Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of SWEET Family Genes in Sweet Potato and Its Two Diploid Relatives

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 23; no. 24; p. 15848
• Main Authors: Dai, Zhuoru, Yan, Pengyu, He, Shaozhen, Jia, Licong, Wang, Yannan, Liu, Qingchang, Zhai, Hong, Zhao, Ning, Gao, Shaopei, Zhang, Huan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 13-12-2022; MDPI
• Subjects: abiotic stress; Chromosomes; Diploids; Diploidy; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Genes; Genome, Plant; Genomes; hormone treatment; Ipomoea - genetics; Ipomoea batatas; Ipomoea batatas - metabolism; Localization; Mutation; Phylogenetics; Phylogeny; Plant breeding; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Potatoes; Protein transport; Proteins; Stress response; Subgroups; Sucrose; SWEET; sweet potato; Sweet potatoes; tissue-specific expression; Transgenic plants; tuberous root development; hormone treatment; sweet potato; tissue-specific expression; SWEET; tuberous root development; abiotic stress
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415848

Sugar Will Eventually be Exported Transporter (SWEET) proteins are key transporters in sugar transportation. They are involved in the regulation of plant growth and development, hormone crosstalk, and biotic and abiotic stress responses. However, SWEET family genes have not been explored in the sweet potato. In this study, we identified 27, 27, and 25 SWEETs in cultivated hexaploid sweet potato (
, 2n = 6x = 90) and its two diploid relatives,
(2n = 2x = 30) and
(2n = 2x = 30), respectively. These SWEETs were divided into four subgroups according to their phylogenetic relationships with
. The protein physiological properties, chromosome localization, phylogenetic relationships, gene structures, promoter
-elements, protein interaction networks, and expression patterns of these 79
were systematically investigated. The results suggested that homologous SWEETs are differentiated in sweet potato and its two diploid relatives and play various vital roles in plant growth, tuberous root development, carotenoid accumulation, hormone crosstalk, and abiotic stress response. This work provides a comprehensive comparison and furthers our understanding of the SWEET genes in the sweet potato and its two diploid relatives, thereby supplying a theoretical foundation for their functional study and further facilitating the molecular breeding of sweet potato.