Genome-Wide Identification of the Rose SWEET Gene Family and Their Different Expression Profiles in Cold Response between Two Rose Species

Abstract

Sugars Will Eventually be Exported Transporter (SWEET) gene family plays indispensable roles in plant physiological activities, development processes, and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses, but no information is known for roses. In this study, a total of 25 RcSWEET genes were identified in Rosa chinensis ‘Old Blush’ by genome-wide analysis and clustered into four subgroups based on their phylogenetic relationships. The genomic features, including gene structures, conserved motifs, and gene duplication among the chromosomes of RcSWEET genes, were characterized. Seventeen types of cis-acting elements among the RcSWEET genes were predicted to exhibit their potential regulatory roles during biotic and abiotic stress and hormone responses. Tissue-specific and cold-response expression profiles based on transcriptome data showed that SWEETs play widely varying roles in development and stress tolerance in two rose species. Moreover, the different expression patterns of cold-response SWEET genes were verified by qRT-PCR between the moderately cold-resistant species R. chinensis ‘Old Blush’ and the extremely cold-resistant species R. beggeriana. Especially, SWEET2a and SWEET10c exhibited species differences after cold treatment and were sharply upregulated in the leaves of R. beggeriana but not R. chinensis ‘Old Blush’, indicating that these two genes may be the crucial candidates that participate in cold tolerance in R. beggeriana. Our results provide the foundation for function analysis of the SWEET gene family in roses, and will contribute to the breeding of cold-tolerant varieties of roses.

Molecular Biology of Ornamental Plants

“…Liu et al analyzed 204 HhMYB family members in Hibiscus hamabo using RNA-seq and a qRT-PCR, and found that HhMYB was involved in plant responses to salt and drought stress to varying degrees [13]. Song et al identified and analyzed 25 SWEET genes in Rosa chinensis 'Old Blush', and through a transcriptome analysis, SWEET2a and SWEET10c were found to be candidate genes involved in the rose's ability to tolerate cold conditions [14].…”

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of SWEET Gene Family in Strawberry

“…There are numerous members of the SWEET gene family in higher plants, and studies on the SWEET gene family have been reported: There are 17, 21, 24, 29, 34, 27, 17, 27, 16, 22, 20, 19, 23, 25, and 25 SWEETs identified in Arabidopsis thaliana [10], rice [16], maize [17], tomato [18], Brassica rapa [19], garlic [20], grapes [21], apples [22], litchi [23], watermelon [24], longan [25], jujube [7], Bletilla striata [26], Dendrobium officinale [27], and rose [28], respectively. The members of the SWEET gene family have the specificity of space-time and tissue expression, and there are obvious differences in the types of transported sugar [29].…”

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Profile Analysis of Sugars Will Eventually Be Exported Transporter (SWEET) Genes in Zantedeschia elliottiana and Their Responsiveness to Pectobacterium carotovora subspecies Carotovora (Pcc) Infection

“…The SWEETs gene family was initially identified in Arabidopsis thaliana [3]. To date, with a large number of plant genomes sequenced, the systematic genome-wide identification of SWEET genes has been reported in many crops, vegetables, fruits, and flowers, such as Oryza sativa [7], Zea mays [8], Glycine max [9], Brassica oleracea [10], Solanum lycopersicum [11], Solanum tuberosum [12], Cucumis sativus [13], Musa acuminate [14], Malus domestica [15], Litchi chinensis [16], Vitis vinifera [17], Rosa chinensis [18], Dendrobium chrysotoxum [19], Hemerocallis fulva [20], and Petunia axillaris [21]. Previous studies have shown that SWEET genes are involved in multiple physiological processes related to phloem loading [22][23][24][25], nectar secretion [6], pollen/flower development [26][27][28], seed/fruit development [29][30][31][32][33][34], senescence [35][36][37], modulating gibberellins response [38,39], and abiotic stress response [40][41][42][43].…”