Characterization of the SWEET Gene Family in Longan (Dimocarpus longan) and the Role of DlSWEET1 in Cold Tolerance

Abstract

Sugars will eventually be exported transporters (SWEET), a group of relatively novel sugar transporters, that play important roles in phloem loading, seed and fruit development, pollen development, and stress response in plants. Longan (Dimocarpus longan), a subtropic fruit tree with high economic value, is sensitive to cold. However, whether the SWEET gene family plays a role in conferring cold tolerance upon longan remains unknown. Here, a total of 20 longan SWEET (DlSWEET) genes were identified, and their phylogenetic relationships, gene structures, cis-acting elements, and tissue-specific expression patterns were systematically analyzed. This family is divided into four clades. Gene structures and motifs analyses indicated that the majority of DlSWEETs in each clade shared similar exon–intron organization and conserved motifs. Tissue-specific gene expression suggested diverse possible functions for DlSWEET genes. Cis-elements analysis and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis revealed that DlSWEET1 responded to cold stress. Notably, the overexpression of DlSWEET1 improved cold tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis, suggesting that DlSWEET1 might play a positive role in D. longan’s responses to cold stress. Together, these results contribute to a better understanding of SWEET genes, which could serve as a foundation for the further functional identification of these genes.