Monosaccharides transporters play important roles in assimilate supply for sink tissue development. In this study, a new monosaccharide transporter gene OsMST6 was identified from rice (Oryza sativa L.). The predicted OsMST6 protein shows typical features of sugar transporters and shares 79.6% identity with the rice monosaccharide transporter OsMST3. Heterologous expression in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) demonstrated that OsMST6 is a broad-spectrum monosaccharide transporter, with a K m of 266.1 μΜ for glucose. OsMST6-green fluorescent protein fusion protein is localized to the plasma membrane in plant. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis exhibited that OsMST6 is expressed in all tested organs/tissues. In developing seeds, OsMST6 expression level is high at the early and middle grain filling stages and gradually declines later. Further analysis detected its expression in both maternal and filial tissues. RNA in situ hybridization analysis indicated that OsMST6 is predominantly expressed in the vascular parenchyma of the chalazal vein, cross-cells, nucellar tissue and endosperm of young seeds, in mesophyll cells of source leaf blades, and in pollens and the connective vein of anthers. In addition, OsMST6 expression is up-regulated by salt stress and sugars. The physiological role of OsMST6 for seed development and its roles in other sink and source tissues are discussed.
水稻单糖转运蛋白OsMST6的分子克隆、功能鉴定与表达分析单糖转运蛋白在为库组织发育提供同化产物过程中起重要作用。