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Plants
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Plant Aquaporins
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Plant Aquaporins

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Physiology and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2020) | Viewed by 16713

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Janusz J. Zwiazek

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Guest Editor
Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E3, Canada
Interests: plant water relations; aquaporin function; plant stress physiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Shanjida Khan

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Guest Editor
Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E3, Canada
Interests: understanding how complex biological systems work and interact using genomics; proteomics and genetic engineering approaches and applying this knowledge to combat global problems

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Aquaporins (AQPs) are a large family of proteins that have generated broad interest due to their importance in the transport of water and other small molecules. Although numerous studies have reported the impact of aquaporin-mediated water transport on plant growth and development, many questions concerning the diverse functions of plant aquaporins—especially under stress conditions—remain open. This knowledge could enable us to enhance plant improvement to combat global challenges. Recent advances in genetic engineering and -omics technologies, coupled with the physiological traits of plants, provide great opportunities to acquire important and novel insights into aquaporin regulation and function. Continuing methodological advancements also make it possible to revisit some of the fundamental questions concerning aquaporins that remain controversial. This Special Issue of Plants will include, but is not limited to, mechanisms underlying the regulation of aquaporins including signaling pathways; interacting proteins; signaling molecules; new physiological roles; selectivity and mechanisms of gating; the transport of gases and other small molecules and its impact on controlling plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses; interactions with other organisms; and the functional and evolutionary significance of aquaporins in non-model plants.

Prof. Dr. Janusz Zwiazek
Dr. Shanjida Khan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • aquaporins
  • function
  • structure
  • regulation
  • water transport
  • gas transport
  • growth
  • development
  • abiotic and biotic stresses
  • biological interactions

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 36742 KiB  
Article
Molecular Characterization and Expression of Four Aquaporin Genes in Impatiens walleriana during Drought Stress and Recovery
by Marija J. Đurić, Angelina R. Subotić, Ljiljana T. Prokić, Milana M. Trifunović-Momčilov, Aleksandar D. Cingel, Milan B. Dragićević, Ana D. Simonović and Snežana M. Milošević
Plants 2021, 10(1), 154; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10010154 - 14 Jan 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2700
Abstract
Aquaporins comprise a large group of transmembrane proteins responsible for water transport, which is crucial for plant survival under stress conditions. Despite the vital role of aquaporins, nothing is known about this protein family in Impatiens walleriana, a commercially important horticultural plant, which [...] Read more.
Aquaporins comprise a large group of transmembrane proteins responsible for water transport, which is crucial for plant survival under stress conditions. Despite the vital role of aquaporins, nothing is known about this protein family in Impatiens walleriana, a commercially important horticultural plant, which is sensitive to drought stress. In the present study, attention is given to the molecular characterization of aquaporins in I. walleriana and their expression during drought stress and recovery. We identified four I. walleriana aquaporins: IwPIP1;4, IwPIP2;2, IwPIP2;7 and IwTIP4;1. All of them had conserved NPA motifs (Asparagine-Proline-Alanine), transmembrane helices (TMh), pore characteristics, stereochemical properties and tetrameric structure of holoprotein. Drought stress and recovery treatment affected the aquaporins expression in I. walleriana leaves, which was up- or downregulated depending on stress intensity. Expression of IwPIP2;7 was the most affected of all analyzed I. walleriana aquaporins. At 15% and 5% soil moisture and recovery from 15% and 5% soil moisture, IwPIP2;7 expression significantly decreased and increased, respectively. Aquaporins IwPIP1;4 and IwTIP4;1 had lower expression in comparison to IwPIP2;7, with moderate expression changes in response to drought and recovery, while IwPIP2;2 expression was of significance only in recovered plants. Insight into the molecular structure of I. walleriana aquaporins expanded knowledge about plant aquaporins, while its expression during drought and recovery contributed to I. walleriana drought tolerance mechanisms and re-acclimation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Aquaporins)
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12 pages, 2637 KiB  
Article
A Cytoplasmic Receptor-like Kinase Contributes to Salinity Tolerance
by Nir Sade, Fei Weng, Hiromi Tajima, Yarden Zeron, Lei Zhang, Maria del Mar Rubio Wilhelmi, George Day, Zvi Peleg and Eduardo Blumwald
Plants 2020, 9(10), 1383; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9101383 - 17 Oct 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3213
Abstract
Receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases (RLCKs) are receptor kinases that lack extracellular ligand-binding domains and have emerged as a major class of signaling proteins that regulate plant cellular activities in response to biotic/abiotic stresses and endogenous extracellular signaling molecules. We have identified a rice RLCK [...] Read more.
Receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases (RLCKs) are receptor kinases that lack extracellular ligand-binding domains and have emerged as a major class of signaling proteins that regulate plant cellular activities in response to biotic/abiotic stresses and endogenous extracellular signaling molecules. We have identified a rice RLCK (OsRLCK311) that was significantly higher in transgenic pSARK-IPT rice (Oryza sativa) that exhibited enhanced growth under saline conditions. Overexpression of OsRLCK311 full-length protein (RLCK311FL) and the C-terminus of OsRLCK311 (ΔN) in Arabidopsis confirmed its role in salinity tolerance, both in seedlings and mature plants. Protein interaction assays indicated that OsRLCK311 and ΔN interacted in-vivo with the plasma membrane AQP AtPIP2;1. The RLCK311-PIP2;1 binding led to alterations in the stomata response to ABA, which was characterized by more open stomata of transgenic plants. Moreover, OsRLCK311-ΔN effect in mediating enhanced plant growth under saline conditions was also observed in the perennial grass Brachypodium sylvaticum, confirming its role in both dicots and monocots species. Lastly, OsRLCK311 interacted with the rice OsPIP2;1. We suggest that the rice OsRLCK311 play a role in regulating the plant growth response under saline conditions via the regulation of the stomata response to stress. This role seems to be independent of the RLCK311 kinase activity, since the overexpression of the RLCK311 C-terminus (ΔN), which lacks the kinase full domain, has a similar phenotype to RLCK311FL. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Aquaporins)
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Review

