AUTHOR=Yang Zongtao , Cheng Guangyuan , Yu Quanxin , Jiao Wendi , Zeng Kang , Luo Tingxu , Zhang Hai , Shang Heyang , Huang Guoqiang , Wang Fengji , Guo Ying , Xu Jingsheng 

TITLE=Identification and characterization of the Remorin gene family in Saccharum and the involvement of ScREM1.5e-1/-2 in SCMV infection on sugarcane

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2024.1365995

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2024.1365995

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Introduction</title><p>Remorins (REMs) are plant-specific membrane-associated proteins that play important roles in plant–pathogen interactions and environmental adaptations. Group I REMs are extensively involved in virus infection. However, little is known about the <italic>REM</italic> gene family in sugarcane (<italic>Saccharum</italic> spp. hyrid), the most important sugar and energy crop around world.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>Comparative genomics were employed to analyze the <italic>REM</italic> gene family in <italic>Saccharum spontaneum</italic>. Transcriptomics or RT-qPCR were used to analyze their expression files in different development stages or tissues under different treatments. Yeast two hybrid, bimolecular fluorescence complementation and co-immunoprecipitation assays were applied to investigate the protein interaction.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>In this study, 65 <italic>REMs</italic> were identified from <italic>Saccharum spontaneum</italic> genome and classified into six groups based on phylogenetic tree analysis. These REMs contain multiple <italic>cis</italic>-elements associated with growth, development, hormone and stress response. Expression profiling revealed that among different <italic>SsREMs</italic> with variable expression levels in different developmental stages or different tissues. A pair of alleles, <italic>ScREM1.5e-1/-2</italic>, were isolated from the sugarcane cultivar ROC22. <italic>ScREM1.5e-1/-2</italic> were highly expressed in leaves, with the former expressed at significantly higher levels than the latter. Their expression was induced by treatment with H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>, ABA, ethylene, brassinosteroid, SA or MeJA, and varied upon <italic>Sugarcane mosaic virus</italic> (SCMV) infection. ScREM1.5e-1 was localized to the plasma membrane (PM), while ScREM1.5e-2 was localized to the cytoplasm or nucleus. ScREM1.5e-1/-2 can self-interact and interact with each other, and interact with VPgs from SCMV, <italic>Sorghum mosaic virus</italic>, or <italic>Sugarcane streak mosaic virus</italic>. The interactions with VPgs relocated ScREM1.5e-1 from the PM to the cytoplasm.</p></sec><sec><title>Discussion</title><p>These results reveal the origin, distribution and evolution of the <italic>REM</italic> gene family in sugarcane and may shed light on engineering sugarcane resistance against sugarcane mosaic pathogens.</p></sec>