Differences in mineral and osmotic balances enhance zinc translocation in an aquaporin overexpressing poplar

• DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.108528
• Publication Date: 2024-03-11T16:35:52Z
• Authors: Andrea Neri; Alessandra Francini; Alessio Giovannelli; Silvia Traversari; Luca Sebastiani
• Keywords: Osmolyte; Osmoregulation; Turgor pressure

Zinc (Zn) is an essential micronutrient for plants, but it toxic beyond a certain threshold. Populus alba (L.) 'Villafranca' clone known its good tolerance to high Zn concentration compared other poplar species. A line of this species overexpressing the tonoplast intrinsic aquaporin AQUA1 gene has showed improved excess in comparison wild-type (wt) line. The aims work were to: 1) verify if plants can uptake more efficiently after longer period exposure; 2) evaluate higher transgenic lines have negative effects; 3) assess competing elements (iron and manganese), soluble sugars, osmolytes, potassium investigate differences water osmotic homeostasis between lines. Under excess, twofold translocation factor xylem sap than wt plants. Transgenic preferentially allocated aerial biomass different behaviour matched with modified manganese iron balances suggesting that increased might be related decrease transport Moreover, instantaneous use efficiency control conditions increase bark sugars under could allow resistance perturbations caused by Zn. Indeed, osmolyte content only Further investigations are required understand role regulation.