Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 16, 2026
07:14
A Cell-to-cell Macromolecular Transport Assay in Planta Utilizing Biolistic Bombardment
Published on: August 27, 2010
Strategies to identify transport systems in plants
H Barbier-Brygoo1, F Gaymard, N Rolland
1Institut des Sciences du Végétal, UPR 2355, CNRS, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France. brygoo@isv.cnrs-gif.fr
Trends in Plant Science
|December 12, 2001
Summary
Plant membrane transport research has advanced, yet regulation and gene identification remain challenging. New strategies like genetics and proteomics offer tools to explore these complex plant systems.
Area of Science:
- Plant Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Significant progress in plant membrane transporter structures has been achieved over the last decade.
- Despite advances, the regulation of plant transport systems remains poorly understood.
- Key areas needing further investigation include identifying transporter genes and their physiological roles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the current state of knowledge in plant membrane transport.
- To identify knowledge gaps, particularly in transport regulation and gene function.
- To present available methodologies for studying plant transport systems.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing forward and reverse genetics approaches.
- Employing proteomics to analyze plant transport proteins.
- Leveraging in silico methods with Arabidopsis genomic data.
Main Results:
- Discovery of molecular structures of plant transporters over ten years ago.
- Identification of numerous complementary strategies for studying plant transport.
- Availability of extensive genomic information for Arabidopsis.
Conclusions:
- While structural knowledge of plant transporters has grown, understanding their regulation and function requires further research.
- Integrated approaches combining genetics, proteomics, and bioinformatics are crucial for advancing the field.
- Future studies will likely focus on identifying specific transporter genes and elucidating their physiological significance.
Related Concept Videos
02:34Water and Mineral Acquisition
Specialized tissues in plant roots have evolved to capture water, minerals, and some ions from the soil. Roots exhibit a variety of branching patterns that facilitate this process. The outermost root cells have specialized structures called root hairs that increase the root surface, thus increasing soil contact. Water can passively cross into roots, as the concentration of water in the soil is higher than that of the root tissue. Minerals, in contrast, are actively transported into root cells.
02:12Short-distance Transport of Resources
Short-distance transport refers to transport that occurs over a distance of just 2-3 cells, crossing the plasma membrane in the process. Small uncharged molecules, such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water, can diffuse across the plasma membrane on their own. In contrast, ions and larger molecules require the assistance of transport proteins due to their charge or size. Transport across membranes also occurs within individual cells, playing a variety of essential roles for the plant as a whole.
02:03Xylem and Transpiration-driven Transport of Resources
The xylem of vascular plants distributes water and dissolved minerals that are taken up by the roots to the rest of the plant. The cells that transport xylem sap are dead upon maturity, and the movement of xylem sap is a passive process.
02:02Phloem and Sugar Transport
Like many living organisms, plants have tissues that specialize in specific plant functions. For example, shoots are well adapted to rapid growth, while roots are structured to acquire resources efficiently. However, sugar production is primarily restricted to the photosynthetic cells that reside in the leaves of angiosperm plants. Sugar and other resources are transported from photosynthetic tissues to other specialized tissues by a process called translocation.
01:46The Apoplast and Symplast
Plant growth depends on its ability to take up water and dissolved minerals from the soil. The root system of every plant is equipped with the necessary tissues to facilitate the entry of water and solutes. The plant tissues involved in the transport of water and minerals have two major compartments - the apoplast and the symplast. The apoplast includes everything outside the plasma membrane of living cells and consists of cell walls, extracellular spaces, xylem, phloem, and tracheids. The...
01:18Protein Transport to the Inner Chloroplast Membrane
Proteins targeted to the inner chloroplast membrane, or plastid proteins, are transported by two general pathways: the stop-transfer and the re-insertion or post-import pathways. Most plastid proteins carry N-terminal transit sequences and internal import sequences targeting it to the specific chloroplast subcompartment. Proteins targeted by the stop-transfer pathway have internal hydrophobic sequences that inhibit their translocation into the stroma. As a result, these precursors are arrested...