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Root amino acid exudation: measurement of high efflux rates of glycine and serine from six different plant species

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Abstract

Amino acid concentration in the rhizosphere results from fluxes between plant roots, soil and microorganisms. In this context, root amino acid exudation process, composed of both efflux and influx, remains unclear. One main issue is to understand the selectivity of amino acid exudation resulting mainly in high proportions of glycine and serine in exudates compared to low proportions inside the root. To reach this point, a quantitative analysis of exudation with dissociated measurements of efflux from influx is needed. We measured efflux and influx by supplying 15N-labelled glycine or serine for a short time of exposure at ecologically relevant concentrations to plants of white clover (Trifolium repens L.), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), maize (Zea mays L.), oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.), tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Efflux was estimated by the increase of 14N content of amino acids in root exudates and influx was estimated by the increase of 15N content in plant tissue. Glycine efflux exceeded influx for all six species and was much higher in Fabaceae than in Poaceae. Serine efflux exceeded influx in alfalfa, white clover and rape. We conclude that presence of glycine and serine in root bathing solutions results from high glycine and serine efflux rates, observed in all six species studied here. The physiological and ecological significances of these high efflux rates are discussed in the context of N metabolism and plant–soil–microorganisms interactions.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. MC Roland and Dr. PJ Murray for critical comments and advice on the manuscript. We are grateful to Alexandra Bré for technical assistance on amino acid analyses.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UMR INRA/UCBN 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale et Agronomie, nutritions NCS, Université de Caen Basse Normandie, 14032, Caen Cedex, France

    Fabien Lesuffleur, Marie-Paule Bataillé, Erwan Le Deunff & Jean-Bernard Cliquet

  2. UMR CNRS 6037 Glycobiologie et Transport chez les Végétaux, SCUEOR, Faculté des sciences, Université de Rouen, 76821, Mont Saint Aignan Cedex, France

    Florence Paynel

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  1. Fabien Lesuffleur
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  2. Florence Paynel
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  3. Marie-Paule Bataillé
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  4. Erwan Le Deunff
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  5. Jean-Bernard Cliquet
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Correspondence to Jean-Bernard Cliquet.

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Responsible Editor: A. C. Borstlap

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Lesuffleur, F., Paynel, F., Bataillé, MP. et al. Root amino acid exudation: measurement of high efflux rates of glycine and serine from six different plant species. Plant Soil 294, 235–246 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-007-9249-x

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