Improved salinity tolerance of rice through cell type-specific expression of AtHKT1;1.
Previously, cell type-specific expression of AtHKT1;1, a sodium transporter, improved sodium (Na(+)) exclusion and salinity tolerance in Arabidopsis. In the current work, AtHKT1;1, was expressed specifically in the root cortical and epidermal cells of an Arabidopsis GAL4-GFP enhancer trap line. These transgenic plants were found to have significantly improved Na(+) exclusion under conditions of salinity stress. The feasibility of a similar biotechnological approach in crop plants was explored using a GAL4-GFP enhancer trap rice line to drive expression of AtHKT1;1 specifically in the root cortex. Compared with the background GAL4-GFP line, the rice plants expressing AtHKT1;1 had a higher fresh weight under salinity stress, which was related to a lower concentration of Na(+) in the shoots. The root-to-shoot transport of (22)Na(+) was also decreased and was correlated with an upregulation of OsHKT1;5, the native transporter responsible for Na(+) retrieval from the transpiration stream. Interestingly, in the transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing AtHKT1;1 in the cortex and epidermis, the native AtHKT1;1 gene responsible for Na(+) retrieval from the transpiration stream, was also upregulated. Extra Na(+) retrieved from the xylem was stored in the outer root cells and was correlated with a significant increase in expression of the vacuolar pyrophosphatases (in Arabidopsis and rice) the activity of which would be necessary to move the additional stored Na(+) into the vacuoles of these cells. This work presents an important step in the development of abiotic stress tolerance in crop plants via targeted changes in mineral transport.
Plett
Darren
D
Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, South Australia, Australia.
Safwat
Gehan
G
Gilliham
Matthew
M
Skrumsager Møller
Inge
I
Roy
Stuart
S
Shirley
Neil
N
Jacobs
Andrew
A
Johnson
Alexander
A
Tester
Mark
M
D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001692:Biological Transport; D027682:Cation Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D009928:Organ Specificity; D012275:Oryza / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D055049:Salt Tolerance; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D027981:Symporters / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D027682:Cation Transport Proteins; C490286:HKT1 protein, Arabidopsis; D027981:Symporters; D012964:Sodium