A gene in the multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) family confers aluminum tolerance in sorghum.
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.
Magalhaes
Jurandir V
JV
Embrapa Maize and Sorghum, Rod. MG 424, Km 65, 35701-970, Sete Lagoas, Minas Gerais, Brazil. jurandir@cnpms.embrapa.br
Liu
Jiping
J
Guimarães
Claudia T
CT
Lana
Ubiraci G P
UG
Alves
Vera M C
VM
Wang
Yi-Hong
YH
Schaffert
Robert E
RE
Hoekenga
Owen A
OA
Piñeros
Miguel A
MA
Shaff
Jon E
JE
Klein
Patricia E
PE
Carneiro
Newton P
NP
Coelho
Cintia M
CM
Trick
Harold N
HN
Kochian
Leon V
LV
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
D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D000535:Aluminum