The Interactions of Aquaporins and Mineral Nutrients in Higher Plants.

Min Wang,Qirong Shen,Limin Gao,Yingrui Li,Lei Ding,Shiwei Guo

doi:10.3390/ijms17081229

Min Wang, Qirong Shen + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms17081229

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Abstract

Aquaporins, major intrinsic proteins (MIPs) present in the plasma and intracellular membranes, facilitate the transport of small neutral molecules across cell membranes in higher plants. Recently, progress has been made in understanding the mechanisms of aquaporin subcellular localization, transport selectivity, and gating properties. Although the role of aquaporins in maintaining the plant water status has been addressed, the interactions between plant aquaporins and mineral nutrients remain largely unknown. This review highlights the roles of various aquaporin orthologues in mineral nutrient uptake and transport, as well as the regulatory effects of mineral nutrients on aquaporin expression and activity, and an integrated link between aquaporins and mineral nutrient metabolism was identified.

Highlights

Aquaporins, small integral proteins that belong to the ancient family of major intrinsic proteins (MIPs), have been found in all kingdoms of life
A wide range of selectivity profiles and regulatory properties allow aquaporins to be involved in multiple functions in plant growth and development, such as water transport, and nitrogen, carbon, and micronutrient acquisition
Aquaporins are responsible for ensuring different mineral nutrient availability for the plant and play essential roles in mineral nutrient absorption, mobilization, detoxification, and homeostasis

Summary

Introduction

Aquaporins, small integral proteins that belong to the ancient family of major intrinsic proteins (MIPs), have been found in all kingdoms of life. In addition to facilitating water diffusion, a number of aquaporins have been shown to transport other small neutral molecules, such as urea [23,24], ammonia (NH3) [25,26], carbon dioxide (CO2) [27,28,29], boric acid [17,30,31], silicic acid [32,33,34], lactic acid [35], hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) [9,36,37,38], and other molecules with physiological significance [39] Aquaporin trafficking and their subcellular relocalization act as a critical point for regulating the internal redistribution of mineral nutrients by transporting them from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the plasma membrane via the Golgi apparatus, as well as undergoing repeated cycles of endocytosis and recycling through the early endosome to the multivesicular body/prevacuolar compartments before eventually being targeted to the vacuole [4]. The PIP, NIP, and TIP subfamilies have been shown to transport N compounds, including ammonia and urea [23,24]

Nitrate

Conclusions and Future Perspectives