Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of AMT Gene Family in Apple (Malus domestica Borkh.)

• Published in: Horticulturae Vol. 8; no. 5; p. 457
• Main Authors: Huang, Linlin, Li, Jiazhen, Zhang, Bin, Hao, Yanyan, Ma, Fengwang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.05.2022
• Subjects: Abiotic stress; Ammonia; Ammonium; ammonium transporter; AMT gene; apple; Apples; Chromosomes; Diurnal variations; expression analysis; Flowers; Fruits; Gene expression; Genes; Genomes; Genomics; Malus domestica; Membrane proteins; Molecular modelling; Nitrogen sources; Osmotic stress; Phosphorylation; Phylogenetics; Protein transport; Proteins; Yeasts; United States > US; China
• ISSN: 2311-7524; 2311-7524
• DOI: 10.3390/horticulturae8050457

Ammonium is one of the prevalent nitrogen sources for growth and development of higher plants. Ammonium acquisition from soil is facilitated by ammonium transporters (AMTs), which are plasma membrane proteins that exclusively transport ammonium/ammonia. However, the functional characteristics and molecular mechanisms of AMTs in apple remain unclear. In this work, 15 putative AMT genes were identified and classified into four clusters (AMT1–AMT4) in apple. According to expression analysis, these AMTs had varying expressions in roots, leaves, stems, flowers and fruits. Some of them were strongly affected by diurnal cycles. AMT genes showed multiple transcript patterns to N regimes and were quite responsive to osmotic stress. In addition, phosphorylation analysis revealed that there were some conserved phosphorylation residues within the C-terminal of AMT proteins. Furthermore, detailed research was conducted on AMT1;2 functioning by heterologous expression in yeast. The present study is expected to provide basic bioinformatic information and expression profiles for the apple AMT family and to lay a basis for exploring the functional roles and regulation mechanisms of AMTs in apple.