start-ver=1.4 cd-journal=joma no-vol=9 cd-vols= no-issue=1 article-no= start-page=16 end-page= dt-received= dt-revised= dt-accepted= dt-pub-year=2019 dt-pub=20191221 dt-online= en-article= kn-article= en-subject= kn-subject= en-title= kn-title=Expression and Ion Transport Activity of Rice OsHKT1;1 Variants en-subtitle= kn-subtitle= en-abstract= kn-abstract=OsHKT1;1 in rice, belongs to the high-affinity K+ Transporter family, has been found to be involved in salt tolerance. OsHKT1;1 in japonica rice (Nipponbare) produces mRNA variants, but their functions remain elusive. In salt tolerant rice, Pokkali, eight OsHKT1;1 variants (V1-V8) were identified in addition to the full-length OsHKT1;1 (FL) cDNA. Absolute quantification by qPCR revealed that accumulation of OsHKT1;1-FL mRNA is minor in contrast to that of OsHKT1;1-V1, -V2, -V4, and -V7 mRNAs, all of which are predominant in shoots, while only V1 and V7 mRNAs are predominant in roots. Two electrode voltage clamp (TEVC) experiments using Xenopus laevis oocytes revealed that oocytes-expressing OsHKT1;1-FL from Pokkali exhibited inward-rectified currents in the presence of 96 mM Na+ as reported previously. Further TEVC analyses indicated that six of eight OsHKT1;1 variants elicited currents in a Na+ or a K+ bath solution. OsHKT1;1-V6 exhibited a similar inward rectification to the FL protein. Contrastingly, however, the rests mediated bidirectional currents in both Na+ and K+ bath solutions. These data suggest possibilities that novel mechanisms regulating the transport activity of OsHKT1;1 might exist, and that OsHKT1;1 variants might also carry out distinct physiological roles either independently or in combination with OsHKT1;1-FL. en-copyright= kn-copyright= en-aut-name=ImranShahin en-aut-sei=Imran en-aut-mei=Shahin kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=1 ORCID= en-aut-name=HorieTomoaki en-aut-sei=Horie en-aut-mei=Tomoaki kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=2 ORCID= en-aut-name=KatsuharaMaki en-aut-sei=Katsuhara en-aut-mei=Maki kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=3 ORCID= affil-num=1 en-affil=Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University kn-affil= affil-num=2 en-affil=Division of Applied Biology, Faculty of the Textile Science and Technology, Shinshu University kn-affil= affil-num=3 en-affil=Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University kn-affil= en-keyword=HKT kn-keyword=HKT en-keyword=rice kn-keyword=rice en-keyword=salt tolerance kn-keyword=salt tolerance en-keyword=Na+ transport kn-keyword=Na+ transport en-keyword=K+ transport kn-keyword=K+ transport en-keyword=mRNA variants kn-keyword=mRNA variants END