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Magnesium supports nitrogen uptake through regulating NRT2.1/2.2 in soybean

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Abstract

Aims

Nitrogen (N) and magnesium (Mg) are two of the essential elements for plant growth. Application of Mg may increase N use efficiency in plants, but the mechanisms underlying Mg and N interaction are not well understood. The objectives of this study were to assess how Mg supply affects N uptake in soybean, and to further investigate underlying molecular mechanisms.

Methods

Soybean (Glycine max L.) seedlings were provided with various concentrations of Mg under different N conditions in hydroponic cultures. Biomass, nutrient and sugar concentrations, and gene expression were determined. Tissue specificity of gene expression was performed in hairy-root transformants.

Results

Increasing Mg supply enhanced N concentration and total N uptake in soybean. The promotive effect is due to the enhanced uptake of nitrate but not ammonium. Moreover, elevating nitrate supply can partially restore growth retardation and leaf chlorosis caused by low Mg availability. A comparative transcriptomic study revealed that two Nitrate Transporter 2 (NRT2) family genes NRT2.1 and NRT2.2 were positively regulated by Mg in roots. Both NRT2.1 and 2.2 are mainly expressed in the exodermis and epidermis of soybean roots, suggesting roles in nitrate uptake. In addition, under low-Mg conditions, expression of NRT2.1 and 2.2 and subsequent N uptake were restored upon exogenous addition of sucrose, implying the possibility that Mg may regulate NRT2.1/2.2 expression through facilitation of sucrose allocation.

Conclusions

The results of this study indicate that Mg promotes N uptake through positive regulation of NRT2.1/2.2 expression in soybean roots. This Mg-induced gene expression appears to act through-facilitation of sucrose allocation from shoots to roots.

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Abbreviations

DW:

Dry weight

Mg:

Magnesium

N:

Nitrogen

N2 :

Dinitrogen

NUE:

Nitrogen use efficiency

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number 31872171); and the China National Key Program for Research and Development (grant number 2016YFD0100700); and the China National Key Program for Research and Development (grant number 2016YFD0100401). We thank Dr. Thomas Walk and Golden Fidelity LLC for careful review of the manuscript.

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  1. Wen Ting Peng and Wen Lu Qi contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Root Biology Center, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, Fujian, China

    Wen Ting Peng, Miao Miao Nie, Hong Liao & Zhi Chang Chen

  2. School of Ethnomedicine and Ethnopharmcy, Yunnan Minzu University, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China

    Wen Lu Qi & Yan Bo Xiao

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  1. Wen Ting Peng
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  2. Wen Lu Qi
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Correspondence to Zhi Chang Chen.

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Peng, W.T., Qi, W.L., Nie, M.M. et al. Magnesium supports nitrogen uptake through regulating NRT2.1/2.2 in soybean. Plant Soil 457, 97–111 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-019-04157-z

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