Sugars regulate gene transcription by modulating promoter activities. Conserved cis-elements have been identified in the promoters of many sugar-regulated genes -- SURE motif (sugar-responsive element) and SP8 motif. GhMYB25-like genes have promoters with SURE elements. Moreover, four copies of the SP8b-like box (TACTtTT) were also found in the GhMYB25like promoter. Thus, can we say that the expression of GhMYB25like may be regulated by sugar signaling through SURE and SP8 motifs? If so, is it valid enough to make an inference about a particular gene to be responsive to sugars if I embark on to scrutinize for conserved cis-elements in the promoter region of that particular gene using bioinformatics tool with the sequence information I have?
Only based on bioinformatics is not valid enough, though four copies of PS8 motif and SURE motif were found. Additional tests should be designed to comfirm this point, qRT, EMSA, Y1H etc..
It's a safe presumption enough to postulate a hypothesis but definite validation remains. Validate the responsiveness using comparative transcript levels of your GOI under sugar-rich and sugar-depleted conditions and then only proceed. You will also need to perform similar experiments using partially deleted promoter constructs once you identify motifs in your GOI.
If similar elements are found in the promoter of orthologous genes that would be indicative of functional relevance for the sites. In this case, any evidence of combinatorial interaction between cis-acting elements would help to strengthen your hypotesis (evolutionary conservation of relative position of the elements and distance between them).
I agree with all above three answers. But the validation of concept experimentally will generate firm basis.
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