Expression of the PmSUC1 sucrose carrier gene from Plantago major L. is induced during seed development

• Published in: The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology 1996-01, Vol.9 (1), p.93-100
• Main Authors: Gahrtz, Manfred, Schmelzer, Elmon, Stolz, Jürgen, Sauer, Norbert
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; Carrier Proteins - biosynthesis; Carrier Proteins - classification; Carrier Proteins - genetics; Cell Membrane; Cell physiology; Cloning, Molecular; DNA, Complementary; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Genes, Plant; In Situ Hybridization; Membrane Proteins - biosynthesis; Membrane Proteins - genetics; Membrane Transport Proteins; Molecular and cellular biology; Molecular genetics; Molecular Sequence Data; Plant physiology and development; Plant Proteins - biosynthesis; Plant Proteins - classification; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plantago - genetics; Plantago - growth & development; Plantago major; Plants, Medicinal; Plasma membrane and permeation; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Recombinant Proteins - biosynthesis; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - genetics; Seeds - genetics; Seeds - growth & development; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Tissue Distribution
• ISSN: 0960-7412; 1365-313X
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-313X.1996.09010093.x

A cDNA clone of the plasma membrane sucrose‐H+sym‐ porter PmSUC1 from Plantago major L. has been isolated and expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The PmSUC1 protein was characterized in transgenic yeast and in proteoliposomes with an artificial proton‐motive‐force (pmf) generator. PmSUC1 catalyzes the active uptake of sucrose or maltose in the presence of pmf and is sensitive to uncouplers. Unlike the extremely pH‐dependent PmSUC2 sucrose‐H+ symporter, PmSUC1 is relatively insensitive to changes of the extracellular pH. In leaves and petioles of P. major, expression of PmSUC1 mRNA is restricted to the vascular system. The important new feature about PmSUC1 is that the highest mRNA levels are found in non‐vascular tissue of P. major flowers where the gene is transiently expressed during the early stages of seed development. In situ hybridization experiments show that PmSUC1 is expressed only in young ovules; the putative physiological role of PmSUC1 is discussed.