title: Transport, signaling, and homeostasis of potassium and sodium in plants.
abstract: Potassium (K⁺) is an essential macronutrient in plants and a lack of K⁺ significantly reduces the potential for plant growth and development. By contrast, sodium (Na⁺), while beneficial to some extent, at high concentrations it disturbs and inhibits various physiological processes and plant growth. Due to their chemical similarities, some functions of K⁺ can be undertaken by Na⁺ but K⁺ homeostasis is severely affected by salt stress, on the other hand. Recent advances have highlighted the fascinating regulatory mechanisms of K⁺ and Na⁺ transport and signaling in plants. This review summarizes three major topics: (i) the transport mechanisms of K⁺ and Na⁺ from the soil to the shoot and to the cellular compartments; (ii) the mechanisms through which plants sense and respond to K⁺ and Na⁺ availability; and (iii) the components involved in maintenance of K⁺/Na⁺ homeostasis in plants under salt stress.
authors.affiliation: RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan.
authors.forename: Eri
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Ryoung
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shin
mesh_terms: D001692:Biological Transport; D006706:Homeostasis; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium
keywords: Homeostasis; potassium; signaling; sodium; transport