Unravelling the spatiotemporal component of carrier-mediated nutrient transport in Arabidopsis thaliana roots

Plant roots uptake nutrients and water from the soil. Within the roots, nutrients and water are transported from the epidermis to the vasculature, which involved crossing different cell layers. Among these layers, two (the epidermis and the endodermis) are particularly crucial for mineral uptake and transport. Using a combination of physiology studies, ionomic profiling and genetic analysis, we have identified and characterized several new metal carriers in the epidermis. Using translatomic and cell biology approaches, we have also localized several new nutrient carriers in the endodermis. We demonstrated that the endodermis can function in mineral uptake, reinforcing the importance of apoplast in mineral nutrition. Finally, because little is known about how suberin deposition in the root endodermis affects nutrient carrier localization and activity, we are currently investigating this interaction. Interestingly, most of the nutrient carriers studied are no longer detected in the suberized endodermis. We are now further exploring the role of suberin in nutrient transport, aiming to modulate transporter accumulation by controlling endodermal suberization. The data obtained in this project will help redefine our models of nutrient transport in roots.