Abstract
Purpose
Controlling root-to-shoot Cl− transport to reduce Cl− accumulation in shoots is one of crucial mechanisms for salt tolerance of glycophytes, but the proteins directly involved in this process under salt stress are poorly reported. Here, we evaluated the role of Aluminum-activated Malate Transporter 12 (AtALMT12), which is expressed in both guard cells and root steles, in root-to-shoot Cl− transport.
Methods
The expression of AtALMT12 under salt stress was analyzed. The salt tolerance, ion accumulation, and expression of key ion transport genes in roots were compared among wild-type, atalmt12 mutants, and ALMT12 complementation lines driven by a guard cell-specific or a root stele-specific promoter.
Results
The expression of AtALMT12 in roots was significantly induced by Cl−-salt treatment. The mutation of AtALMT12 significantly increased Cl− accumulation and decreased NO3− accumulation in shoots, and reduced plant’s tolerance to Cl−-salt stress. Complementation by AtALMT12 driven by a root stele-specific promoter restored the shoot Cl− and NO3− concentration of atalmt12 mutant to the wild-type level, while AtALMT12 expression driven by a guard cell-specific promoter had no such effect. Meanwhile, loss-of-function of AtALMT12 resulted in an increased expression of AtNPF7.2/NRT1.8 in roots under Cl−-salt stress. In addition, AtALMT12 mutation decreased shoot K+ concentration and the expression of AtSKOR in roots under high KCl treatment.
Conclusions
AtALMT12 participates in restricting root-to-shoot Cl− transport, and modulates NO3− accumulation in shoots under Cl−-salt stress, therefore plays an important role in salt tolerance. Meanwhile, AtALMT12 affects K+ accumulation in shoots under higher KCl condition.
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Data availability
The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Code availability
Not applicable.
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This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 32171677 and 31730093).
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RWL, JZY and QM conceptualized and designed the study. RWL, JZY, XYL, MMC generated the data. RWL, JZY, YNC and ZHH analyzed the data. RWL, JZY and QM wrote the paper with the help of XYL, YNC, ZHH and MMC.
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Liu, RW., Yuan, JZ., Li, XY. et al. Aluminum-activated Malate Transporter 12 is involved in restricting root-to-shoot Cl− transport in Arabidopsis under Cl−-salt stress. Plant Soil 478, 461–478 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-022-05484-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-022-05484-4