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Mechanism of Long-Distance Solute Transport in Phloem Elements

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Symplasmic Transport in Vascular Plants

Abstract

Descriptions for the C/N economy and translocation of solutes in species of lupin (Lupinus albus [L.] and L. angustifolius [L.]) are used to exemplify the “source/sink” relationships of a grain legume. Identification of translocated solutes requires invasive sampling from sieve elements of phloem, and techniques for collection of exudates and limitations in interpreting data are discussed. Mechanisms that fashion the solute composition of phloem are described using the development of pods and seeds as a specific example. In lupin, the two predominant solutes of phloem are sucrose and asparagine and molecular explanations for selectivity in the translocation of these commodities are identified. Critical components such as membrane transporters for both loading and unloading sucrose and asparagine from “source” organs and into “sink” organs, respectively, are described together with the nature and regulation of metabolic pathways for their utilization.

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Abbreviations

DAA:

Days after anthesis

asn:

Asparagine

gln:

Glutamine

asp:

Aspartic acid

glu:

Glutamic acid

SE:

Sieve element

CC:

Companion cell

ASNase:

Asparaginase

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Plant Biology, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia

    Craig A. Atkins B.Sc. Agr. (Hons.), M.Sc. Agr., Ph.D., D.Sc.

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  1. Craig A. Atkins B.Sc. Agr. (Hons.), M.Sc. Agr., Ph.D., D.Sc.
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Correspondence to Craig A. Atkins B.Sc. Agr. (Hons.), M.Sc. Agr., Ph.D., D.Sc. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Plant Morphology and Development, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland

    Katarzyna Sokołowska

  2. Dept. of Plant Molecular Ecophysiology Faculty of Botany, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland

    Paweł Sowiński

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Atkins, C.A. (2013). Mechanism of Long-Distance Solute Transport in Phloem Elements. In: Sokołowska, K., Sowiński, P. (eds) Symplasmic Transport in Vascular Plants. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7765-5_6

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