Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of STP gene family in Malus domestica
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The sugar transporter protein (STP) gene family serves a pivotal role in monosaccharide translocation, plant growth, and developmental processes. Utilizing the Arabidopsis thaliana STP gene family as a reference, comprehensive analyses were conducted on apple (Malus domestica) STP genes, encompassing sequence alignment, physicochemical characterization, gene structure organization, conserved motif identification, and tissue-specific expression profiling. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was employed to investigate the hormone-responsive expression patterns of the apple STP gene family. A total of 30 STP genes were identified, encoding polypeptides ranging from 235 to 655 amino acids in length. Gene structure analysis revealed variations in exon number and positional distribution among different STP genes, indicative of functional diversification. Cis-regulatory element analysis demonstrated the presence of core promoter elements, enhancer sequences, and regulatory motifs associated with hormone signaling, abiotic stress responses, organ-specific expression, and light regulation. Microarray-based expression profiling indicated that the majority of STP genes exhibited preferential expression in seeds, seedlings, roots, and stems. Notably, MdSTP3, MdSTP13, and MdSTP23 were identified as the predominant isoforms expressed in apple fruits, with their transcriptional activity being positively modulated by MdERF transcription factors. qRT-PCR validation further elucidated the differential responsiveness of the 30 MdSTP genes to indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), gibberellic acid (GA), and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments, with IAA exerting a pronounced upregulatory effect on STP gene expression. Collectively, these findings underscore the functional heterogeneity of the apple STP gene family in terms of tissue-specific expression and hormonal regulation, thereby providing a robust foundation for elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying STP-mediated growth and developmental processes in plants.
Source: Fruit Research
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4412542575