Analysis of urea transport through aquaporins of Vriesea gigantea (Bromeliaceae) by heterologous expression in Xenopus laevis oocytes

• Grant number: 14/26415-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: March 02, 2015
• End date: August 01, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Pant Physiology
• Principal Investigator: Helenice Mercier
• Grantee: Alejandra Matiz Lopez
• Supervisor: François Chaumont
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universitè Catolique de Louvain (UCL), Belgium
• Associated to the scholarship: 13/09097-7 - Characterization of the absorption of urea via aquaporins and its possible direct assimilation by Vriesea gigantea (Bromeliaceae), BP.DR

Abstract

Urea has been characterized as a very important nitrogen and carbon source to bromeliads. Recent studies conducted in our laboratory at IBUSP have shown a high preference of Vriesea gigantea plants for urea. For some plant species, urea transport through aquaporins has already been described.Three foliar aquaporin genes, VgPIP1,2; VgPIP1,5 and VgTIP2, have been recently cloned from urea-treated Vriesea gigantea plants. The expression of VgPIP1,5 and VgTIP2 was specifically up-regulated by urea in the basal part of the leaves.Nevertheless, it has never been tested whether those aquaporins are in fact capable of facilitating the membrane diffusion of either urea, ammonia or water. In the present project,urea, ammonia and water transport trough VgPIP1,2; VgPIP1,5 and VgTIP2 aquaporins will be functionally characterized by uptake studies in Xenopus laevis oocytes (to determine urea and water transport) and complementation assay in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (to determineammonia permeability). (AU)