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Coskun D, Deshmukh R, Shivaraj SM, Isenring P, Bélanger RR. Lsi2: A black box in plant silicon transport. PLANT AND SOIL 2021; 466:1-20. [PMID: 34720209 PMCID: PMC8550040 DOI: 10.1007/s11104-021-05061-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Silicon (Si) is widely considered a non-essential but beneficial element for higher plants, providing broad protection against various environmental stresses (both biotic and abiotic), particularly in species that can readily absorb the element. Two plasma-membrane proteins are known to coordinate the radial transport of Si (in the form of Si(OH)4) from soil to xylem within roots: the influx channel Lsi1 and the efflux transporter Lsi2. From a structural and mechanistic perspective, much more is known about Lsi1 (a member of the NIP-III subgroup of the Major Intrinsic Proteins) compared to Lsi2 (a putative Si(OH)4/H+ antiporter, with some homology to bacterial anion transporters). SCOPE Here, we critically review the current state of understanding regarding the physiological role and molecular characteristics of Lsi2. We demonstrate that the structure-function relationship of Lsi2 is largely uncharted and that the standing transport model requires much better supportive evidence. We also provide (to our knowledge) the most current and extensive phylogenetic analysis of Lsi2 from all fully sequenced higher-plant genomes. We end by suggesting research directions and hypotheses to elucidate the properties of Lsi2. CONCLUSIONS Given that Lsi2 is proposed to mediate xylem Si loading and thus root-to-shoot translocation and biosilicification, it is imperative that the field of Si transport focus its efforts on a better understanding of this important topic. With this review, we aim to stimulate and advance research in the field of Si transport and thus better exploit Si to improve crop resilience and agricultural output. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11104-021-05061-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devrim Coskun
- Département de Phytologie, Faculté Des Sciences de L’Agriculture Et de L’Alimentation (FSAA), Université Laval, Québec, Québec Canada
| | - Rupesh Deshmukh
- National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), Mohali, India
| | - S. M. Shivaraj
- National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), Mohali, India
- CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India
| | - Paul Isenring
- Département de Médecine, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, Québec Canada
| | - Richard R. Bélanger
- Département de Phytologie, Faculté Des Sciences de L’Agriculture Et de L’Alimentation (FSAA), Université Laval, Québec, Québec Canada
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Noronha H, Silva A, Mitani-Ueno N, Conde C, Sabir F, Prista C, Soveral G, Isenring P, Ma JF, Bélanger RR, Gerós H. The grapevine NIP2;1 aquaporin is a silicon channel. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2020; 71:6789-6798. [PMID: 32584998 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/eraa294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Silicon (Si) supplementation has been shown to improve plant tolerance to different stresses, and its accumulation in the aerial organs is mediated by NIP2;1 aquaporins (Lsi channels) and Lsi2-type exporters in roots. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that grapevine expresses a functional NIP2;1 that accounts for root Si uptake and, eventually, Si accumulation in leaves. Own-rooted grapevine cuttings of the cultivar Vinhão accumulated >0.2% Si (DW) in leaves when irrigated with 1.5 mM Si for 1 month, while Si was undetected in control leaves. Real-time PCR showed that VvNIP2;1 was highly expressed in roots and in green berries. The transient transformation of tobacco leaf epidermal cells mediated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens confirmed VvNIP2;1 localization at the plasma membrane. Transport experiments in oocytes showed that VvNIP2;1 mediates Si and arsenite uptake, whereas permeability studies revealed that VvNIP2;1 expressed in yeast is unable to transport water and glycerol. Si supplementation to pigmented grape cultured cells (cv. Gamay Freáux) had no impact on the total phenolic and anthocyanin content, or on the growth rate and VvNIP2;1 expression. Long-term experiments should help determine the extent of Si uptake over time and whether grapevine can benefit from Si fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrique Noronha
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA), Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Angélica Silva
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA), Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Namiki Mitani-Ueno
- Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University, Chuo 2-20-1, Kurashiki, Japan
| | - Carlos Conde
- i3S, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- IBMC, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Farzana Sabir
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- LEAF, Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food, and DRAT, Departamento de Recursos Biológicos, Ambiente e Território, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Catarina Prista
- LEAF, Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food, and DRAT, Departamento de Recursos Biológicos, Ambiente e Território, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Graça Soveral
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Paul Isenring
- Nephrology Group, L'Hôtel-Dieu de Québec Institution, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Jian Feng Ma
- Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University, Chuo 2-20-1, Kurashiki, Japan
| | - Richard R Bélanger
- Département de Phytologie, Faculté des Sciences de l'Agriculture et de l'Alimentation (FSAA), Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Hernâni Gerós
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA), Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
- Centre of Biological Engineering (CEB), Department of Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
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Bokor B, Soukup M, Vaculík M, Vd’ačný P, Weidinger M, Lichtscheidl I, Vávrová S, Šoltys K, Sonah H, Deshmukh R, Bélanger RR, White PJ, El-Serehy HA, Lux A. Silicon Uptake and Localisation in Date Palm ( Phoenix dactylifera) - A Unique Association With Sclerenchyma. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:988. [PMID: 31456812 PMCID: PMC6701203 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) can accumulate as much as 1% silicon (Si), but not much is known about the mechanisms inherent to this process. Here, we investigated in detail the uptake, accumulation and distribution of Si in date palms, and the phylogeny of Si transporter genes in plants. We characterized the PdNIP2 transporter following heterologous expression in Xenopus oocytes and used qPCR to determine the relative expression of Si transporter genes. Silicon accumulation and distribution was investigated by light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy coupled with X-ray microanalysis and Raman microspectroscopy. We proved that PdNIP2-1 codes for a functional Si-permeable protein and demonstrated that PdNIP2 transporter genes were constitutively expressed in date palm. Silicon aggregates/phytoliths were found in specific stegmata cells present in roots, stems and leaves and their surfaces were composed of pure silica. Stegmata were organized on the outer surface of the sclerenchyma bundles or associated with the sclerenchyma of the vascular bundles. Phylogenetic analysis clustered NIP2 transporters of the Arecaceae in a sister position to those of the Poaceae. It is suggested, that Si uptake in date palm is mediated by a constitutively expressed Si influx transporter and accumulated as Si aggregates in stegmata cells abundant in the outer surface of the sclerenchyma bundles (fibers).
