The mechanism for the transportation of sugar and hormones in plants has been found by researchers. Sugar transportation is needed for male fertility in plants, according to the results. The results were published in a journal.
Transporters are found on the cell's surface. Each of the transporters carries something across the cell membranes. Molecules that help cells communicate with each other are carried by some transporters. Sugars Will Eventually Be Exported Transporter is a class of transporters. Sugar is distributed in plants. The SWEET moves across the plant to give it nutrition and allow it to grow. Sucrose is carried by the transporter here.
SWEET has more than one thing The hormone gibberellin, which controls plant growth and reproduction, is transported by some types of SWEET. The transport activities of these types of SWEET are not understood. Both GA and sucrose are essential for the growth and development of plants.
"How SWEET can bind to both of these different structures, and how SWEET selects to transport sucrose or GA, were not clear," said Dr. Masayoshi Nakamura, a designated associate professor at the Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules.
The plant becomes male sterile when some types of SWEET are altered. It was not clear why this sterility was not clear. It could have been because of a lack of GA transport. The research team combined simulation and genetics to examine the questions. They focused on a type of SWEET called SWEET13, which is known to transport both sucrose and GA, and is necessary for male fertility.
They used a technique called molecular dynamic simulation to understand how sugar and GA bind to SWEET. There is a docking between SWEET13 and GA and between SWEET13 and sucrose. Computational simulations were used to predict the amino acids in SWEET13.
They used cell cultures to confirm that the amino acids were needed for SWEET13. The site of SWEET13 with asparagine and serine was important for the transportation of sugar.
The researchers replaced one of the amino acids to clarify how the male sterility occurred. The plant produced flowers when SWEET was used. The plant failed to produce pollens when SWEET was used. The results show that it is SWEET's transport of sucrose that is necessary for pollination.
Dr. Nakamura said that they were able to test the selectivity of the two substances separately. SWEET is one of the transporters that carries multiple different substances. He said that research on transporters could be improved by examining other transporters.
Improved agricultural methods that are more efficient and sustainable can be achieved if we understand more about sugar and hormone transport in plants.
The SWEET13 transport of sucrose but not gibberellin restores male fertility in the plant. 10.1073/pnas.
Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
All Rights Reserved © 2024
