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Updated: Jan 18, 2026

Characterization of Membrane Transporters by Heterologous Expression in E. coli and Production of Membrane Vesicles
Published on: December 31, 2019
Functional Studies and Expression Characteristics of the Vacuolar Sugar Transporter CoSWEET2a in Camellia oleifera
Xinhui Zou1, Bingshuai Du1,2, Jing Zhou1
1Key Laboratory of Forest Silviculture and Conservation of the Ministry of Education, The College of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
Abstract:
Sugar transporters of the SWEET family are essential for plant growth, development, yield formation, and stress responses by regulating sugar transport and distribution. This study characterizes the function and expression characteristics of CoSWEET2a, a Clade I SWEET gene in Camellia oleifera. We conducted subcellular localization, functional complementation in Arabidopsis, sugar response assays, drought tolerance tests, and hormone induction analysis. A key finding is CoSWEET2a, which that is localized on the vacuolar membrane in Camellia oleifera. Heterologous expression in Arabidopsis atsweet2 mutants revealed sugar-specific effects on root growth. Moreover, expression of CoSWEET2a increased soluble sugar content in Arabidopsis seeds. Additionally, CoSWEET2a overexpression enhanced drought stress tolerance by augmenting sugar content. The expression of CoSWEET2a is regulated by gibberellin (GA) and abscisic acid (ABA), and its promoter contains corresponding hormone response elements. In conclusion, CoSWEET2a functions as a "sugar buffer" on the vacuolar membrane, regulating sugar accumulation, root development, and drought stress responses. This discovery not only reveals that vacuolar SWEET plays an important role in maintaining cytoplasmic sugar homeostasis in plants but also provides a direct genetic target for engineering high-quality, drought-tolerant crops.
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