The Role of the Plasma Membrane H+-ATPase in Plant Responses to Aluminum Toxicity

GsMATE encoding a multidrug and toxic compound extrusion transporter enhances aluminum tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana

BACKGROUND

Multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) transporters, which exist widely in plants, function as crucial regulators in plant resistance to aluminum (Al) toxicity by inducing citrate efflux. However, the functions of most MATE family members in soybean (Glycine soja) remain to be elucidated.

RESULTS

Expression pattern analysis showed that GsMATE was constitutively expressed in different soybean organs, with the highest level in root compared with those in stem, leaf and cotyledon. In addition, Al stress induced expression of GsMATE in soybean. Temporal analysis indicated that GsMATE expression was greatly enhanced by increasing concentrations of aluminum [Al3+] after short exposure, reaching the high levels detected in the BW69 (Al-resistant) and the JW81 (Al-sensitive) lines of Glycine soja of wild soybean at 6 h and 8 h, respectively. Furthermore, transient GsMATE expression in Arabidopsis protoplasts showed that GsMATE protein localized to the plasma membrane. Overexpression of GsMATE on an Arabidopsis columbia-0 (Col-0) background resulted in increased Al tolerance in transgenic plants. Analysis of hematoxylin staining showed that the roots of GsMATE transgenic lines were stained less intensely than those of the wild-type exposured to the same AlCl3 concentrations. Therefore, GsMATE enhanced the resistance of transgenic plants to Al toxicity by reducing Al accumulation in Arabidopsis roots.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, our results indicate that GsMATE is responsive to aluminum stress and may participate in the regulation of sensitivity to Al toxicity in Arabidopsis. In addition, the GsMATE protein is an Al-induced citrate transporter of the MATE family and exerts an essential role in Al tolerance in Glycine soja.

Aluminium toxicity and phosphate deficiency activates antioxidant systems and up-regulates expression of phosphate transporters gene in ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) plants

Soil acidity, associated with aluminium (Al) toxicity and low phosphorus (P) availability, is considered the most important problem for agricultural production. Even though the Al-P interaction has been widely investigated, the impact of P-nutrition on Al-toxicity still remains controversial and poorly understood. To elucidate further insights into the underlying mechanisms of this interaction in ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), P uptake, antioxidant responses and the gene expression of phosphate transporters were determined. Two ryegrass cultivars with different Al resistances, the Al-tolerant Nui cultivar and the Al-sensitive Expo cultivar were hydroponically grown under low (16 μM) and optimal (100 μM) P doses for 16 days. After P treatments, plants were exposed to Al doses (0 and 200 μM) under acidic conditions (pH 4.8) for 24 h. Al and P accumulation were higher in the roots of Nui than that of Expo. Moreover, lower Al accumulation was found in shoots of Nui independent of P supplies. Oxidative stress induced by Al-toxicity and P-deficiency was more severe in the Al-sensitive Expo. Expression levels of L. perenne phosphate transporters were higher in Nui than they were in Expo. While LpPHT1 expression was up-regulated by P deficiency and Al toxicity in both cultivars, LpPHT4 expression only increased in the Al-tolerant cultivar. This report shows that the higher Al-tolerance of Nui can be attributed to a greater antioxidant system under both P conditions. The observation of higher P and Al accumulation in roots of Nui might indicate that the Al-tolerance of Nui is a consequence of Al immobilization by P mediated by the high expression of phosphate transporters.