Comprehensive identification and expression analyses of sugar transporter genes reveal the role of GmSTP22 in salt stress resistance in soybean.

The transport, compartmentation and allocation of sugar are critical for plant growth and development, as well as for stress resistance, but sugar transporter genes have not been comprehensively characterized in soybean. Here, we performed a genome-wide identification and expression analyses of sugar transporter genes in soybean in order to reveal their putative functions. A total of 122 genes encoding sucrose transporters (SUTs) and monosaccharide transporters (MSTs) were identified in soybean.

Calmodulin and calmodulin-like protein-mediated plant responses to biotic stresses.

Plants have evolved a set of finely regulated mechanisms to respond to various biotic stresses. Transient changes in intracellular calcium (Ca ) concentration have been well documented to act as cellular signals in coupling environmental stimuli to appropriate physiological responses with astonishing accuracy and specificity in plants. Calmodulins (CaMs) and calmodulin-like proteins (CMLs) are extensively characterized as important classes of Ca sensors.

Arabidopsis CAMTA3/SR1 is involved in drought stress tolerance and ABA signaling.

Calcium/calmodulin signals are important for various cellular and physiological activities in plants. Calmodulin binding transcription activators also named Signal Responsive (SR) proteins belong to an important calcium/calmodulin-dependent transcription factor family that plays critical roles in stress responses. However, the role of SRs in abscisic acid (ABA) regulated plant responses to drought stress is largely unknown.