Molecular characterization and expression analysis of two Na+/H+ antiporter genes in the marine red alga Porphyra yezoensis

Na+/H+ antiporters are known to play a crucial role in pH and Na+ homeostasis. In the present study, we characterized the molecular structures and expression patterns of two Na+/H+ antiporters from the marine red alga Porphyra yezoensis (designated PySOS1 and PyNhaD). The full-length cDNAs of PySOS1 and PyNhaD were 5122 and 1804 bp, and contained open reading frames (ORFs) of 4773 and 1275 bp, respectively. The deduced amino acid sequences showed high similarity to SOS1 and NhaD from the higher plant Arabidopsis thaliana. PySOS1 and PyNhaD contained conserved sequences found in the cation-proton antiporter. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that both antiporter genes were expressed in both the gametophyte and sporophyte of P. yezoensis. In addition, mRNA expression of PySOS1 and PyNhaD was simultaneously upregulated by light irradiation, suggesting that coordinated activity between the two is important in pH and Na+ homeostasis under light conditions. Moreover, the expression levels of both genes were partially reduced by the photosynthetic inhibitors DCMU and DBMIB, suggesting that upregulation is linked to photosynthesis-related metabolism. These findings provide an initial step towards understanding Na+/H+ antiporters in marine red algae.