|
|
|
| Identification of the Rice(Oryza sativa) UGT Gene Family and Expression Analysis of OsUGT79 Under Abiotic Stresses |
| ZHANG Hong-Wei, CHEN Xiao-Bin, XU Bing-Rong, XUE Jie, LING Qi, HU Zhi-Ye, TANG Le-Yi, CAO Yun-Ying* |
| School of life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China |
|
|
|
|
Abstract Uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferases(UGT) are a class of key enzymes in plants, which are widely involved in physiological processes such as secondary metabolism, hormone balance, and stress response. However, current research on the functions of UGT genes in rice(Oryza sativa) remains insufficient. To explore the mechanism of UGT genes in rice growth and development as well as abiotic stress response, this study comprehensively analyzed the rice UGT family using bioinformatics methods. Meanwhile, combined with qPCR technology, the expression patterns of the OsUGT79 gene in different tissues under 4 abiotic stresses were further investigated. A total of 165 UGT genes were identified in rice. The length of the proteins encoded by these genes ranged from 113 to 772 aa, with a molecular weight of 12.53~83.65 kD. Most of these proteins were acidic(95.2%), hydrophilic(50.3%), and structurally stable(75.2%). These genes were unevenly distributed on 12 chromosomes, and the promoter regions were rich in cis-acting elements related to abiotic stress response, growth and development, and hormone regulation. Subcellular localization prediction showed that UGT proteins were mainly located in chloroplasts(57%) and cytoplasm(24.8%). Phylogenetic analysis divided these UGT genes into 3 major groups and 6 subgroups(Group Ⅰ~Group Ⅵ), among which Group Ⅰ and Group Ⅱ belonged to the 1st and 2nd major groups respectively, while Group Ⅲ~Group Ⅵ were classified into the 3rd major group. Conserved motif analysis revealed that 85% of UGT proteins contained the GTB-type superfamily domain. Collinearity analysis results indicated that there were 10 pairs of segmentally duplicated genes and 2 pairs of tandemly duplicated genes in this family. The representative protein OsUGT79 comprised 422 aa with a molecular mass of 51.03 kD, which was acidic, hydrophilic and structurally stable. The gene was localized on chromosome 4, belongs to subgroup Ⅵ of the 3rd major group, and was predicted to be located in chloroplasts. qPCR analysis showed that, under high temperature, drought and cadmium stress, the expression of OsUGT79 in shoots rose rapidly and then declined, with peaks at 12 h for high temperature and cadmium stress at 6 h for drought; under salt stress, shoot expression dropped sharply and remained low. In roots, the expression of OsUGT79 increased markedly from 6 h and continued to rise, reaching maximum at 24 h for all stresses except salt. After a 48 h recovery, shoot expression exceeded all stress-time maxima(except under cadmium), whereas root levels fell below the stress peaks and even below pre-stress values. Moreover, the magnitude of change was consistently greater in roots than in shoots, indicating that OsUGT79 mainly participated in early stress perception and initial responses in roots, while contributing to post-stress physiological recovery in shoot tissues. This study provides the first comprehensive portrait of the rice UGT family's composition and evolutionary characteristics, laying a theoretical foundation for elucidating the functions of OsUGT79 and other UGT members in abiotic stress adaptation and offering valuable insights for molecular breeding of stress-resilient rice.
|
|
Received: 24 September 2025
|
|
|
|
Corresponding Authors:
*cyy@ntu.edu.cn
|
|
|
|
[1] 白蓓蓓, 陈业渊, 盖江涛, 等. 2019. 植物UDP-葡萄糖焦磷酸化酶家族基因鉴定及序列进化分析[J]. 分子植物育种, 17(4): 1186-1190.
(Bai B B, Chen Y Y, Gai J T, et al.Identification and sequence evolution analysis of plant UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase family genes[J]. Molecular Plant Breeding, 17(4): 1186-1190.)
[2] 陈京都, 何理, 许轲, 等. 2013. 镉胁迫对不同基因型水稻生长及矿质营养元素吸收的影响[J]. 生态学杂志, 32(12): 3219-3225.
(Chen J D, He L, Xu K, et al.2013. Effects of cadmium stress on growth and mineral nutrient absorption of different rice genotypes[J]. Chinese Journal of Ecology, 32(12): 3219-3225.)
