Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Amino acid carriers of Ricinus communis expressed during seedling development: molecular cloning and expression analysis of two putative amino acid transporters, RcAAP1 and RcAAP2

  • Published:
Plant Molecular Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study reports on the isolation of two putative amino acid carrier cDNAs, RcAAP1 and RcAAP2, from Ricinus communis. Northern analysis shows that RcAAP1 and RcAAP2 are expressed abundantly in the cotyledon and root tissues of developing seedlings and at lower levels in the endosperm and hypocotyl. In the mature plant low expression was observed in the source and sink leaves. We have further characterized the expression of RcAAP1 in Ricinus roots by in situ hybridization. The transcripts are localized in many cell types of the root tip region, including the epidermal and cortical cells, but the highest expression was observed in the cells of the stele situated adjacent to the xylem poles. This is the first report describing the cellular expression of an amino acid transporter in roots, and the results are discussed in relation to the physiological role of this transporter.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Breteler H, Arnozis PA: Effect of amino compounds on nitrate utilisation by roots of dwarf bean. Phytochemistry 24: 653–657 (1985).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Bush DR: Proton-coupled sugar and amino acid transporters in plants. Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 44: 513–542 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Brundrett MC, Kendrick B, Peterson CA: Efficient lipid staining in plant material with Sudan red 7B or fluoral yellow 088 in polythene glycol-glycerol. Biotechnol Histochem 66: 111–116 (1991).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Cox KH, De Leon DV, Angerer LM, Angerer RC: Detection of mRNAs in sea urchin embryos by in situ hybridization using asymmetric RNA probes. Devel Biol 101: 485–502 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  5. De Block M, Debrouwer D: RNA-RNA in situ hybridisation using digoxygenin-labelled probes: The use of high-molecular-weight polyvinyl alcohol in the alkaline phosphatase indoxylnitroblue tetrazolium reaction. Anal Biochem 215: 86–89 (1993).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Doddema H, Otten H: Uptake of nitrate by mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana, disturbed in uptake or reduction of nitrate. III. Regulation. Physiol Plant 45: 339–346 (1979).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Fischer WN, Kwart M, Hummel S, Frommer WB: Substrate specificity and expression profile of amino acid transporters (AAPs) in Arabidopsis. J Biol Chem 270: 16315–16320 (1995).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Frommer WB, Hummel S, Riesmeier J: Expression cloning in yeast of a cDNA encoding a broad specificity amino acid permease from Arabidopsis thaliana. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 90: 5944–5948 (1993).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Frommer WB, Kwart M, Hirner B, Fischer WN, Hummel S, Ninnemann O: Transporters for nitrogenous compounds in plants. Plant Mol Biol 2: 1651–1670 (1994).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Gee MA, Hagen G, Guilfoyle TJ: (1991) Tissue-specific and organ-specific expression of soybean auxin-responsive transcripts GH3 and SAURs. Plant Cell 3: 419–430 (1991).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Geigenberger P, Langerberger S, Wilke I, Heineke D, Heldt HW, Stitt M: Sucrose is metabolised by sucrose synthase and glycolysis within the phloem complex of Ricinus communis L. seedlings. Planta 190: 446–453 (1993).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Harper JF, Surowy TK, Sussman MR: Molecular cloning and sequence of cDNA encoding the plasma membrane protonpump (H+-ATPase) of Arabidopsis thaliana. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 86: 1234–1238 (1989).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Hsu LC, Chiou TJ, Chen L, Bush DR: Cloning a plant amino acid transporter by functional complementation of a yeast amino acid transport mutant. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 90: 7441–7445 (1993).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Jensen WA: Botanical Histochemistry: Principles and Practice. W.H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco (1962).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Kielland K: Amino acid absorption by arctic plants: implications for plant nutrition and nitrogen cycling. Ecology 75: 2373–2383 (1994).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Komor E, Orlich G, Kohler J, Hall JL, Williams LE: The Ricinus seedling: a model plant to study phloem transport. In: Bonnemain JL, Delrot S, Lucas WJ, Dainty J (eds) Recent Advances in Phloem Transport and Assimilate Compartmentation, pp. 301–308, Ouest Editions/Presses Academiques, Nantes, France (1991).

    Google Scholar 

  17. Kwart M, Hirner B, Hummel S, Frommer WB: Differential expression of two related amino acid transporters with differing substrate specificity in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant J 4: 993–1002 (1993).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Logemann J, Schell J, Willmitzer L: Improved method for the isolation of RNA from plant tissues. Anal Biochem 163: 16–20 (1987).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Marrison JL, Leech RM: The subcellular and intra-organelle recognition of nuclear and chloroplast transcripts in developing leaf cells. Plant J 6: 605–614 (1994).

