Genome-Wide Identification of the Shaker Potassium Channel Family in Chinese Cabbage and Functional Studies of <i>BrKAT1</i> in Yeast

Shaker potassium channels play a crucial role in potassium (K+) nutrition and stress resistance in plants. However, systematic research on Shaker K+ channels in Chinese cabbage [<i>Brassica rapa</i> var. chinensis (L.) Kitamura] remains scarce. This study identified 13 Shaker K+ channel...

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Main Authors: Jin-Yan Zhou, Ze-Chen Gu, Dong-Li Hao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-08-01
Series:Agronomy
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/14/9/1954
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author Jin-Yan Zhou
Ze-Chen Gu
Dong-Li Hao
author_facet Jin-Yan Zhou
Ze-Chen Gu
Dong-Li Hao
author_sort Jin-Yan Zhou
collection DOAJ
description Shaker potassium channels play a crucial role in potassium (K+) nutrition and stress resistance in plants. However, systematic research on Shaker K+ channels in Chinese cabbage [<i>Brassica rapa</i> var. chinensis (L.) Kitamura] remains scarce. This study identified 13 Shaker K+ channel members within the cabbage genome, which are unevenly distributed across eight chromosomes. Notably, the number of Shaker K+ channel members in Chinese cabbage exceeds that found in the model plants Arabidopsis (9) and rice (10). This discrepancy is attributed to a higher number of homologous proteins in Groups II and V of Chinese cabbage, with gene segmental duplication in these two subgroups being a significant factor contributing to the expansion of the Shaker K+ channel gene family. Interspecies collinearity analysis revealed that the whole genome and the Shaker K+ channel family of Chinese cabbage show greater similarity to those of Arabidopsis than to those of rice, indicating that Shaker K+ channels from the Brassicaceae family have a closer relationship than that from the Poaceae family. Given that gene expansion occurs in Group II, we investigated whether a functional difference exists between <i>BrKAT1.1</i> and <i>BrKAT1.2</i> using yeast assays and promoter analysis. The expression of two <i>BrKAT1</i> genes in the potassium uptake-deficient yeast mutant R5421 can restore growth under low potassium conditions, indicating their role in potassium absorption. Truncation of the N-terminal 63 amino acids of <i>BrKAT1.2</i> resulted in the loss of potassium absorption capability, suggesting that the N-terminus is essential for maintaining the potassium absorption function of <i>BrKAT1.2</i>. Furthermore, the expression of the two <i>BrKAT1</i> genes in the salt-sensitive yeast G19 enhances yeast tolerance to salt stress. These results demonstrate that <i>BrKAT1.1</i> and <i>BrKAT1.2</i> exhibit similar abilities in potassium uptake and salt tolerance. The difference between <i>BrKAT1.1</i> and <i>BrKAT1.2</i> lay in their promoter regulatory elements, suggesting that differences in transcriptional regulation contributed to the functional differentiation of <i>BrKAT1.1</i> and <i>BrKAT1.2</i>. These findings provide a foundation for understanding the evolution and functional mechanisms of the Shaker K+ channel family in Chinese cabbage and for improving potassium nutrition and salt tolerance in this species through the manipulation of <i>BrKAT1</i>.
