THE ROLE OF ION CHANNELS IN PLANT NUTRITION AND PROSPECTS FOR THEIR GENETIC MANIPULATION

Ion channels can function in three physiological modes through their ability to: 1) accommodate osmotically significant fluxes over short periods; 2) propagate signals along or across membranes; 3) control the membrane potential. With respect to mineral nutrition it is via the control of the membrane potential that ion channels are probably most significant. In this paper the physiology and prospects for molecular biology of plant ion channels are discussed. It is concluded that identifying and altering the primary structures that determine functional characteristics of plant ion channel genes could result in changes in the transport characteristics of higher plants.