Plants play with zinc and iron "seesaw" like this

Plants play with zinc and iron "seesaw" like this

Plants play with zinc and iron "seesaws" like this Plants play with zinc and iron "seesaws" like this

Nutritional imbalance may adversely affect crop health and agricultural productivity
.

The trace elements zinc and iron are absorbed by the same "transporter" in plants, therefore, zinc deficiency can lead to excessive iron uptake

Researchers at Meiji University in Japan recently revealed that autophagy, the process of self-degradation in cells, may play an unexpected role in restoring the balance of zinc and iron in plants
.

Related papers were published in "Trends in Plant Science"

The balance of nutrients and minerals in the soil is essential for optimal plant growth
.

Lack or excess of specific nutrients will adversely affect plant growth and health, thereby affecting the overall quality and quantity of agricultural products

Zinc is an essential trace element and plays an important role in many important life processes
.

Interestingly, the uptake and transport of zinc and another essential nutrient, iron, are facilitated by a group of common proteins called "zinc and iron regulatory transporters" (ZIP)

In other words, if there is not enough zinc in the soil, ZIP will respond by increasing the absorption of iron, resulting in an increase in active oxides and yellowing (yellowing of leaves)
.

Conversely, excessive zinc will lead to reduced iron absorption

The research team explored the possible mechanism of zinc-iron balance or "homeostasis" and the potential role of autophagy in restoring plant cell zinc-iron balance
.

Corresponding author of the paper, Kohki Yoshimoto, said: "We propose a new model of how autophagy can provide mobile zinc and iron ions under zinc deficiency and zinc excess stress, respectively, so that the intracellular zinc and iron'seesaw' can be balanced to adapt to a wide range of The environmental zinc concentration

Corresponding author of the paper, Kohki Yoshimoto, said: "We propose a new model of how autophagy can provide mobile zinc and iron ions under zinc deficiency and zinc excess stress, respectively, so that the intracellular zinc and iron'seesaw' can be balanced to adapt to a wide range of The environmental zinc concentration

Excessive zinc is "toxic" to plants, and autophagy is also a "savior" in this case
.

Plants show symptoms of iron deficiency in the presence of excessive zinc

Starting from the role of autophagy in zinc and iron homeostasis, researchers continue to elucidate the nutrient-sensing mechanism responsible for activating autophagy
.

Transcription factors bZIP19 and bZIP23 detect changes in intracellular zinc levels, thereby regulating the expression of transporters on the cell membrane
.
Researchers speculate that these proteins may be regulators that can adjust the "on" or "off" of the autophagy response according to the state of zinc
.
A similar mechanism may also work in the case of iron deficiency and excessive zinc to restore iron levels
.

In general, autophagy is a feedback mechanism that can respond to stress induced by zinc deficiency or excessive zinc, thereby changing the biologically effective components of nutrients in plant cells
.

Yoshimoto concluded: “Our model provides a new perspective on metal homeostasis in plants
.
This helps to develop new cultivation techniques and crop varieties that are resistant to fluctuations in nutrient levels
.
In addition, our research results can also be applied to humans.
Healthy to solve the symptoms caused by zinc deficiency
.
” (Source: Wang Fang, China Science News)

Related paper information: https://doi.
org/10.
1016/j.
tplants.
2021.
06.
014

https://doi.
org/10.
1016/j.
tplants.
2021.
06.
014