Uptake system of silicon in different plant species

The accumulation of silicon (Si) in the shoots varies considerably among plant species, but the mechanism responsible for this variation is poorly understood. The uptake system of Si was investigated in terms of the radial transport from the external solution to the root cortical cells and the release of Si from the cortical cells to the xylem in rice, cucumber, and tomato, which differ greatly in shoot Si concentration. Symplasmic solutions of the root tips were extracted by centrifugation. The concentrations of Si in the root-cell symplast in all species were higher than that in the external solution, although the concentration in rice was 3- and 5-fold higher than that in cucumber and tomato, respectively. A kinetic study showed that the radial transport of Si was mediated by a transporter with a K-m value of 0.15 mM in all species, but with different V-max values in the order of rice > cucumber > tomato. In the presence of the metabolic inhibitor 2,4-dinitrophenol, and at low temperature, the Si concentration in the root-cell symplast decreased to a level similar to that of the apoplasmic solution. These results suggest that both transporter-mediated transport and passive diffusion of Si are involved in the radial transport of Si and that the transporter-mediated transport is an energy-dependent process. The Si concentration of xylem sap in rice was 20- and 100-fold higher than that in cucumber and tomato, respectively. In contrast to rice, the Si concentration in the xylem sap was lower than that in the external solution in cucumber and tomato. A kinetic study showed that xylem loading of Si was also mediated by a kind of transporter in rice, but by passive diffusion in cucumber and tomato. These results indicate that a higher density of transporter for radial transport and the presence of a transporter for xylem loading are responsible for the high Si accumulation in rice.