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Magnesium (Mg) deficiency is becoming a widespread limiting factor for crop production. How crops adapt to Mg limitation remains largely unclear at the molecular level. Using hydroponic-cultured tomato seedlings, we found that total Mg 2+ content significantly decreased by ∼80% under Mg limitation while K + and Ca 2+ concentrations increased. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that Mg transporters (MRS2/MGTs) constitute a previously uncharacterized 3-clade tree in planta with two rounds of asymmetric duplications, providing evolutionary evidence for further molecular investigation. In adaptation to internal Mg deficiency, the expression of six representative MGT s (two in the shoot and four in the root) was up-regulated in Mg-deficient plants. Contradictory to the transcriptional elevation of most of MGT s, Mg limitation resulted in the ∼50% smaller root system. Auxin concentrations particularly decreased by ∼23% in the Mg-deficient root, despite the enhanced accumulation of gibberellin, cytokinin, and ABA. In accordance with such auxin reduction was overall transcriptional down-regulation of thirteen genes controlling auxin biosynthesis ( TAR / YUCs ), transport ( LAXs, PINs ), and signaling ( IAAs, ARFs ). Together, systemic down-tuning of gene expression in the auxin signaling pathway under Mg limitation preconditions a smaller tomato root system, expectedly stimulating MGT transcription for Mg uptake or translocation.
Ishfaq et al. (Thu,) studied this question.