High-Affinity K+ Transporters from a Halophyte, Sporobolus virginicus, Mediate Both K+ and Na+ Transport in Transgenic Arabidopsis, X. laevis Oocytes and Yeast

Plant Cell Physiol. 2019 Jan 1;60(1):176-187. doi: 10.1093/pcp/pcy202.

Abstract

Class II high-affinity potassium transporters (HKTs) have been proposed to mediate Na+-K+ co-transport in plants, as well as Na+ and K+ homeostasis under K+-starved and saline environments. We identified class II HKTs, namely SvHKT2;1 and SvHKT2;2 (SvHKTs), from the halophytic turf grass, Sporobolus virginicus. SvHKT2;2 expression in S. virginicus was up-regulated by NaCl treatment, while SvHKT2;1 expression was assumed to be up-regulated by K+ starvation and down-regulated by NaCl treatment. Localization analysis revealed SvHKTs predominantly targeted the plasma membrane. SvHKTs complemented K+ uptake deficiency in mutant yeast, and showed both inward and outward K+ and Na+ transport activity in Xenopus laevis oocytes. When constitutively expressed in Arabidopsis, SvHKTs mediated K+ and Na+ accumulation in shoots under K+-starved conditions, and the K+ concentration in xylem saps of transformants was also higher than in those of wild-type plants. These results suggest transporter-enhanced K+ and Na+ uploading to the xylem from xylem parenchyma cells. Together, our data demonstrate that SvHKTs mediate both outward and inward K+ and Na+ transport in X. laevis oocytes, and possibly in plant and yeast cells, depending on the ionic conditions.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arabidopsis / genetics*
  • Biological Transport
  • Cation Transport Proteins / chemistry
  • Cation Transport Proteins / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
  • Genes, Plant
  • Ions
  • Nicotiana / metabolism
  • Oocytes / metabolism
  • Phloem / metabolism
  • Phylogeny
  • Plant Roots / growth & development
  • Plant Roots / metabolism
  • Plants, Genetically Modified
  • Poaceae / metabolism*
  • Potassium / metabolism*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / metabolism*
  • Salt-Tolerant Plants / metabolism*
  • Sodium / metabolism*
  • Transgenes
  • Xenopus laevis / metabolism*
  • Xylem / metabolism

Substances

  • Cation Transport Proteins
  • Ions
  • Sodium
  • Potassium