Tight control of sulfur assimilation: an adaptive mechanism for a plant from a severely phosphorus-impoverished habitat

Hakea prostrata (Proteaceae) has evolved in extremely phosphorus (P)-impoverished habitats. Unlike species that evolved in P-richer environments, it tightly controls its nitrogen (N) acquisition, matching its low protein concentration, and thus limiting its P requirement for ribosomal RNA (rRNA). Pr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The New phytologist 2017-08, Vol.215 (3), p.1068-1079
Main Authors: Prodhan, M. Asaduzzaman, Jost, Ricarda, Watanabe, Mutsumi, Hoefgen, Rainer, Lambers, Hans, Finnegan, Patrick M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation
Adaptive control
Arginine
Biological assimilation
Biological evolution
Biomass
Constraining
Ecosystem
Habitats
Hakea prostrata
Leaves
Lysine
Metabolism
metabolite profiling
Metabolome - drug effects
Mineral nutrients
Molybdenum - metabolism
Nitrogen
Nucleic acids
Nutrient availability
Nutrient content
Nutrients
Phosphates - pharmacology
Phosphorus
Phosphorus - deficiency
phosphorus‐use efficiency
Pigments, Biological - metabolism
Plant Leaves - drug effects
Plant Leaves - metabolism
plant nutrition
Plant Roots - drug effects
Plant Roots - metabolism
Plant Stems - drug effects
Plant Stems - metabolism
Plants
Proteaceae
Proteaceae - metabolism
Protein turnover
Proteins
Ribonucleic acid
RNA
rRNA
Soil
Species
Sulfates
Sulfates - pharmacology
Sulfur
Sulfur - metabolism
sulfur uptake
Sulphur
Vacuoles
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Summary:Hakea prostrata (Proteaceae) has evolved in extremely phosphorus (P)-impoverished habitats. Unlike species that evolved in P-richer environments, it tightly controls its nitrogen (N) acquisition, matching its low protein concentration, and thus limiting its P requirement for ribosomal RNA (rRNA). Protein is a major sink for sulfur (S), but the link between low protein concentrations and S metabolism in H. prostrata is unknown, although this is pivotal for understanding this species’ supreme adaptation to P-impoverished soils. Plants were grown at different sulfate supplies for 5 wk and used for nutrient and metabolite analyses. Total S content in H. prostrata was unchanged with increasing S supply, in sharp contrast with species that typically evolved in environments where P is not a major limiting nutrient. Unlike H. prostrata, other plants typically store excess available sulfate in vacuoles. Like other species, S-starved H. prostrata accumulated arginine, lysine and O-acetylserine, indicating S deficiency. Hakea prostrata tightly controls its S acquisition to match its low protein concentration and low demand for rRNA, and thus P, the largest organic P pool in leaves. We conclude that the tight control of S acquisition, like that of N, helps H. prostrata to survive in P-impoverished environments.
ISSN:0028-646X
1469-8137
DOI:10.1111/nph.14640