Improvement of salinity tolerance in plants through fine-tuning of the function of the novel Na transporter

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25850041
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Plant nutrition/Soil science
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: Ueda Akihiro 広島大学, 生物圏科学研究科, 准教授 (10578248)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 塩ストレス / ナトリウム / カリウム / シロイヌナズナ / イネ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To improve salinity tolerance in plants, functional characterization of NKCC, which is responsible for uptake of sodium, potassium and chroline, was conducted in this study. AtNKCC gene was highly expressed in the root tip regions, and its expression was inducible by potassium deficiency. OsNKCC1, a homolog of AtNKCC in rice, showed the ability for potassium uptake in yeast. Furthermore, a low-Na accumulating rice variety induced expression of the OsNKCC1 gene in response to salinity stress, suggesting that OsNKCC1 participates in potassium uptake in rice. Random mutagenesis was used to understand molecular mechanisms of sodium and potassium transport by AtNKCC. So far, important amino acid residues of AtNKCC for substrate transport have not been identified.

Free Research Field

植物分子生理学