    Google Scholar 

  20. Muller B, Touraine B: Inhibition of NO3-uptake by various phloem-translocated amino acids in soybean seedlings. J Exp Bot 43: 617–623 (1992).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Newman KD, Van Toai T: Molecular characterisation of the soybean alcohol dehydrogenase family amplified in vitro by the polymerase chain reaction. Plant Physiol 100: 489–495 (1992).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Rentsh D, Hirner B, Schmelzer E, Frommer WB: Salt stressinduced proline transporters and salt stress-repressed broad specificity amino acid permeases identified by suppression of a yeast amino acid permease targeting mutant. Plant Cell 8: 1437–1446 (1996).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Robinson SP, Beevers H: Evidence for amino acid proton cotransport in Ricinus cotyledons. Planta 152: 527–533 (1981).

    Google Scholar 

  24. Sauer N, Friedlander K, Graml-Wicke U: Primary structure, genomic organisation and heterologous expression of a glucose transporter from Arabidopsis thaliana. EMBO J 9: 3045–3050 (1990).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Schobert C, Komor E: Amino acid uptake by Ricinus communis roots: characterisation and physiological significance. Plant Cell Environ 10: 493–500 (1987).

    Google Scholar 

  26. Schobert C, Komor E: Transfer of amino acids and nitrate from the roots into the xylem of Ricinus communis seedlings. Planta 181: 85–90 (1990).

    Google Scholar 

  27. Schure M, Wessler S, Fedoroff N: Molecular identification and isolation of the waxy locus in maize. Cell 35: 225–233 (1983).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Sze H, Ward JM, Lai S: Vacuolar H+-translocating ATPases from plants: structure, function and isoforms. J Bioenerg Biomem 24: 371–381 (1992).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Thorne JH: Phloem unloading of C and N assimilates in developing seeds. Annu Rev Plant Physiol 36: 317–343 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  30. Weig A, Franz J, Sauer N, Komor E: Isolation of a family of cDNA clones from Ricinus communis L. with close homology to the hexose carriers. J Plant Physiol 143: 178–183 (1994).

    Google Scholar 

  31. Weston K, Hall JL, Williams LE: Characterisation of a glutamine/ proton cotransporter from Ricinus communis roots using isolated plasma membrane vesicles. Physiol Plant 91: 623–630 (1994).

    Google Scholar 

  32. Weston K, Hall JL, Williams LE: Characterisation of aminoacid transport in Ricinus communis roots using isolated membrane vesicles. Planta 196: 166–173 (1995).

    Google Scholar 

  33. Williams LE, Nelson SJ, Hall JL: Characterisation of solute/proton cotransport in plasma membrane vesicles isolated from cotyledons of Ricinus communis L. I. ATP and PPase activities associated with a plasma membrane fraction isolated by phase partitioning. Planta 182: 532–539 (1990).

    Google Scholar 

  34. Williams LE, Nelson SJ, Hall JL: Characterisation of solute transport in plasma membrane vesicles isolated from cotyledons of Ricinus communis. II. Evidence for a proton-coupled mechanism for sucrose and amino acid uptake. Planta 182: 540–545 (1990).

    Google Scholar 

  35. Williams LE, Nelson SJ, Hall JL: Characterisation of solute proton cotransport in plasma membrane vesicles from Ricinus cotyledons, and a comparison with other tissues. Planta 186: 541–550 (1992).

    Google Scholar 

  36. Williams LE, Bick JA, Neelam A, Weston KN, Hall JL: Biochemical and molecular characterization of sucrose and amino acid carriers in Ricinus communis. J Exp Bot 47: 1211–1216 (1996).

    Google Scholar 

  37. Williams ME, Sussex IM: Developmental regulation of ribosomal proteinL16 genes in Arabidopsis thaliana. The Plant J 8: 65–76 (1995).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Biomedical Sciences Building, Southampton, SO16 7PX, UK

    Julie-Ann Bick, Anil Neelam, J.L. Hall, Lorraine E. Williams & Lorraine E. Williams

Authors
  1. Julie-Ann Bick
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Anil Neelam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J.L. Hall
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Lorraine E. Williams
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lorraine E. Williams.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bick, JA., Neelam, A., Hall, J. et al. Amino acid carriers of Ricinus communis expressed during seedling development: molecular cloning and expression analysis of two putative amino acid transporters, RcAAP1 and RcAAP2. Plant Mol Biol 36, 377–385 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005903229458

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005903229458

Search

Navigation