The Expreseion of a Glutathione Transporter, OsGTL1 is Upregulated by Fe-deficiency in Rice

Abstract

Glutathione (GSH) is involved in many aspects of plant growth and development. Transport and compartmentalization of GSH is essential to perform all these functions. We have cloned a GSH transporter from rice (OsGTL1). OsGTL1 is a putative member of oligopeptide transporter family and encode a polypeptide of 757 amino acids divided in 12 transmembrane domains. Electrophysiological measurements using Xenopus leavis oocytes showed that OsGTL1 is a functional GSH transporter. Microarray and Northern blot analysis revealed that the expression of OsGTL1 is upregulated in response to Fe-deficiency. GUS analysis driven by OsGTL1 promoter showed that expression of OsGTL1 is upregulated in response to Fe-deficiency especially in root tips of Fe-deficient rice. These results raised the possibility that GSH may have functions apart from that of an antioxidant and could play a role in Fe-deficiency tolerance in rice.