NPKS uptake, sensing, and signaling and miRNAs in plant nutrient stress

Abstract

Sessile nature of higher plants consequently makes it highly adaptable for nutrient absorption and acquisition from soil. Plants require 17 essential elements for their growth and development which include 14 minerals (macronutrients: N, P, K, Mg, Ca, S; micronutrients: Cl, Fe, B, Mn, Zn, Cu, Ni, Mo) and 3 non-mineral (C, H, O) elements. The roots of higher plants must acquire these macronutrients and micronutrients from rhizosphere and further allocate to other plant parts for completing their life cycle. Plants evolved an intricate series of signaling and sensing cascades to maintain nutrient homeostasis and to cope with nutrient stress/availability. The specific receptors for nutrients in root, root system architecture, and internal signaling pathways help to develop plasticity in response to the nutrient starvation. Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and sulfur (S) are essential for various metabolic processes, and their deficiency negatively effects the plant growth and yield. Genes coding for transporters and receptors for nutrients as well as some small non-coding RNAs have been implicated in nutrient uptake and signaling. This review summarizes the N, P, K, and S uptake, sensing and signaling events in nutrient stress condition especially in model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and involvement of microRNAs in nutrient deficiency. This article also provides a framework of uptake, sensing, signaling and to highlight the microRNA as an emerging major players in nutrient stress condition. Nutrient-plant-miRNA cross talk may help plant to cope up nutrient stress, and understanding their precise mechanism(s) will be necessary to develop high yielding smart crop with low nutrient input.

Novel phosphate deficiency-responsive long non-coding RNAs in the legume model plant Medicago truncatula

“…Despite high total P content in soils, the amounts of inorganic phosphate (Pi) that are available to plants in many natural and agricultural ecosystems are often low, thus limiting plant growth and production ( Hinsinger et al , 2011 ; Nestler and Wissuwa, 2016 ). To cope with Pi deficiency in soils, plants have evolved numerous strategies at morphological, physiological, and molecular levels ( Ding et al , 2016 ; Nath and Tuteja, 2016 ; Dong et al , 2017 ; Li et al , 2017 ). Many protein-coding genes and microRNAs that are involved in sensing and responding to Pi deficiency have been identified ( Plaxton and Tran, 2011 ).…”

Involvement of Small RNAs in Phosphorus and Sulfur Sensing, Signaling and Stress: Current Update

“…The restructuring happens in the nutrient pockets of the soils where the root hairs and secondary roots develop well to enhance nutrient absorption whereas the number and length of root hairs and other root system components decreases in the nutrient deficient regions of the soil. From the rhizosphere and root epidermal cells, nutrients are transported to the vascular cells and are further allocated to different tissues (Nath and Tuteja, 2016). Different transporters including ion channels, electrochemical potential-driven transporters, group translocators, electron carriers, and voltage gated channels present on the plasma membrane take part in the nutrient uptake and allocation in various cellular organelles and tissues (Ludewig and Frommer, 2002; Saier et al, 2016; Sasaki et al, 2016).…”

Potential Root Foraging Strategy of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) for Potassium Heterogeneity

“…The low-K responsive genes screened in this study included genes previously reported, such as peroxidase, transcription factors, calcium ion binding, glutathione transferase, cellular respiration, jasmonic acid, methyltransferase, protein amino acid phosphorylation, and protein amino acid phosphorylation related genes. These genes play a key role in various processes of low-K responses, such as the production and elimination of reactive oxygen species (ROS), regulation of the high-affinity K + absorption transporters, the promotion of root development, modifications of K transporters or channels, respiration and so on ( Armengaud et al, 2004 ; Mittler et al, 2004 ; Shin and Schachtman, 2004 ; Shin et al, 2005 ; Hong-Hermesdorfa et al, 2006 ; Lee et al, 2007 ; Ho and Tasy, 2010 ; Kim et al, 2010 , 2012 ; Held et al, 2011 ; Ma et al, 2012 ; Hong et al, 2013 ; Wang and Wu, 2013 ; Hafsi et al, 2014 ). Moreover, some new low-K responsive genes, such as genes encoding mitochondrial and oxygen transport genes were also screened in this study.…”