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spelling doaj-art-a30d8020db794cddb5e6f3eeb6de18af2025-08-20T01:56:09ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952024-08-01149195410.3390/agronomy14091954Genome-Wide Identification of the Shaker Potassium Channel Family in Chinese Cabbage and Functional Studies of <i>BrKAT1</i> in YeastJin-Yan Zhou0Ze-Chen Gu1Dong-Li Hao2Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, Jiangsu Vocational College of Agriculture and Forest, Jurong 212400, ChinaDepartment of Agronomy and Horticulture, Jiangsu Vocational College of Agriculture and Forest, Jurong 212400, ChinaThe National Forestry and Grassland Administration Engineering Research Center for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Warm-Season Turfgrasses, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for the Research and Utilization of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences (Nanjing Botanical Garden Mem. Sun Yat-Sen), Nanjing 210014, ChinaShaker potassium channels play a crucial role in potassium (K+) nutrition and stress resistance in plants. However, systematic research on Shaker K+ channels in Chinese cabbage [<i>Brassica rapa</i> var. chinensis (L.) Kitamura] remains scarce. This study identified 13 Shaker K+ channel members within the cabbage genome, which are unevenly distributed across eight chromosomes. Notably, the number of Shaker K+ channel members in Chinese cabbage exceeds that found in the model plants Arabidopsis (9) and rice (10). This discrepancy is attributed to a higher number of homologous proteins in Groups II and V of Chinese cabbage, with gene segmental duplication in these two subgroups being a significant factor contributing to the expansion of the Shaker K+ channel gene family. Interspecies collinearity analysis revealed that the whole genome and the Shaker K+ channel family of Chinese cabbage show greater similarity to those of Arabidopsis than to those of rice, indicating that Shaker K+ channels from the Brassicaceae family have a closer relationship than that from the Poaceae family. Given that gene expansion occurs in Group II, we investigated whether a functional difference exists between <i>BrKAT1.1</i> and <i>BrKAT1.2</i> using yeast assays and promoter analysis. The expression of two <i>BrKAT1</i> genes in the potassium uptake-deficient yeast mutant R5421 can restore growth under low potassium conditions, indicating their role in potassium absorption. Truncation of the N-terminal 63 amino acids of <i>BrKAT1.2</i> resulted in the loss of potassium absorption capability, suggesting that the N-terminus is essential for maintaining the potassium absorption function of <i>BrKAT1.2</i>. Furthermore, the expression of the two <i>BrKAT1</i> genes in the salt-sensitive yeast G19 enhances yeast tolerance to salt stress. These results demonstrate that <i>BrKAT1.1</i> and <i>BrKAT1.2</i> exhibit similar abilities in potassium uptake and salt tolerance. The difference between <i>BrKAT1.1</i> and <i>BrKAT1.2</i> lay in their promoter regulatory elements, suggesting that differences in transcriptional regulation contributed to the functional differentiation of <i>BrKAT1.1</i> and <i>BrKAT1.2</i>. These findings provide a foundation for understanding the evolution and functional mechanisms of the Shaker K+ channel family in Chinese cabbage and for improving potassium nutrition and salt tolerance in this species through the manipulation of <i>BrKAT1</i>.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/14/9/1954Shaker K+ channelgenome-wide identificationgene expansionpotassium uptakesalt tolerancefunctional determination structure
spellingShingle Jin-Yan Zhou
Ze-Chen Gu
Dong-Li Hao
Genome-Wide Identification of the Shaker Potassium Channel Family in Chinese Cabbage and Functional Studies of <i>BrKAT1</i> in Yeast
Agronomy
Shaker K+ channel
genome-wide identification
gene expansion
potassium uptake
salt tolerance
functional determination structure
title Genome-Wide Identification of the Shaker Potassium Channel Family in Chinese Cabbage and Functional Studies of <i>BrKAT1</i> in Yeast
title_full Genome-Wide Identification of the Shaker Potassium Channel Family in Chinese Cabbage and Functional Studies of <i>BrKAT1</i> in Yeast
title_fullStr Genome-Wide Identification of the Shaker Potassium Channel Family in Chinese Cabbage and Functional Studies of <i>BrKAT1</i> in Yeast
title_full_unstemmed Genome-Wide Identification of the Shaker Potassium Channel Family in Chinese Cabbage and Functional Studies of <i>BrKAT1</i> in Yeast
title_short Genome-Wide Identification of the Shaker Potassium Channel Family in Chinese Cabbage and Functional Studies of <i>BrKAT1</i> in Yeast
title_sort genome wide identification of the shaker potassium channel family in chinese cabbage and functional studies of i brkat1 i in yeast
topic Shaker K+ channel
genome-wide identification
gene expansion
potassium uptake
salt tolerance
functional determination structure
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/14/9/1954
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