Sugar transporters for intercellular exchange and nutrition of pathogens

• Published in: Nature (London) Vol. 468; no. 7323; pp. 527 - 532
• Main Authors: Chen, Li-Qing, Hou, Bi-Huei, Lalonde, Sylvie, Takanaga, Hitomi, Hartung, Mara L., Qu, Xiao-Qing, Guo, Woei-Jiun, Kim, Jung-Gun, Underwood, William, Chaudhuri, Bhavna, Chermak, Diane, Antony, Ginny, White, Frank F., Somerville, Shauna C., Mudgett, Mary Beth, Frommer, Wolf B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 25.11.2010; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/326/421; 631/449/2169; 631/92/577; Animals; Arabidopsis - genetics; Arabidopsis - metabolism; Arabidopsis - microbiology; Arabidopsis Proteins - genetics; Arabidopsis Proteins - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Transport - genetics; Blood sugar; Caenorhabditis elegans; Cell interaction; Cellular biology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Glucose; Glucose - metabolism; HEK293 Cells; Host-Pathogen Interactions - physiology; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Membrane Transport Proteins - metabolism; Models, Biological; multidisciplinary; Oryza - genetics; Oryza - metabolism; Oryza - microbiology; Pathogenic microorganisms; Pathogens; Pathology; Physiological aspects; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Plant biology; Pollen; Proteins; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - genetics; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sugar; Xenopus - genetics; United States; Monocotyledones; Plant pathogen; Intercellular transport; Glucose; Arabidopsis thaliana; Fungi; Cruciferae; Gramineae; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Bacteria; Pollen; Microsporogenesis; Nematoda; Sugar; Rhabditidae; Nectar; Nutrition; Optical sensor; Protein; Caenorhabditis elegans; Oryza; Helmintha; Nemathelminthia; Spermatophyta; Invertebrata; Experimental plant; Viability
• ISSN: 0028-0836; 1476-4687; 1476-4687
• DOI: 10.1038/nature09606

Sugar efflux transporters are essential for the maintenance of animal blood glucose levels, plant nectar production, and plant seed and pollen development. Despite broad biological importance, the identity of sugar efflux transporters has remained elusive. Using optical glucose sensors, we identified a new class of sugar transporters, named SWEETs, and show that at least six out of seventeen Arabidopsis , two out of over twenty rice and two out of seven homologues in Caenorhabditis elegans , and the single copy human protein, mediate glucose transport. Arabidopsis SWEET8 is essential for pollen viability, and the rice homologues SWEET11 and SWEET14 are specifically exploited by bacterial pathogens for virulence by means of direct binding of a bacterial effector to the SWEET promoter. Bacterial symbionts and fungal and bacterial pathogens induce the expression of different SWEET genes, indicating that the sugar efflux function of SWEET transporters is probably targeted by pathogens and symbionts for nutritional gain. The metazoan homologues may be involved in sugar efflux from intestinal, liver, epididymis and mammary cells. Novel sugar transporters aid plant pathogens A previously unknown family of sugar transporters has been identified, initially in plants, but with homologues that are apparently widely distributed in animals too. In plants, these SWEET receptors correspond to the long-sought carriers that supply glucose for nectar, seed and pollen development. Some of these transporters are co-opted by pathogens in order to provide sugars for reproduction. Metazoan homologues also mediate glucose transport, and may be involved in sugar efflux from intestinal, liver, epididymis and mammary cells. Sugar efflux transporters are essential for diverse processes such as nectar production and seed and pollen development, as well for the maintenance of blood glucose levels in animals. These authors identify and characterize a novel sugar transporter family, SWEET, and show that several Arabidopsis , rice and metazoan homologues mediate glucose transport. In addition, some of these transporters are exploited by plant pathogens for nutritional gain and virulence.