[3] 刘蒲东, 张舒婷, 申序, 等. 2021. 龙眼UGT家族全基因组鉴定、功能预测及表达模式[J]. 应用与环境生物学报, 27(6): 1626-1635.
(Liu P D, Zhang S T, Shen X, et al.Genome-wide identification, functional prediction and expression patterns of the UGT gene family in longan(Dimocarpus longan Lour.)[J]. Chinese Journal of Applied and Environmental Biology, 27(6): 1626-1635.)
[4] 吕中睿, 刘宏, 张国昀, 等. 2021. 沙棘UGT基因家族的全基因组鉴定与表达分析[J]. 林业科学研究, 34(6): 9-19.
(Lv Z R, Liu H, Zhang G Y, et al.2021. Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the UGT gene family in sea buckthorn(Hippophae rhamnoides L.)[J]. Forest Research, 34(6): 9-19.)
[5] 徐会丽, 张太奎, 苑兆和. 2017. 石榴UGT基因家族的比较和进化分析[J]. 经济林研究, 35(4): 130-135.
(Xu H L, Zhang T K, Yuan Z H.2017. Comparative and evolutionary analysis of the UGT gene family in pomegranate(Punica granatum L.)[J]. Non-wood Forest Research, 35(4): 130-135.)
[6] 于安东, 刘琳, 龙瑞才, 等. 2022. 植物UDP-糖基转移酶(UGT)的功能及应用前景[J]. 植物生理学报, 58(4): 631-642.
(Yu A D, Liu L, Long R C, et al.2022. Functions and application prospects of plant UDP-glycosyltransferases(UGTs)[J]. Plant Physiology Journal, 58(4): 631-642.)
[7] 姚宇, 顾佳珺, 孙超, 等. 2022. 植物类黄酮UDP-糖基转移酶研究进展[J]. 生物技术通报, 38(12): 47-57.
(Yao Y, Gu J J, Sun C, et al.2022. Research progress on plant flavonoid UDP-glycosyltransferases[J]. Biotechnology Bulletin, 38(12): 47-57.)
[8] 赵倩倩, 宋艳红, 宋盼, 等. 2021. 森林草莓糖基转移酶基因家族生物信息学及其表达分析[J]. 南方农业学报, 52(6): 1615-1624.
(Zhao Q Q, Song Y H, Song P, et al.2021. Bioinformatics and expression analysis of glycosyltransferase gene family in woodland strawberry(Fragaria vesca L.)[J]. Journal of Southern Agriculture, 52(6): 1615-1624.)
[9] 祝小雅, 刘烨, 闫蕴韬, 等. 2023. 水稻UGT基因家族及成员SS4的生物信息学分析[J/OL]. 分子植物育种. https://link.cnki.net/urlid/46.1068.S.20230505.1453.013.html.
(Zhu X Y, Liu Y, Yan Y T, et al. 2023. Bioinformatics analysis of rice UGT gene family and member SS4[J/OL]. Molecular Plant Breeding. https://link.cnki.net/urlid/46.1068.S.20230505.1453.013.html.)
[10] Apostolova E L.2024. Molecular mechanisms associated with plant tolerance upon abiotic stress[J]. Plants, 13(24): 3532.
[11] Bowles D, Isayenkova J, Lim E K, et al.2005. Glycosyltransferases: Managers of small molecules[J]. Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 8(3): 254-263.
[12] Burlando B, Cornara L.2014. Therapeutic properties of rice constituents and derivatives(Oryza sativa L.): A review update[J]. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 40(1): 82-98.
[13] Brazier-Hicks M, Edwards R.2005. Functional importance of the family 1 glucosyltransferase UGT72B1 in the metabolism of xenobiotics in Arabidopsis thaliana[J]. The Plant Journal, 42(4): 556-566.
[14] Cannon S B, Mitra A, Baumgarten A, et al.2004. The roles of segmental and tandem gene duplication in the evolution of large gene families in Arabidopsis thaliana[J]. Plant Cell, 16(9): 2224-2236.
[15] Chaves M M, Oliveira M M.2004. Mechanisms underlying plant resilience to water deficits: Prospects for water-saving agriculture[J]. Journal of Experimental Botany, 55(407): 2365-2384.
