Genome-wide identification of Mg2+ transporters and functional characteristics of DlMGT1 in Dimocarpus longan

Abstract

Longan (Dimocarpus Longan) is one of the most important fruit crops in Southern China. Lack of available Mg in acidic soil conditions is a limitation to further increasing longan yield. Magnesium transporter (MGT/MRS2) mediates the uptake, transport, and redistribution of Mg2+ in higher plants. To understand the role of MGTs family members in longan Mg deficiency. We identified and analyzed the protein characteristics, phylogeny, expression changes, subcellular localization, and transcriptional regulation of DlMGTs members. The results showed that, twelve DlMGTs are localized in the cell membrane, chloroplast, and nucleus. The evolutionary differences in MGTs between herbaceous and woody species in different plants. The DlMGTs promoters contained many cis-acting elements and transcription factor binding sites related to the hormone, environmental, and stress response. Subcellular localization assays showed that DlMGT1 localizes in the cell membrane of Arabidopsis protoplasts. The candidate transcription factor DlGATA16, which may regulate the expression of DlMGT1, was localized in the nucleus of tobacco leaves. Dual luciferase analysis demonstrated that DlGATA16 is a potential factor regulating the transcriptional activity of DlMGT1. In this study, we identified and analyzed DlMGTs on a genome-wide scale and the subcellular localization and interaction of DlMGT1 and DlGATA16, which has important implications for further functional analysis studies of MGTs and the use of MGT for longan genetic improvement.

The power of magnesium: unlocking the potential for increased yield, quality, and stress tolerance of horticultural crops

“…Furthermore, diverse plants, such as Dimocarpus longan and tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ), display unique patterns. In Dimocarpus longan , MGT genes like DlMGT4.2 are expressed across various organs, suggesting a universal role in Mg 2+ management ( Lv et al., 2023 ). In contrast, tomato plants under Mg 2+ stress exhibit heightened expression of genes such as SlMGT1-1 and SlMGT3-2 across roots and shoots ( Regon et al., 2019 ).…”

“…Some transporters, such as the Arabidopsis mitochondrial MGT5 , display tissue specificity; it is expressed exclusively in anthers during the early stages of flower development, highlighting its potential involvement in pollen development and male fertility ( Li et al., 2008 ). Conclusively, the Mg 2+ transporter/mitochondrial RNA splicing 2 (MGT/MRS2) family stands out as a linchpin in maintaining Mg 2+ homeostasis, thereby underpinning the plant’s growth and developmental trajectories ( Li et al., 2023a ; Yang et al., 2022 ; Lv et al., 2023 ). Beyond its role in photosynthesis, Mg 2+ is also pivotal for enzymes such as Mg 2+ chelatase (MgCh) in chlorophyll biosynthesis.…”