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris Bokor
- Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Comenius University Science Park, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Milan Soukup
- Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Marek Vaculík
- Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Institute of Botany, Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Peter Vd’ačný
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Marieluise Weidinger
- Core Facility of Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Irene Lichtscheidl
- Core Facility of Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Silvia Vávrová
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Katarína Šoltys
- Comenius University Science Park, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Humira Sonah
- Department of Plant Science, Université Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada
| | - Rupesh Deshmukh
- Department of Plant Science, Université Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada
| | | | - Philip J. White
- The James Hutton Institute, Dundee, United Kingdom
- Distinguished Scientist Fellowship Program, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hamed A. El-Serehy
- Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Alexander Lux
- Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Comenius University Science Park, Bratislava, Slovakia
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Coskun D, Deshmukh R, Sonah H, Shivaraj SM, Frenette‐Cotton R, Tremblay L, Isenring P, Bélanger RR. Si permeability of a deficient Lsi1 aquaporin in tobacco can be enhanced through a conserved residue substitution. PLANT DIRECT 2019; 3:e00163. [PMID: 31453431 PMCID: PMC6702468 DOI: 10.1002/pld3.163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Revised: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Silicon (Si) is a beneficial substrate for many plants, conferring heightened resilience to environmental stress. A plant's ability to absorb Si is primarily dependent on the presence of a Si-permeable Lsi1 (NIP2-1) aquaporin in its roots. Structure-function analyses of Lsi1 channels from higher plants have thus far revealed two key molecular determinants of Si permeability: (a) the amino acid motif GSGR in the aromatic/arginine selectivity filter and (b) 108 amino acids between two highly conserved NPA domains. Curiously, tobacco (Nicotiana sylvestris) stands as a rare exception as it possesses an Lsi1 (NsLsi1) with these molecular signatures but is reported as a low Si accumulator. The aim of this study was therefore to identify whether additional determinants influence Si permeability via Lsi1 channels, focusing on the role of residues that differ uniquely in NsLsi1 relative to functional Lsi1 homologs. We observed tobacco indeed absorbed Si poorly (0.1% dw), despite NsLsi1 being expressed constitutively in planta. Si influx measured in NsLsi1-expressing Xenopus oocytes was very low (<13% that of OsLsi1 from rice (Oryza sativa) over a 3-hr time course), which likely explains why tobacco is a low Si accumulator. Interestingly, NsLsi1P125F displayed a significant gain of function (threefold increase in Si influx relative to NsLsi1WT), which coincided with a threefold increase in plasma membrane localization in planta, as measured by transient expression of GFP constructs in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. These findings thus reveal a novel molecular determinant of Si transport in plants and inform breeding, biotechnological, and agricultural practices to effectively utilize Si in the context of plant resilience to environmental stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devrim Coskun
- Département de Phytologie, Faculté des Sciences de l’Agriculture et de l’Alimentation (FSAA)Université LavalQuébecQCCanada
| | - Rupesh Deshmukh
- Département de Phytologie, Faculté des Sciences de l’Agriculture et de l’Alimentation (FSAA)Université LavalQuébecQCCanada
- National Agri‐Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI)MohaliPunjabIndia
| | - Humira Sonah
- Département de Phytologie, Faculté des Sciences de l’Agriculture et de l’Alimentation (FSAA)Université LavalQuébecQCCanada
- National Agri‐Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI)MohaliPunjabIndia
| | - Sheelavanta Matha Shivaraj
- Département de Phytologie, Faculté des Sciences de l’Agriculture et de l’Alimentation (FSAA)Université LavalQuébecQCCanada
| | - Rachelle Frenette‐Cotton
- Nephrology Group, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, L’Hôtel‐Dieu de Québec InstitutionUniversité LavalQuébecQCCanada
| | - Laurence Tremblay
- Nephrology Group, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, L’Hôtel‐Dieu de Québec InstitutionUniversité LavalQuébecQCCanada
| | - Paul Isenring
- Nephrology Group, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, L’Hôtel‐Dieu de Québec InstitutionUniversité LavalQuébecQCCanada
| | - Richard R. Bélanger
- Département de Phytologie, Faculté des Sciences de l’Agriculture et de l’Alimentation (FSAA)Université LavalQuébecQCCanada
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