Phylogenetic and expression analysis of the magnesium transporter family in pear, and functional verification of PbrMGT7 in pear pollen

The magnesium ion (Mg²⁺) is the most abundant divalent cation in living cells, and it plays essential roles in various cellular functions. Mg²⁺ homeostasis in plant cells is crucial for plant growth. The MRS2/MGT family of proteins localise to various membranes, and they function during Mg²⁺ transport in plants, but their functions are largely unknown in fruit trees. In this study, we performed a genome-wide analysis to identify the MGT gene family members in the pear Pyrus bretschneideri. Sixteen MGT genes were identified. Analysis of the activity of pear pollen showed that a low-concentration magnesium ion treatment was beneficial for pollen germination and pollen tube growth. None of the 16 MGT genes were expressed in any unique tissue, including pollen, and their expression in magnesium-treated pollen varied greatly, where PbrMGT7 was the most sensitive and it was tested as a representative. PbrMGT7 could functionally complement a bacterial strain deficient in Mg²⁺, thereby indicating a role in magnesium transport. A co-localisation experiment confirmed that PbrMGT7 was localised in the mitochondria, which suggests that PbrMGT7 could mediate Mg-trafficking between the mitochondria and cytosol. Overall, these results suggest that PbrMGT7 is related to Mg²⁺ homeostasis during pear pollen tube growth.​​