Bioinformatics and Expression Analyses of the TaATLa Gene Subfamily in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Amino acids are the main form of nitrogen in plants, and their transport across cell membranes relies on amino acid transporters (AATs). Among the plant AATs, the TaATLa subfamily comprises 18 members, yet the bioinformatics characteristics and functions of <i>TaATLa</i> genes in common wheat remain poorly understood due to their complex genomes. This study performed genomic analyses of <i>TaATLas</i>. These analyses included chromosome distributions, evolutionary relationships, collinearity, gene structures, and expression patterns. An analysis of cis-acting elements and predicted miRNA-<i>TaATLas</i> regulatory networks suggests that <i>TaATLas</i> are regulated by light, hormones, and stress signals. Functional assays revealed that TaATLa6 transports glutamine (Gln), glutamate (Glu), and aspartate (Asp) in yeast. In contrast, TaATLa4 specifically transports Gln and Asp. Furthermore, <i>TaATLas</i> exhibits diverse gene expression patterns, with <i>TaATLa4-7D</i> enhancing yeast heat tolerance in a heterologous expression system, indicating its potential role in adapting to environmental stress by regulating amino acid transport and distribution. This study sheds light on the functional roles of <i>TaATLa</i> genes, with implications for improving nitrogen use in wheat and other crop species.