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Nitrogen availability affects hydraulic conductivity of rice roots, possibly through changes in aquaporin gene expression

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Abstract

Background and aims

Nitrogen (N) availability affects water uptake from the roots, which decreases upon N deprivation and increases upon resupply. The aim of this study was to reveal possible mechanisms of regulation of water transport in roots through physiological and morphological adaptations to N availability.

Methods

The effects of continuous N deprivation and following resupply on root morphology, osmotic hydraulic conductivity, and expression of genes for aquaporins (water channels) were examined in rice (Oryza sativa L.) plants. The effect of local N availability was examined by using a split-root system.

Results

N deprivation decreased the expression of root-specific aquaporin genes, whereas N resupply increased their expression. Changes in aquaporin gene expression were correlated with changes in hydraulic conductivity. N deprivation increased dry matter allocation to the roots. In a split-root experiment, the expression of root-specific aquaporin genes was down-regulated in the N-deprived half, whereas it was up-regulated in the N-supplied half.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that expression of genes for root-specific aquaporins underlies the changes in conductivity during continuous N deprivation and resupply. Rice plants seem to adapt to N availability through coordinated adjustment of root proliferation and abundance of aquaporins.

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Abbreviations

AMT:

Ammonia transporter

ΔΨs :

Difference in osmotic potential between the exuded xylem sap and the hydroponic solution.

GOGAT:

Glutamate synthase

GS:

Glutamine synthetase

NR:

Nitrate reductase

NRT:

Nitrate transporter

Lp r(os):

Osmotic hydraulic conductivity

PIP:

Plasma membrane intrinsic protein

σ:

Reflection coefficient for nutrient salts in the xylem

TIP:

Tonoplast intrinsic protein

J v :

Volumetric xylem sap flow rate per unit root surface area

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Dr. Kensaku Suzuki (NARO Tohoku Agricultural Research Center) for critically reading the manuscript and his helpful discussion. We also thank Prof. Matsuo Uemura (Iwate University) and Dr. Yukio Kawamura (Iwate University) for providing an opportunity to use their osmometer. This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 21780235.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. NARO Tohoku Agricultural Research Center, 4 Akahira Shimo-kuriyagawa, Morioka, 020-0198, Japan

    Junko Ishikawa-Sakurai, Hidehiro Hayashi & Mari Murai-Hatano

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  1. Junko Ishikawa-Sakurai
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  2. Hidehiro Hayashi
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  3. Mari Murai-Hatano
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Correspondence to Junko Ishikawa-Sakurai.

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Responsible Editor: Ad C. Borstlap.

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Ishikawa-Sakurai, J., Hayashi, H. & Murai-Hatano, M. Nitrogen availability affects hydraulic conductivity of rice roots, possibly through changes in aquaporin gene expression. Plant Soil 379, 289–300 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-014-2070-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-014-2070-4

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