title: A gene in the multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) family confers aluminum tolerance in sorghum.
abstract: Crop yields are significantly reduced by aluminum toxicity on highly acidic soils, which comprise up to 50% of the world's arable land. Candidate aluminum tolerance proteins include organic acid efflux transporters, with the organic acids forming non-toxic complexes with rhizosphere aluminum. In this study, we used positional cloning to identify the gene encoding a member of the multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) family, an aluminum-activated citrate transporter, as responsible for the major sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) aluminum tolerance locus, Alt(SB). Polymorphisms in regulatory regions of Alt(SB) are likely to contribute to large allelic effects, acting to increase Alt(SB) expression in the root apex of tolerant genotypes. Furthermore, aluminum-inducible Alt(SB) expression is associated with induction of aluminum tolerance via enhanced root citrate exudation. These findings will allow us to identify superior Alt(SB) haplotypes that can be incorporated via molecular breeding and biotechnology into acid soil breeding programs, thus helping to increase crop yields in developing countries where acidic soils predominate.
authors.affiliation: Embrapa Maize and Sorghum, Rod. MG 424, Km 65, 35701-970, Sete Lagoas, Minas Gerais, Brazil. jurandir@cnpms.embrapa.br
authors.forename: Jurandir V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Magalhaes
authors.forename: Jiping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Claudia T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: Ubiraci G P
authors.initials: UG
authors.lastname: Lana
authors.forename: Vera M C
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Yi-Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Schaffert
authors.forename: Owen A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Hoekenga
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Piñeros
authors.forename: Jon E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Shaff
authors.forename: Patricia E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Newton P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Carneiro
authors.forename: Cintia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Coelho
authors.forename: Harold N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Trick
authors.forename: Leon V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Kochian
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects*; D000535:Aluminum / Q000633:toxicity*; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D045868:Sorghum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D000535:Aluminum