Physiological Roles for the PIP Family of Plant Aquaporins

Abstract

Aquaporins are a class of intrinsic membrane proteins that are primarily associated with water movement across membranes. In plants, biophysical studies indicated that water fluxes could not be explained by simple diffusive movement. The discovery of aquaporins that facilitate water movement across membranes in other organisms rapidly led to the identification of this class of proteins in plants. The large number of aquaporin genes identified in plant genomes compared to those from other organisms suggests that they play a major role in plant water relations. However, plant aquaporins also facilitate the transport of small solutes such as glycerol, silicon, ammonium, urea, boric acid, CO 2 , arsenite, and hydrogen peroxide within and between cells. Here, the aquaporin-like proteins that function on the plant plasma membrane are reviewed in the context of their apparent role in plant adaptive evolution.

Regulation Mechanisms of Carbon Dots in the Development of Lettuce and Tomato

“…35 Also, it has been found that AQPs can serve as ion-selective transporters to mediate the transport of other small molecules, nutrients, and metal ions. 36 TIPs (tonoplast intrinsic proteins) and PIPs (plasma membrane intrinsic belong to different subfamilies of AQPs. It has been reported that the growth of C. rietinum plants was promoted by carbon nanotubes by enhancing their capacity to absorb and reserve water.…”

“…Plant aquaporins (AQPs) are multifunctional plant cell membrane proteins that can transport the water, gases, and nutrients, regulating flowering, stomatal movement, reproductive growth, and response to various stresses . Also, it has been found that AQPs can serve as ion-selective transporters to mediate the transport of other small molecules, nutrients, and metal ions . TIPs (tonoplast intrinsic proteins) and PIPs (plasma membrane intrinsic proteins) belong to different subfamilies of AQPs.…”