Molecular mechanism of halohylism in higher plant

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K14637
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Crop production science
• Research Institution: Kagawa University
• Principal Investigator: Agarie Sakae 香川大学, 農学部, 教授 (50304879)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: アイスプラント / イオン輸送 / ATP合成 / 塩生植物 / 好塩性 / 細胞分裂 / 同調化 / ミトコンドリア

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A halophyte, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L. enhances their growth under salinity condition that cause other plants to die. To elucidate the mechanism of the phenomena called halophylism, we analyzed the growth response of suspension cultured cells grown in the medium containing NaCl. The salt promoted cell growth was associated with the intercellular accumulation of Na+, K+, Cl-, and NO3-. The expression of cation transporter McHKT1, vacuole H+-ATPase Vmac1, and vacuole Na+/H+ antiporter McNHX1 was induced with NaCl treatment. The cell cycle-synchronized cells also showed a significant increase in the activity of cell division and the expression of gene of B2 cyclin dependent kinase was induced under salinity condition. In addition, ATP synthesis of mitochondria increased up to 34-61% with increase of salt concentration. These new findings seem to contain important suggestions for the generation of new salt-tolerant crops that actively utilize NaCl.

Free Research Field

作物学