1. AtHKT1 Facilitates Na+ Homeostasis and K+ Nutrition in Planta1
- Author
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Rus, Ana, Lee, Byeong-ha, Muñoz-Mayor, Alicia, Sharkhuu, Altanbadralt, Miura, Kenji, Zhu, Jian-Kang, Bressan, Ray A., and Hasegawa, Paul M.
- Subjects
Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers ,Base Sequence ,DNA, Plant ,Symporters ,Arabidopsis Proteins ,Molecular Sequence Data ,Sodium ,Arabidopsis ,Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases ,Sodium Chloride ,Genes, Plant ,Suppression, Genetic ,Mutation ,Potassium ,Homeostasis ,Nutritional Physiological Phenomena ,SOS Response, Genetics ,Focus Issue on Plant Nutrition ,Cation Transport Proteins - Abstract
Genetic and physiological data establish that Arabidopsis AtHKT1 facilitates Na(+) homeostasis in planta and by this function modulates K(+) nutrient status. Mutations that disrupt AtHKT1 function suppress NaCl sensitivity of sos1-1 and sos2-2, as well as of sos3-1 seedlings grown in vitro and plants grown in controlled environmental conditions. hkt1 suppression of sos3-1 NaCl sensitivity is linked to higher Na(+) content in the shoot and lower content of the ion in the root, reducing the Na(+) imbalance between these organs that is caused by sos3-1. AtHKT1 transgene expression, driven by its innate promoter, increases NaCl but not LiCl or KCl sensitivity of wild-type (Col-0 gl1) or of sos3-1 seedlings. NaCl sensitivity induced by AtHKT1 transgene expression is linked to a lower K(+) to Na(+) ratio in the root. However, hkt1 mutations increase NaCl sensitivity of both seedlings in vitro and plants grown in controlled environmental conditions, which is correlated with a lower K(+) to Na(+) ratio in the shoot. These results establish that AtHKT1 is a focal determinant of Na(+) homeostasis in planta, as either positive or negative modulation of its function disturbs ion status that is manifested as salt sensitivity. K(+)-deficient growth of sos1-1, sos2-2, and sos3-1 seedlings is suppressed completely by hkt1-1. AtHKT1 transgene expression exacerbates K(+) deficiency of sos3-1 or wild-type seedlings. Together, these results indicate that AtHKT1 controls Na(+) homeostasis in planta and through this function regulates K(+) nutrient status.
- Published
- 2004