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Sulphur deprivation limits Fe-deficiency responses in tomato plants

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Abstract

The aim of this work was to clarify the role of S supply in the development of the response to Fe depletion in Strategy I plants. In S-sufficient plants, Fe-deficiency caused an increase in the Fe(III)-chelate reductase activity, 59Fe uptake rate and ethylene production at root level. This response was associated with increased expression of LeFRO1 [Fe(III)-chelate reductase] and LeIRT1 (Fe2+ transporter) genes. Instead, when S-deficient plants were transferred to a Fe-free solution, no induction of Fe(III)-chelate reductase activity and ethylene production was observed. The same held true for LeFRO1 gene expression, while the increase in 59Fe2+ uptake rate and LeIRT1 gene over-expression were limited. Sulphur deficiency caused a decrease in total sulphur and thiol content; a concomitant increase in 35SO4 2− uptake rate was observed, this behaviour being particularly evident in Fe-deficient plants. Sulphur deficiency also virtually abolished expression of the nicotianamine synthase gene (LeNAS), independently of the Fe growth conditions. Sulphur deficiency alone also caused a decrease in Fe content in tomato leaves and an increase in root ethylene production; however, these events were not associated with either increased Fe(III)-chelate reductase activity, higher rates of 59Fe uptake or over-expression of either LeFRO1 or LeIRT1 genes. Results show that S deficiency could limit the capacity of tomato plants to cope with Fe-shortage by preventing the induction of the Fe(III)-chelate reductase and limiting the activity and expression of the Fe2+ transporter. Furthermore, the results support the idea that ethylene alone cannot trigger specific Fe-deficiency physiological responses in a Strategy I plant, such as tomato.

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Abbreviations

DW:

Dry weight

NS:

Nutrient solution

SAM:

S-adenosylmethionine

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Acknowledgments

Research was supported by grants from Italian M.I.U.R.-COFIN 2006. We thank Prof. Gian Piero Soressi (Department of Agrobiology and Agrochemistry, Viterbo, Italy) for providing seeds of tomato.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Agrobiologia e Agrochimica, Università della Tuscia, via S. C. de Lellis, 01100, Viterbo, Italy

    Sabrina Zuchi & Stefania Astolfi

  2. DISA, University of Udine, Udine, Italy

    Stefano Cesco & Roberto Pinton

  3. DiSTeMeV, University of Verona, Verona, Italy

    Zeno Varanini

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  1. Sabrina Zuchi
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  2. Stefano Cesco
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  3. Zeno Varanini
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  4. Roberto Pinton
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  5. Stefania Astolfi
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Correspondence to Stefania Astolfi.

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Zuchi, S., Cesco, S., Varanini, Z. et al. Sulphur deprivation limits Fe-deficiency responses in tomato plants. Planta 230, 85–94 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-009-0919-1

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