Three putative sucrose transporters are differentially expressed in grapevine tissues

A total of three full-length cDNA clones (VvSUC11, VvSUC12, VvSUC27) encodi ng proteins with sequence similarity to membrane located solute transporter s have been isolated from grape (Vitis vinifera L.) berries. Sequence analy sis indicated that these deduced proteins are most closely related to plant , plasma membrane located, sucrose-H+ symporters. Northern blot analysis sh owed that these clones are differentially expressed in different tissues. E xpression of VvSUC11 and VvSUC12 was upregulated in berries when hexose acc umulation commenced in the vacuole while the expression of VvSUC27 declined during ripening. These results indicate a possible role for sucrose transp orters in the ripening-associated accumulation of hexoses in the berry vacu ole. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.