Referenced in: none

Automatically associated channels: Slo1

Title: Choline but not its derivative betaine blocks slow vacuolar channels in the halophyte Chenopodium quinoa: implications for salinity stress responses.

Authors: Igor Pottosin, Edgar Bonales-Alatorre, Sergey Shabala

Journal, date & volume: FEBS Lett., 2014 Nov 3 , 588, 3918-23

PubMed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25240200

Abstract
Activity of tonoplast slow vacuolar (SV, or TPC1) channels has to be under a tight control, to avoid undesirable leak of cations stored in the vacuole. This is particularly important for salt-grown plants, to ensure efficient vacuolar Na(+) sequestration. In this study we show that choline, a cationic precursor of glycine betaine, efficiently blocks SV channels in leaf and root vacuoles of the two chenopods, Chenopodium quinoa (halophyte) and Beta vulgaris (glycophyte). At the same time, betaine and proline, two major cytosolic organic osmolytes, have no significant effect on SV channel activity. Physiological implications of these findings are discussed.