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302a: Molecular mechanisms and regulation of ion transport processes

Reference	BBS/E/H/00032111
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Prof. Philip White
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	University of Warwick
Department	Warwick HRI
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	476,300
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/2000
End date	31/03/2003
Duration	36 months

Abstract

Voltage-insensitive cation (VIC) channels in the plasma membrane of plant cells catalyse the uptake of essential monovalent and divalent cations and impact directly on mineral nutrition, ionic homeostasis and control of membrane potential. In addition, they catalyse Ca2+ influx and may have a role in cell signalling. However, VIC channels also provide the major pathway for toxic Cs+ and Na+ entry into plants. This programme is characterising and modelling the transport properties of VIC channels using electrophysiological techniques and ascertaining their physiology using knockout Arabidopsis mutants and antisense transgenic tomatoes. The potential of down-regulating VIC channel activities to reduce Cs+ uptake (allowing crops to be grown on land contaminated by the radioactive Cs+ isotopes produced by nuclear incidents) and to limit Na+ uptake (thereby conferring salinity tolerance) is being assessed.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Plant & Microbial Sciences (PMS)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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