Plant transporters: roles in stress responses and effects on growth and development

Plant transporters are crucial for nutrient acquisition, cellular homeostasis, and stress responses. They mediate the exchange of chemicals and signals inside and outside the biomembrane in plants. Therefore, the study of plant transporters is critical to understanding the mechanisms of plant stress tolerance, moreover, transporters have potential applications in crop breeding for improved stress tolerance. Here we review recent findings about different transporters family (ABC, MATE, NRAMP, KUP, COPT/Ctr, NPF, NRT, PHT, YSL, ZIP, STP, etc.), including their roles in abiotic stress tolerance, and plant growth and yield. Moreover, we highlight the roles of transporters in plant responses to abiotic stresses such as drought, waterlogging, salt and alkali, heavy metal stress, and nutrient deficiency. To clarify the mechanisms underlying the roles of transporters in various stress responses, we integrate information about transporter activity in plants under stress and thus reveal a link between nutrient accumulation and stress tolerance. Finally, we list genes with potential applications in genetic improvement of resistrance genes, and summarize and discuss these transporters for benefiting the research community.

Automated summary

Plant transporters play crucial roles in nutrient acquisition, cellular homeostasis, and stress responses. Different transporter families have distinct functions in plants, contributing significantly to abiotic stress tolerance, plant growth, and yield. Understanding the mechanisms of plant transporters can reveal how plants respond to stress, benefiting genetic improvement in resistance breeding.