Background: Boron (B) uptake in plants implies a passive diffusion through membranes under optimal conditions. Under deficiency or toxicity, the participation of two distinct protein families (the aquaporin family Major intrinsic proteins (MIPs) and the Boron transporter family BOR) is required to minimize detrimental effects caused by B stress that ends up inhibiting growth and altering development. Legumes comprise important crops that offer major agronomic benefits including the capacity of establishing symbiosis with rhizobia fixing atmospheric N2 and for being important food protein sources. It is well proven their susceptibility to B stress leading to important yield penalties. However, little is known about the transport mechanisms responsible for B uptake and distribution in legumes, especially under deficiency.
Results: A novel legume B transporter involved in B uptake under deficiency, the Medicago truncatula homologous protein MtNIP5;1 (Medtr1g097840) to the Arabidopsis thaliana AtNIP5;1 (sharing 73,7% amino acid identity) was identified. Further analyses revealed that this M. truncatula aquaporin expression was boron-regulated in roots, being induced under deficiency and repressed under toxicity. It localizes at the plasma membrane of root epidermal cells and in nodules, where B plays pivotal roles in symbiosis. Furthermore, a partial complementation of the nip5;1 Arabidopsis mutant phenotype under B deficiency supports a functional role of MtNIP5;1 as a B transporter of in this legume model plant.
Conclusions: The results here presented support a functional role of MtNIP5;1 uptaking B under deficiency providing new insights into this micronutrient transport mechanisms in legume species.

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On 22 Nov, 2020
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Received 28 Sep, 2020
Received 28 Sep, 2020
On 25 Sep, 2020
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On 24 Sep, 2020
On 23 Sep, 2020
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Posted 30 Jun, 2020
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On 23 Jul, 2020
Received 13 Jul, 2020
On 09 Jul, 2020
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Invitations sent on 01 Jul, 2020
On 16 Jun, 2020
On 15 Jun, 2020
On 15 Jun, 2020
On 15 Jun, 2020
On 22 Nov, 2020
On 19 Nov, 2020
On 15 Nov, 2020
On 23 Oct, 2020
On 22 Oct, 2020
On 22 Oct, 2020
On 20 Oct, 2020
Received 28 Sep, 2020
Received 28 Sep, 2020
On 25 Sep, 2020
Invitations sent on 24 Sep, 2020
On 24 Sep, 2020
On 23 Sep, 2020
On 22 Sep, 2020
On 21 Sep, 2020
Posted 30 Jun, 2020
Received 23 Jul, 2020
On 23 Jul, 2020
Received 13 Jul, 2020
On 09 Jul, 2020
On 06 Jul, 2020
Invitations sent on 01 Jul, 2020
On 16 Jun, 2020
On 15 Jun, 2020
On 15 Jun, 2020
On 15 Jun, 2020
Background: Boron (B) uptake in plants implies a passive diffusion through membranes under optimal conditions. Under deficiency or toxicity, the participation of two distinct protein families (the aquaporin family Major intrinsic proteins (MIPs) and the Boron transporter family BOR) is required to minimize detrimental effects caused by B stress that ends up inhibiting growth and altering development. Legumes comprise important crops that offer major agronomic benefits including the capacity of establishing symbiosis with rhizobia fixing atmospheric N2 and for being important food protein sources. It is well proven their susceptibility to B stress leading to important yield penalties. However, little is known about the transport mechanisms responsible for B uptake and distribution in legumes, especially under deficiency.
Results: A novel legume B transporter involved in B uptake under deficiency, the Medicago truncatula homologous protein MtNIP5;1 (Medtr1g097840) to the Arabidopsis thaliana AtNIP5;1 (sharing 73,7% amino acid identity) was identified. Further analyses revealed that this M. truncatula aquaporin expression was boron-regulated in roots, being induced under deficiency and repressed under toxicity. It localizes at the plasma membrane of root epidermal cells and in nodules, where B plays pivotal roles in symbiosis. Furthermore, a partial complementation of the nip5;1 Arabidopsis mutant phenotype under B deficiency supports a functional role of MtNIP5;1 as a B transporter of in this legume model plant.
Conclusions: The results here presented support a functional role of MtNIP5;1 uptaking B under deficiency providing new insights into this micronutrient transport mechanisms in legume species.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6
This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
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