title: The high-affinity poplar ammonium importer PttAMT1.2 and its role in ectomycorrhizal symbiosis.
abstract: One way to elucidate whether ammonium could act as a nitrogen (N) source delivered by the fungus in ectomycorrhizal symbiosis is to investigate plant ammonium importers. Expression analysis of a high-affinity ammonium importer from Populus tremulax tremuloides (PttAMT1.2) and of known members of the AMT1 gene family from Populus trichocarpa was performed. In addition, PttAMT1.2 function was studied in detail by heterologous expression in yeast. PttAMT1.2 expression proved to be root-specific, affected by N nutrition, and strongly increased in a N-independent manner upon ectomycorrhiza formation. The corresponding protein had a K(M) value for ammonium of c. 52 microm. From the seven members of the AMT1 gene family, one gene was exclusively expressed in roots while four genes were detectable in all poplar organs but with varying degrees of expression. Ectomycorrhiza formation resulted in a strong upregulation of three of these genes. Our results indicate an increased ammonium uptake capacity of mycorrhized poplar roots and suggest, together with the expression of putative ammonium exporter genes in the ectomycorrhizal fungus Amanita muscaria, that ammonium could be a major N source delivered from the fungus towards the plant in symbiosis.
authors.affiliation: Eberhard-Karls-Universität, Physiologische Okologie der Pflanzen, Auf der Morgenstelle 1, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Selle
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Willmann
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Grunze
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gessler
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Nehls
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D001692:Biological Transport; D027682:Cation Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D017931:DNA Primers; D038821:Mycorrhizae / Q000502:physiology*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D032107:Populus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013559:Symbiosis
chemical_list: D027682:Cation Transport Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D010940:Plant Proteins; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds