Chenopodium quinoa uses epidermal bladder cells (EBCs) to sequester excess salt. Each EBC complex consist of a leaf epidermal cell, a stalk cell, and the very bladder. Under salt stress, Na+ , Cl- , K+ and metabolites are shuttled from the leaf lamina to the bladders. Stalk cells operate as both a selectivity filter and a flux controller. In line with the nature of a transfer cell, advanced transmission electron tomography, electrophysiology, and fluorescent tracer flux studies spotted the stalk cell's polar organization and bladder-directed solute flow. RNA sequencing and cluster analysis revealed the stalk cells gene expression profiles. Among the stalk cell enriched genes, ion channels and carriers as well as sugar transporters were most pronounced. Based on their electrophysiological fingerprint and thermodynamic considerations, a model for stalk cell transcellular transport was derived.
FörderungenKing Saud University Chinese Academy of Sciences National Natural Science Foundation of China Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Australian Research Council European Commission Pakistan Science Foundation National Distinguished Expert Project King Saud University´s International Cooperation and Scientific Twinning Dept.