Regulation of metalloid uptake in plants by transporters and their solute specificity

Abstract

Metalloids are a class of elements having properties like metals and non-metals which act as beneficial as well as hazardous for plant growth. Here, the precise role and molecular mechanism involved in the uptake and transport of different metalloids to different plant tissues is discussed. We have also described the efforts made to engineer the metalloid transport i.e. influx/efflux of metalloids that improve the uptake of beneficial metalloids and reduce hazardous metalloids. Metalloids like boron (B) and silicon (Si) play a beneficial role in plant growth and development. Optimum levels of these metalloids improve plant growth and immunity by various direct and indirect effects. On the other hand, metalloids like arsenic (As) and germanium (Ge) are detrimental for plants even at lower concentrations. The presence of these toxic entities inside cells disrupts cellular homeostasis by affecting the molecular, biochemical and physiological processes. The prospect to increase the uptake of beneficial metalloids and limit the hazardous metalloids and the challenges associated with the structural analogy and common transport mechanism is also discussed. The molecular insights into the biochemical and physiological aspects of metalloid transport and detoxification mechanisms will be helpful to exploit metalloid-derived benefits for crop improvement and accomplish food safety.