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On the Structure and Function of Plant K+ Channels

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Cellular Integration of Signalling Pathways in Plant Development

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASIH,volume 104))

Abstract

K+ uptake is essential throughout the plant life cycle. Transport and accumulation of this macronutrient in large quantities have been recognized e.g. during germination, cell division and growth, differentiation, movement and reproduction. Since K+ transport is electrogenic - accompanied by the movement of charges - electrophysiological techniques have been used to unravel the molecular mechanisms of K+ transporters and ion channels, pumps and carriers in general (Hedrich, 1995). This review will concentrate on the biophysical and molecular biological approaches the results of which have shaped our current picture of the structure and function of plant ion channels. For related studies on carriers and pumps see (Hedrich and Schroeder, 1989; Lohse and Hedrich, 1992; Walker et al., 1996; for review see Chasan and Schroeder, 1992; Maathuis and Sanders, 1992).

Patch clamp studies have identified K+ uptake K+ release channels, two major channel types which are inversely activated by the membrane voltage (Blatt, 1988, 1992; Schroeder, 1988, 1989; for review see Schroeder et al., 1994; Hedrich and Dietrich, 1996). Besides, voltage-independent cation channels with often very broad selectivity were described as well (Hedrich and Neher, 1987; Enz et al., 1993; Schulz-Lessdorf and Hedrich, 1995; Allen and Sanders, 1996). Since for K+ uptake and K+ release channels extensive in vivo-studies, molecular cloning and functional expression analyses are available this review will focus on these channel types, only.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie und Biophysik, Mittlerer Dallenbergweg 64, 97082, Würzburg, Germany

    Rainer Hedrich, Stefan Hoth, Dirk Becker, Ingo Dreyer & Petra Dietrich

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  1. Rainer Hedrich
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  2. Stefan Hoth
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  3. Dirk Becker
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  4. Ingo Dreyer
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  5. Petra Dietrich
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Padua, Via Colombo 3, I-35121, Padua, Italy

    Fiorella Lo Schiavo

  2. Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research and Section of Genetics and Development, Cornell University, Tower Road, 14853-1801, Ithaca, NY, USA

    Robert L. Last

  3. Unità di Nutrizione Sperimentale, Istituto Nazionale della Nutrizione, Via Ardeatina 546, I-00178, Rome, Italy

    Giorgio Morelli

  4. Department of Energy and Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, 48824-1312, East Lansing, MI, USA

    Natasha V. Raikhel

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Hedrich, R., Hoth, S., Becker, D., Dreyer, I., Dietrich, P. (1998). On the Structure and Function of Plant K+ Channels. In: Lo Schiavo, F., Last, R.L., Morelli, G., Raikhel, N.V. (eds) Cellular Integration of Signalling Pathways in Plant Development. NATO ASI Series, vol 104. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-72117-5_4

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