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The rice OsAMT1;1 is a proton-independent feedback regulated ammonium transporter

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Abstract

Key message

Functional identification of a relatively lower affinity ammonium transporter, OsAMT1;1, which is a proton-independent feedback regulated ammonium transporter in rice.

Abstract

Rice genome contains at least 12 ammonium transporters, though their functionality has not been clearly resolved. Here, we demonstrate the functional properties of OsAMT1;1 applying functional complementation and 15NH4 + uptake determination in yeast cells in combination with electrophysiological measurements in Xenopus oocytes. Our results show that OsAMT1;1 is a NH4 + transporter with relatively lower affinity to NH4 + (110–129 μM in oocytes and yeast cells, respectively). Under our experimental conditions, OsAMT1;1-mediated NH4 + uptake or current is not significantly modulated by extra- or intracellular pH gradient, suggesting that this transporter probably functions as a NH4 + uniporter. Inhibition of yeast growth or currents elicited from oocytes by ammonium assimilation inhibitor l-methionine sulfoximine indicates that NH4 + transport by OsAMT1;1 is likely feedback regulated by accumulation of the substrate. In addition, effects of phosphorylation inhibitors imply that NH4 + uptake by OsAMT1;1 is also modulated by tyrosine-specific protein kinase or calcium-regulated serine/threonine-specific protein phosphatase involved phosphorylation processes.

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Abbreviations

WT:

Wild type

OsAMT1;1:

Oryza sativa ammonium transporter 1;1

MeA:

Methylammonium

DEA:

Diethanolamine

MSX:

l-methionine sulfoximine

CCCP:

Carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenylhydrazone

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Science Foundation of China (Grant 91125028) and the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDB15030202).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 71, East Beijing Road, Nanjing, 210008, China

    Shunying Yang, Dongli Hao, Yu Cong, Man Jin & Yanhua Su

  2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Shunying Yang, Dongli Hao & Man Jin

Authors
  1. Shunying Yang
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  2. Dongli Hao
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  3. Yu Cong
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  4. Man Jin
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  5. Yanhua Su
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yanhua Su.

Additional information

Communicated by Kang Chong.

S. Yang and D. Hao contributed equally to this work

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Yang, S., Hao, D., Cong, Y. et al. The rice OsAMT1;1 is a proton-independent feedback regulated ammonium transporter. Plant Cell Rep 34, 321–330 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-014-1709-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-014-1709-1

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