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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 35(4)

Regulation of sulfate uptake, expression of the sulfate transporters Sultr1;1 and Sultr1;2, and APS reductase in Chinese cabbage (Brassica pekinensis) as affected by atmospheric H2S nutrition and sulfate deprivation

Aleksandra Koralewska A , C. Elisabeth E. Stuiver A , Freek S. Posthumus A , Stanislav Kopriva C , Malcolm J. Hawkesford D and Luit J. De Kok A B E
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Laboratory of Plant Physiology, University of Groningen, 9750 AA Haren, The Netherlands.

B School of Forest and Ecosystem Science, The University of Melbourne, Creswick, Vic. 3363, Australia.

C Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Colney, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK.

D Plant Science Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ, UK.

E Corresponding author. Email: l.j.de.kok@rug.nl

Functional Plant Biology 35(4) 318-327 https://doi.org/10.1071/FP07283
Submitted: 28 November 2007  Accepted: 24 April 2008   Published: 3 June 2008

Abstract

The activity and expression of sulfate transporters and adenosine 5′-phosphosulfate (APS) reductase (APR) in plants are modulated by the plant sulfur status and the demand for growth. To elucidate regulatory mechanisms in Chinese cabbage [Brassica pekinensis (Lour.) Rupr.], the interactions between atmospheric H2S and sulfate nutrition and the impact on the activity and expression of the Group 1 sulfate transporters and APR were studied. At an ample sulfate supply, H2S exposure of Chinese cabbage resulted in a partial decrease of the sulfate uptake capacity, and at concentrations ≥0.25 μL L−1 a decreased expression of Sultr1;2 in the root and APR in the root and shoot. Upon sulfate deprivation there was a more than 3-fold increase in the sulfate uptake capacity of the root, accompanied by an induced expression of Sultr1;1 and an enhanced expression of Sultr1;2 in the root, along with an induction of Sultr1;2 in the shoot. The enhanced sulfate uptake capacity, the expression of the sulfate transporters in the root and the altered shoot-to-root partitioning appearing during sulfate deprivation were not alleviated upon H2S exposure and not rapidly affected by sulfate re-supply. Expression of APR was strongly enhanced in the root and shoot of sulfate-deprived plants and decreased again upon H2S exposure and sulfate re-supply. The significance of shoot-to-root interaction and sulfate and thiols as regulating signals in the activity and expression of Sultr1;1 and 1;2 is evaluated.

Additional keywords: hydrogen sulfide, sulphate transporters, sulphate uptake, sulfur deficiency, thiols.


Acknowledgements

The authors thank Peter Buchner, Alan Lewis and Peter Wiersema for their contributions to the research. Rothamsted Research and the John Innes Centre received grant-aided support from the Biotechnology and Biological Science Research Council (BBSRC) of the UK.


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