title: Overexpression of an Arabidopsis magnesium transport gene, AtMGT1, in Nicotiana benthamiana confers Al tolerance.
abstract: Aluminium (Al) toxicity is the most important limiting factor for crop production in acid soil environments worldwide. In some plant species, application of magnesium (Mg(2+)) can alleviate Al toxicity. However, it remains unknown whether overexpression of magnesium transport proteins can improve Al tolerance. Here, the role of AtMGT1, a member of the Arabidopsis magnesium transport family involved in Mg(2+) transport, played in Al tolerance in higher plants was investigated. Expression of 35S::AtMGT1 led to various phenotypic alterations in Nicotiana benthamiana plants. Transgenic plants harbouring 35S::AtMGT1 exhibited tolerance to Mg(2+) deficiency. Element assay showed that the contents of Mg, Mn, and Fe in 35S::AtMGT1 plants increased compared with wild-type plants. Root growth experiment revealed that 100 microM AlCl(3) caused a reduction in root elongation by 47% in transgenic lines, whereas root growth in wild-type plants was inhibited completely. Upon Al treatment, representative transgenic lines also showed a much lower callose deposition, an indicator of increased Al tolerance, than wild-type plants. Taken together, the results have demonstrated that overexpression of ATMGT1 encoding a magnesium transport protein can improve tolerance to Al in higher plants.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Crop Quality Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture, Biotechnology Research Center, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Keming
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Demou
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xuelian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Xiaoyang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Chandra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thammina
authors.forename: Litang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pei
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D027682:Cation Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D017796:Caulimovirus / Q000235:genetics; D005936:Glucans / Q000378:metabolism; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D008274:Magnesium / Q000378:metabolism; D008345:Manganese / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D027682:Cation Transport Proteins; D005936:Glucans; C517535:MGT1 protein, Arabidopsis; D008345:Manganese; C048306:callose; D000535:Aluminum; D007501:Iron; D008274:Magnesium