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18 pages, 1469 KiB  
Review
Controversial Regulation of Gene Expression and Protein Transduction of Aquaporins under Drought and Salinity Stress
by Lucía Yepes-Molina, Gloria Bárzana and Micaela Carvajal
Plants 2020, 9(12), 1662; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9121662 - 27 Nov 2020
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 3564
Abstract
Enhancement of the passage of water through membranes is one of the main mechanisms via which cells can maintain their homeostasis under stress conditions, and aquaporins are the main participants in this process. However, in the last few years, a number of studies [...] Read more.
Enhancement of the passage of water through membranes is one of the main mechanisms via which cells can maintain their homeostasis under stress conditions, and aquaporins are the main participants in this process. However, in the last few years, a number of studies have reported discrepancies between aquaporin messenger RNA (mRNA) expression and the number of aquaporin proteins synthesised in response to abiotic stress. These observations suggest the existence of post-transcriptional mechanisms which regulate plasma membrane intrinsic protein (PIP) trafficking to the plasma membrane. This indicates that the mRNA synthesis of some aquaporins could be modulated by the accumulation of the corresponding encoded protein, in relation to the turnover of the membranes. This aspect is discussed in terms of the results obtained: on the one hand, with isolated vesicles, in which the level of proteins present provides the membranes with important characteristics such as resistance and stability and, on the other, with isolated proteins reconstituted in artificial liposomes as an in vitro method to address the in vivo physiology of the entire plant. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Aquaporins)
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9 pages, 792 KiB  
Review
Roles of Aquaporins in Plant-Pathogen Interaction
by Guangjin Li, Tong Chen, Zhanquan Zhang, Boqiang Li and Shiping Tian
Plants 2020, 9(9), 1134; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9091134 - 01 Sep 2020
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 6648
Abstract
Aquaporins (AQPs) are a class of small, membrane channel proteins present in a wide range of organisms. In addition to water, AQPs can facilitate the efficient and selective flux of various small solutes involved in numerous essential processes across membranes. A growing body [...] Read more.
Aquaporins (AQPs) are a class of small, membrane channel proteins present in a wide range of organisms. In addition to water, AQPs can facilitate the efficient and selective flux of various small solutes involved in numerous essential processes across membranes. A growing body of evidence now shows that AQPs are important regulators of plant-pathogen interaction, which ultimately lead to either plant immunity or pathogen pathogenicity. In plants, AQPs can mediate H2O2 transport across plasma membranes (PMs) and contribute to the activation of plant defenses by inducing pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP)-triggered immunity and systemic acquired resistance (SAR), followed by downstream defense reactions. This involves the activation of conserved mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascades, the production of callose, the activation of NPR1 and PR genes, as well as the opening and closing of stomata. On the other hand, pathogens utilize aquaporins to mediate reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling and regulate their normal growth, development, secondary or specialized metabolite production and pathogenicity. This review focuses on the roles of AQPs in plant immunity, pathogenicity, and communications during plant-pathogen interaction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Aquaporins)
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