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Ironing out malnutrition

April 02, 2001

Two of the three keys are in place to unlock the secret to controlling and enhancing plant iron uptake. Scientists are poised to identify the final step in the process that could supply the world with iron-rich crops.

Collaboration between American and French scientists has led to the identification of three key genes involved in iron uptake in plants. The first gene, ferric reductase, transforms the iron into an easily absorbed form after it has entered the roots. The second, a transport gene, carries the iron to the shoots. The third 'regulatory' gene senses the level of iron in the plant and switches the process on and off when levels become detrimental.

Scientists from Dartmouth College, USA, will present their findings on experiments with a mutated regulatory gene at the Society for Experimental Biology's meeting on Tuesday 3 April. The mutated gene, FRD3, when expressed in mustard cress, has been found to switch the iron uptake process on permanently. "When the FRD3 gene is expressed the plant doesn't detect the iron in its system," says Mary Guerinot of the Dartmouth research group. "It thinks it's starved of iron, so keeps accumulating it to high levels." The process of enhancing iron in plants is now identified. But a new problem arises, because once accumulation begins, it cannot be stopped. Iron levels become toxic and the plant is damaged.

The regulatory gene is known to encode for a family of MATE proteins (multi-drug and toxin efflux) that are thought to be involved in root to shoot signalling. Using these proteins, the sensing process signals to the plant when it needs more iron or has had enough. The mutated gene is suspected of 'knocking out' the signal, but scientists have yet to determine where the signal is being blocked in the plant.

Once the signalling process is fully understood, scientists can identify a means of controlling it to ensure the plants take up levels of iron which are beneficial both to human beings and to the plant.

"We think FRD3 is going to play an important role in plant iron uptake in the future," says Mary Guerinot. "Ultimately we want to be able to trick the plant into taking up just the right amount of iron."

Society for Experimental Biology

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