title: Compatible solutes reduce ROS-induced potassium efflux in Arabidopsis roots.
abstract: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are known to be primarily responsible for the impairment of cellular function under numerous abiotic and biotic stress conditions. In this paper, using non-invasive microelectrode ion flux measuring (MIFE) system, we show that the application of a hydroxyl radical (OH*)-generating Cu2+/ascorbate (Cu/a) mixture to Arabidopsis roots results in a massive, dose-dependent efflux of K+ from epidermal cells in the elongation zone. Pharmacological experiments suggest that both outward-rectifying K+ channels and non-selective cation channels (NSCCs) mediate such effluxes. Low (5 mM) concentrations of compatible solutes (glycine betaine, proline, mannitol, trehalose or myo-inositol) significantly reduces OH*-induced K+ efflux, similar to our previous reports for NaCl-induced K+ efflux. Importantly, a significant reduction in K+ efflux was found using osmolytes with no reported free radical scavenging activity, as well as those for which a role in free radical scavenging has been demonstrated. This indicates that compatible solutes must play other (regulatory) roles, in addition to free radical scavenging, in mitigating the damaging effects of oxidative stress.
authors.affiliation: School of Agricultural Science, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia. Tracey.Cuin@utas.edu.au
authors.forename: Tracey Ann
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Cuin
authors.forename: Sergey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shabala
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D017136:Ion Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism*; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D015221:Potassium Channels; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D011188:Potassium