different ways. Plant J, 45(2): 180-192.
[13]	Hu Z, Tang Z J, Zhang Y M, et al. 2021. Rice SUT and SWEET transporters. Int J Mol Sci, 22(20): 11198.
[14]	Leach K A, Tran T M, Slewinski T L, et al. 2017. Sucrose transporter2 contributes to maize growth, development, and crop yield. J Integr Plant Biol, 59(6): 390-408.
[15]	Li M Z. 2020. Function analysis of sucrose transporters (OsSUTs) in sucrose transport in rice. Nanjing, China: Nanjing Agricultural University. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[16]	Peng Q, Cai Y M, Lai E H, et al. 2020. The sucrose transporter MdSUT4.1 participates in the regulation of fruit sugar accumulation in apple. BMC Plant Biol, 20(1): 191.
[17]	Reuscher S, Akiyama M, Yasuda T, et al. 2014. The sugar transporter inventory of tomato: Genome-wide identification and expression analysis. Plant Cell Physiol, 55(6): 1123-1141.
[18]	Scofield G N, Hirose T, Gaudron J A, et al. 2002. Antisense suppression of the rice transporter gene, OsSUT1, leads to impaired grain filling and germination but does not affect photosynthesis. Funct Plant Biol, 29(7): 815-826.
[19]	Scofield G N, Hirose T, Aoki N, et al. 2007. Involvement of the sucrose transporter, OsSUT1, in the long-distance pathway for assimilate transport in rice. J Exp Bot, 58(12): 3155-3169.
[20]	Slewinski T L, Meeley R, Braun D M. 2009. Sucrose transporter1 functions in phloem loading in maize leaves. J Exp Bot, 60(3): 881-892.
[21]	Sun L X, Deng R L, Liu J W, et al. 2022. An overview of sucrose transporter (SUT) genes family in rice. Mol Biol Rep, 49(6): 5685-5695.
[22]	Wang G P, Wu Y, Ma L, et al. 2021. Phloem loading in rice leaves depends strongly on the apoplastic pathway. J Exp Bot, 72(10): 3723-3738.
[23]	Wu Y F, Lee S K, Yoo Y, et al. 2018. Rice transcription factor OsDOF11 modulates sugar transport by promoting expression of sucrose transporter and SWEET genes. Mol Plant, 11(6): 833-845.
[24]	Wu Y F, Fang W C, Peng W, et al. 2021. Sucrose transporter in rice. Plant Signal Behav, 16(11): 1952373.
[25]	Yoon J, Cho L H, Tun W, et al. 2021. Sucrose signaling in higher plants. Plant Sci, 302: 110703.
[26]	Yue M M. 2020. Functional analysis of a rice sucrose transporter OsSUT4. Taian, China: Shandong Agricultural University. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[27]	Zhao Z G, Wang C L, Yu X W, et al. 2022. Auxin regulates source-sink carbohydrate partitioning and reproductive organ development in rice. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 119(36): e2121671119.
[28]	Zhu J L, Wei R P, Wang X, et al. 2023. Polyphosphate accelerates transformation of nonstructural carbohydrates to improve growth of ppk-expressing transgenic rice in phosphorus deficiency culture. Rice Sci, 30(3): 235-246.