A novel sucrose transporter gene IbSUT4 involves in plant growth and response to abiotic stress through the ABF-dependent ABA signaling pathway in Sweetpotato

Background To maintain sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) growth and yield, sucrose must be transported from the leaves to the roots. Sucrose transporters or carriers (SUTs or SUCs) transport sucrose and are involved in plant growth and response to abiotic stress. However, the mechanisms of SUTs in sweetpotato abiotic stress resistance remains to be determined. Results In the present study, we cloned a novel IbSUT4 gene; the protein encoded by this gene is localized in the tonoplast and plasma membrane. The plant growth was promoted in the IbSUT4 transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana lines, with increased expression of AtFT, a regulator of flowering time in plants. Over-expression of IbSUT4 in Arabidopsis thaliana resulted in higher sucrose content in the roots and lower sucrose content in the leaves, as compared to the wild-type (WT) plants, leading to improved stress tolerance during seedling growth. Moreover, we systematically analyzed the mechanisms of IbSUT4 in response to abiotic stress. The results suggest that the ABRE-motif was localized in the IbSUT4 promoter region, and the expression of the ABA signaling pathway genes (i.e., ABF2, ABF4, SnRK2.2, SnRK2.3, and PYL8/RCAR3) were induced, and the expression of ABI1 was inhibited. Conclusions Our dates provide evidence that IbSUT4 is not only involved in plant growth but also is an important positive regulator in plant stress tolerance through the ABF-dependent ABA signaling pathway.