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Discovery of Protein Interactors of SUGARWINs in Saccharum officinarum using cDNA Library Screening

Aqsa Parvaiz , Muhammad Mubashar Zafar , Faiz Ahmad Joyia, Sultana Anwar, Andrei Smertenko, HIRA KAMAL , Dr. Saba Zafar , Mishal Subhan , Muhammad Khan, Mahmoud F. Seleiman, Majed Alotaibi , Sezai Ercisli, Ghulam Mustafa, Xuefei Jiang

Abstract

Sugarcane holds considerable commercial significance due to its role as the primary source of sugar and its potential as a global biofuel resource. Fungal pathogens and insect pests present significant challenges to cultivation of this crop, leading to substantial reductions in crop yield and sugar recovery. In response to pathogen infection, plants initiate their defense mechanisms, which involve the upregulation of pathogenesis-related proteins such as chitinase, glucanase and chitosanase. SUGARWINs refer to a group of PR-4 proteins that are associated to the defense mechanisms of sugarcane against phytopathogens. Their gene expression is induced in response to wound caused by larvae Diatraea saccharalis and diseases caused by fungal pathogens like Colletothricum falcatum and Fusarium verticillioides. We report the finding of some other proteins which interact with SUGARWINs and also may have role in defense against fungal diseases. Sugarcane cDNA library was screened against SUGARWIN1 and SUGARWIN2 proteins to find out possible interactors. A strong interaction of both SUGARWIN1 and SUGARWIN2 was observed with oxygen evolving enhancer protein 1 and synaptotagmin 1. These interactions were further validated by BiFC (Biomolecular fluorescence complementation) assay. For further molecular characterization subcellular localization studies of SUGARWINs and interactor proteins were conducted by translational fusion with GFP.

FP25049  Accepted 23 June 2025

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