Recent Updates on ALMT Transporters' Physiology, Regulation, and Molecular Evolution in Plants

Aluminium toxicity and phosphorus deficiency in soils are the main interconnected problems of modern agriculture. The aluminium-activated malate transporters (ALMTs) comprise a membrane protein family that demonstrates various physiological functions in plants, such as tolerance to environmental Al3+ and the regulation of stomatal movement. Over the past few decades, the regulation of ALMT family proteins has been intensively studied. In this review, we summarise the current knowledge about this transporter family and assess their involvement in diverse physiological processes and comprehensive regulatory mechanisms. Furthermore, we have conducted a thorough bioinformatic analysis to decipher the functional importance of conserved residues, structural components, and domains. Our phylogenetic analysis has also provided new insights into the molecular evolution of ALMT family proteins, expanding their scope beyond the plant kingdom. Lastly, we have formulated several outstanding questions and research directions to further enhance our understanding of the fundamental role of ALMT proteins and to assess their physiological functions.

Automated summary

Aluminium toxicity and phosphorus deficiency are major interconnected problems in modern agriculture. The ALMT family of membrane proteins in plants have been extensively studied for their physiological functions, such as tolerance to Al3+ and regulation of stomatal movement. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the current knowledge on ALMT proteins, their involvement in various physiological processes, and the regulatory mechanisms. The authors also present new insights into the molecular evolution of ALMT proteins and propose future research directions.