Rapid Up-Regulation of HKT1, a High-Affinity Potassium Transporter Gene, in Roots of Barley and Wheat following Withdrawal of Potassium1

AUTOR(ES)

Wang, Tie-Bang

FONTE

American Society of Plant Physiologists

RESUMO

High-affinity K+ uptake in plant roots is rapidly up-regulated when K+ is withheld and down-regulated when K+ is resupplied. These processes make important contributions to plant K+ homeostasis. A cDNA coding for a high-affinity K+ transporter, HKT1, was earlier cloned from wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) roots and functionally characterized. We demonstrate here that in both barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and wheat roots, a rapid and large up-regulation of HKT1 mRNA levels resulted when K+ was withdrawn from growth media. This effect was specific for K+; withholding N caused a modest reduction of HKT1 mRNA levels. Up-regulation of HKT1 transcript levels in barley roots occurred within 4 h of removing K+, which corresponds to the documented increase of high-affinity K+ uptake in roots following removal of K+. Increased expression of HKT1 mRNA was evident before a decline in total root K+ concentration could be detected. Resupply of 1 mm K+ was sufficient to strongly reduce HKT1 transcript levels. In wheat root cortical cells, both membrane depolarizations in response to 100 μm K+, Cs+, and Rb+, and high-affinity K+ uptake were enhanced by K+ deprivation. Thus, in both plant systems the observed physiological changes associated with manipulating external K+ supply were correlated with levels of HKT1 mRNA expression. Implications of these findings for K+ sensing and regulation of the HKT1 mRNA levels in plant roots are discussed.

Documentos Relacionados

• Regulation of High-Affinity Nitrate Transporter Genes and High-Affinity Nitrate Influx by Nitrogen Pools in Roots of Barley1
• Glucocorticoid up-regulation of high-affinity interleukin 6 receptors on human epithelial cells.
• High-Affinity Potassium Transport in Barley Roots. Ammonium-Sensitive and -Insensitive Pathways1
• Zinc Deficiency Up-Regulates Expression of High-Affinity Phosphate Transporter Genes in Both Phosphate-Sufficient and -Deficient Barley Roots1
• The HAK1 gene of barley is a member of a large gene family and encodes a high-affinity potassium transporter.