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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2025, Vol. 24 Issue (11): 4255-4270    DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.09.012
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Genome-wide identification of the PpSWEET gene family and function characterization of PpSWEET6 associated with endodormancy release in peach bud

Sen Li1, Ge Tian1, Xiling Fu1, Wei Xiao1, Xiude Chen1, Dongmei Li1, Qingjie Wang1, 2#, Ling Li1#

1 College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China

2 College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China

 Highlights 
Fifteen peach SWEET family members were identified, and the expression patterns of the PpSWEET genes varied during peach bud dormancy.
PpSWEET6 expression increased substantially during peach bud endodormancy release, and its overexpression was found to promote sucrose accumulation and accelerate peach bud endodormancy release.
PpSWEET6 interacts with PpABF2, thereby attenuating the activation of PpDAM6 by PpABF2 and facilitating peach bud endodormancy release.
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摘要  
芽自然休眠是多年生落叶果树为抵御冬季寒冷环境而形成的一种生态适应机制。蔗糖在芽自然休眠过程中起着至关重要的作用,既是能量代谢物,也是信号分子。Sugar Will Eventually be Exported Transporters(SWEETs)作为响应环境刺激的糖外排转运体,对植物的生长和发育起着重要作用。虽然在各种植物中已经确定了SWEET基因家族用于糖转运调控,但其在调节桃芽自然休眠过程中的作用机制尚不明确。在本研究中,我们在桃中鉴定了15个SWEET 基因。通过与拟南芥SWEET 基因家族的同源比对建立了命名标准,通过系统发育分析构建了四个不同的分支。协方差相关分析显示,桃和拟南芥中有 6 个和 12 个共线SWEET 基因,形成了13对共线性基因对。实时定量聚合酶链反应(RT-qPCR)分析表明,在桃芽自然休眠解除期间,PpSWEET6的表达量显著升高,且与蔗糖含量呈正相关。瞬时过表达PpSWEET6能够促进桃芽自然休眠的解除,而在拟南芥中过表达PpSWEET6则能够促进种子萌发和开花。酵母双杂交和荧光素酶互补(LCI)试验证实了PpSWEET6与PpABF2相互作用。此外,双荧光素酶报告(DLR)试验表明,PpSWEET6显著削弱了PpABF2对PpDAM6(休眠诱导关键基因)基因的激活,从而调控桃芽自然休眠解除。这些发现拓展了我们对SWEET 基因调控桃芽自然休眠的的认识。


Abstract  

Bud endodormancy represents an ecological adaptation mechanism in perennial deciduous fruit trees to endure winter cold conditions.  Sucrose serves a crucial role in bud endodormancy as both an energy metabolizer and signaling molecule.  Sugars Will Eventually be Exported Transporters (SWEETs) function as sugar-efflux transporters that respond to environmental stimuli and contribute to plant growth and development. While SWEET gene families have been identified in various plant species for sugar transport regulation, their mechanism in regulating peach bud endodormancy remains undefined.  In this study, we identified 15 SWEET genes in peach.  The nomenclature was established through homologous alignment with the Arabidopsis SWEET gene family, resulting in four distinct clades through phylogenetic analysis.  Covariance correlation analysis revealed 6 and 12 collinear SWEET genes in peach and Arabidopsis, respectively, forming 13 collinear gene pairs.  Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis demonstrated significantly elevated expression of PpSWEET6 during peach bud endodormancy release, correlating positively with sucrose content.  Transient overexpression of PpSWEET6 enhanced peach bud endodormancy release, while overexpressing PpSWEET6 in Arabidopsis enhanced seed germination and flowering.  Y2H and luciferase complementation imaging (LCI) assays confirmed PpSWEET6 interacted with PpABF2.  Additionally, dual luciferase reporter (DLR) assays showed that PpSWEET6 significantly decreased the activation of PpDAM6 (key dormancy-inducing gene) through PpABF2, thereby modulating peach bud endodormancy release.  These findings advance our understanding of SWEET genes in peach bud endodormancy regulation.


Keywords:  peach        bud endodormancy       SWEET family       PpSWEET6       PpABF2  
Received: 03 August 2024   Accepted: 27 August 2025 Online: 12 September 2025  
Fund: 

This work was funded by the National Key Research and Development Program, China (2018YFD1000104); the Shandong Provincial Fruit Industry Technology System Cultivation and Soil Fertilization Post, China (SDAIT-06-04); and the Key R&D Program of Shandong Province (Competitive Innovation Platform) Project, China (2022CXPT017).

About author:  #Correspondence Qingjie Wang, E-mail: wangqingjie@yzu.edu.cn; Ling Li, Tel: +86-538-8246196, Fax: +86-538-8246263, E-mail: liling217@sdau.edu.cn

Cite this article: 

Sen Li, Ge Tian, Xiling Fu, Wei Xiao, Xiude Chen, Dongmei Li, Qingjie Wang, Ling Li. 2025. Genome-wide identification of the PpSWEET gene family and function characterization of PpSWEET6 associated with endodormancy release in peach bud. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 24(11): 4255-4270.

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