Abstract
Publisher Summary This chapter discusses secondary inorganic ion transport at the tonoplast. The plant vacuole has major roles in pH and ionic regulation of the cytosol, turgor regulation of the cell, the storage and retrieval of inorganic and organic nutrients, and detoxification of the cytosol, and it contains storage proteins and many lysosomal–type hydrolases. The potential energy of the proton–motive force serves as the driving force for several secondary transport processes. A secondary transport system involving a single ion can be driven by the membrane potential if the ion carries a net charge. A transport system will be driven by pH if the flux of the ion is coupled to the flux of protons moving down their electrochemical gradient. Plant cells typically maintain a high K + /Na + ratio in the cytoplasm. The transport of ions across the tonoplast is thought to play an important role in maintaining low cytosolic sodium concentrations. Potassium is a major nutrient for plants and is involved in a wide number of physiological processes that include the regulation of enzyme activity, charge balancing, and osmotic regulation. Although the transport of other cations has been extensively investigated, information on the mechanisms for active proton transport at the plant vacuole is still scarce.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
