Polar localization of nutrient transporters in plants

Polar localization of a boron transporter in Arabidopsis thaliana.
NIP5;1, a boric acid channel, localizes to the outer cell membrane domain of root epidermal cells for boron nutrition uptake to the roots. The localization of NIP5;1 fused with green fluorescence protein (GFP) is shown in green.

Assistant Prof. Junpei Takano (Research Faculty of Agriculture) in collaboration with Prof. Toru Fujiwara (The University of Tokyo) and colleagues showed polar localization of boron transporters in the cell membranes of plant root cells. The polar localization of nutrient influx transporters to the outer membrane domain (facing the root surface) and efflux transporters to the inner membrane domain (facing the center of roots) indicates the radial transport route of nutrients from the surface to the center of the roots. The group also showed mechanistic aspects of the polar localization which suggests a potential to improve crop growth through manipulation of the localization of nutrient transporters in cell membranes.

The results of this study were reported in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America on March 16, 2010.
 

Contact information:
Assistant Prof. Junpei Takano
Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University
E-mail: jtakano@abs.agr.hokudai.ac.jp