Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Profiling of Sugar Transport Protein Response to Fusarium Head Blight in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Fusarium head blight (FHB) negatively affects wheat yield and quality worldwide. As wheat varieties differ in terms of their resistance to FHB, the identification of FHB-resistant genes is of great importance for the genetic improvement for FHB resistance in wheat breeding. Although sugar transporter proteins (STPs) play vital roles in plant-pathogen interactions, the functions of <i>STP</i> genes in wheat FHB resistance remain poorly understood. In this study, bioinformatics analyses were conducted to identify novel STP genes and characterize their expression profiles in wheat. We confirmed the presence of the 81 TaSTP genes previously reported and identified one additional member, designated as <i>TaSTP6-2D</i>. Based on RNA-seq profiles, 50 TaSTP genes that showed differential expression under biotic or abiotic stress were selected to explore the potential function in the resistance to Fusarium head blight. RT-qPCR analysis revealed that 11 TaSTP genes (<i>TaSTP1-2D</i>, <i>TaSTP3-2A</i>, <i>TaSTP3-2B</i>, <i>TaSTP6-2A</i>, <i>TaSTP6-2B</i>, <i>TaSTP13-4B</i>, <i>TaSTP13-4D</i>, <i>TaSTP19-4A</i>, <i>TaSTP26-5A</i>, <i>TaSTP28-3A</i> and <i>TaSTP28-3D</i>) were differential expressed following the treatment with chitin, <i>Fusarium graminearum</i> or deoxynivalenol. Among them, <i>TaSTP26-5A</i> showed a 28-fold upregulation to chitin in "Yangmai 158" compared to a 6-fold change in "Fielder". These findings establish a foundation for understanding the function of TaSTP genes in FHB resistance and provide potential genetic targets for improving disease resistance in wheat.