Expression Pattern of Two Sugar Transporter Genes (SuT4 and SuT5) under Salt Stress in Wheat

Salinity stress is important abiotic factor, limiting wheat yield around the world and it is known to induce the accumulation of water soluble carbohydrates. These changes were accompanied by alteration in expression levels of a large number of carbohydrate metabolic genes. In present study, regulation of two wheat carbohydrate transporter genes, namely SuT4 and SuT5 during salinity stress at seedling stage were elucidates using quantitative RT-PCR. Salinity stress was induced using NaCl. Measurement on germination and seedling growth revealed Kavir as salt tolerant and Falat as salt susceptible cultivar. Expressions of two sugar transporter genes were differentially regulated during salt stress. Transcripts levels of both genes were almost higher in tolerant cultivar. Highest level of SuT4 and SuT5 transcripts was observed in -0.75 MPa of NaCl in salt tolerant cultivar. Transcript level of both genes down regulated in salt susceptible cultivar by increasing NaCl osmotic potential up to -1 MPa. Therefore, it seems that accumulation of sugars was necessarily correlated with accumulation of sugar transporter genes transcripts and salinity tolerance.