[16] Della Gala V, Dato L, Wiesenberger G, et al.2025. Plant-derived UDP-glycosyltransferases for glycosylation-mediated detoxification of deoxynivalenol: Enzyme discovery, characterization, and in vivo resistance assessment[J]. Toxins, 17(4): 153.
[17] Dong T, Xu Z Y, Park Y, et al.2014. Abscisic acid uridine diphosphate glucosyltransferases play a crucial role in abscisic acid homeostasis in Arabidopsis[J]. Plant Physiology, 165(1): 277-289.
[18] Gharabli H, Della Gala V, Welner D H.2023. The function of UDP-glycosyltransferases in plants and their possible use in crop protection[J]. Biotechnology Advances, 67: 108182.
[19] Jones P, Messner B, Nakajima J I, et al.2003. UGT73C6 and UGT78D1, glycosyltransferases involved in flavonol glycoside biosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana[J]. The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 278(45): 43910-43918.
[20] Kazuko Y, Kazuo S.2005. Organization of cis-acting regulatory elements in osmotic- and cold-stress-responsive promoters[J]. Trends in Plant Science, 10(2): 88-94.
[21] Leipelt M, Warnecke D, Zähringer U, et al.2001. Glucosylceramide synthases, a gene family responsible for the biosynthesis of glucosphingolipids in animals, plants, and fungi[J]. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 276(36): 33621-33629.
[22] Li P, Li Y J, Zhang F J, et al.2017. The Arabidopsis UDP-glycosyltransferases UGT79B2 and UGT79B3 contribute to cold, salt and drought stress tolerance via modulating anthocyanin accumulation[J]. The Plant Journal, 89(1): 85-103.
[23] Li X, Dai X, He H, et al.2024. A pan-TE map highlights transposable elements underlying domestication and agronomic traits in Asian rice[J]. National Science Review, 11(6): nwae188.
[24] Li Y, Baldauf S, Lim E K, et al.2001. Phylogenetic analysis of the UDP-glycosyltransferase multigene family of Arabidopsis thaliana[J]. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 276(6): 4338-4343.
[25] Li Y, Liu F, Li P, et al.2020. An Arabidopsis cytokinin-modifying glycosyltransferase UGT76C2 improves drought and salt tolerance in rice[J]. Frontiers in Plant Science, 11: 570.
[26] Liu Q, Dong G R, Ma Y Q, et al.2021. Rice glycosyltransferase gene UGT85E1 is involved in drought stress tolerance through enhancing abscisic acid response[J]. Frontiers in Plant Science, 12: 790195.
[27] Liu Q, Zhang L L, Lyu S W, et al.2024. The UDP-glycosyltransferase OsUGT706D2 positively regulates cold and submergence stress tolerance in rice[J]. The Crop Journal, 12(3): 732-742.
[28] Lu S, Chen Y Y, Wang S R, et al.2023. Combined metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis reveals key components of OsCIPK17 overexpression improves drought tolerance in rice[J]. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13: 1043757.
[29] Nirmala B.2018. Rice production in Asia: Key to global food security[J]. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 88(4): 1323-1328.
[30] Qiao X, Li Q, Yin H, et al.2019. Gene duplication and evolution in recurring polyploidization-diploidization cycles in plants[J]. Genome Biology, 20(1): 38.
[31] Ross J, Li Y, Lim E K, et al.2001. Higher plant glycosyltransferases[J]. Genome Biology, 2(2): 3004.
[32] Wang T, Li X K, Liu X, et al.2022. Rice glycosyltransferase gene UGT2 functions in salt stress tolerance under the regulation of bZIP23 transcription factor[J]. Plant Cell Reports, 42(1): 17-28.
[33] Wu B, Liu X, Xu K, et al.2020. Genome-wide characterization, evolution and expression profiling of UDP-glycosyltransferase family in pomelo(Citrus grandis) fruit[J]. BMC Plant Biology, 20(1): 459.
[34] Zhang C Y, Li C, Liu J, et al.2017. The OsABF1 transcription factor improves drought tolerance by activating the transcription of COR413-TM1 in rice[J]. Journal of Experimental Botany, 68(16): 4695-4707.
[35] Zhou H Y, Chen X G, Li M L, et al.2024. Simulation model for assessing high-temperature stress on rice[J]. Agronomy, 14(5): 900. |
|
|
|
