title: Aluminium-induced ion transport in Arabidopsis: the relationship between Al tolerance and root ion flux.
abstract: Aluminium (Al) rhizotoxicity coincides with low pH; however, it is unclear whether plant tolerance to these two factors is controlled by the same mechanism. To address this question, the Al-resistant alr104 mutant, two Al-sensitive mutants (als3 and als5), and wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana were compared in long-term exposure (solution culture) and in short-term exposure experiments (H(+) and K(+) fluxes, rhizosphere pH, and plasma membrane potential, E(m)). Based on biomass accumulation, als5 and alr104 showed tolerance to low pH, whereas alr104 was tolerant to the combined low-pH/Al treatment. The sensitivity of the als5 and als3 mutants to the Al stress was similar. The Al-induced decrease in H(+) influx at the distal elongation zone (DEZ) and Al-induced H(+) efflux at the mature zone (MZ) were higher in the Al-sensitive mutants (als3 and als5) than in the wild type and the alr104 mutant. Under combined low-pH/Al treatment, alr104 and the wild type had depolarized plasma membranes for the entire 30 min measurement period, whereas in the Al-sensitive mutants (als3 and als5), initial depolarization to around -60 mV became hyperpolarization at -110 mV after 20 min. At the DEZ, the E(m) changes corresponded to the changes in K(+) flux: K(+) efflux was higher in alr104 and the wild type than in the als3 and als5 mutants. In conclusion, Al tolerance in the alr104 mutant correlated with E(m) depolarization, higher K(+) efflux, and higher H(+) influx, which led to a more alkaline rhizosphere under the combined low-pH/Al stress. Low-pH tolerance (als5) was linked to higher H(+) uptake under low-pH stress, which was abolished by Al exposure.
authors.affiliation: School of Earth and Environment, the University of Western Australia, Crawley WA 6009, Australia.
authors.forename: Jayakumar
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bose
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Babourina
authors.forename: Sergey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shabala
authors.forename: Zed
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Rengel
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000378:metabolism*; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007477:Ions / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007477:Ions; D000535:Aluminum