CIPK23 is involved in iron acquisition of Arabidopsis by affecting ferric chelate reductase activity

• Protein kinase CIPK23 was involved in iron acquisition in Arabidopsis.
• Lesion of CIPK23 rendered Arabidopsis mutants hypersensitive to iron deficiency.
• Iron deficiency evoked an increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration.
• CBL-CIPK23 complexes function as general “nutritional sensors”.

Iron deficiency is one of the major limiting factors affecting quality and production of crops in calcareous soils. Numerous signaling molecules and transcription factors have been demonstrated to play a regulatory role in adaptation of plants to iron deficiency. However, the mechanisms underlying the iron deficiency-induced physiological processes remain to be fully dissected. Here, we demonstrated that the protein kinase CIPK23 was involved in iron acquisition. Lesion of CIPK23 rendered Arabidopsis mutants hypersensitive to iron deficiency, as evidenced by stronger chlorosis in young leaves and lower iron concentration than wild-type plants under iron-deficient conditions by down-regulating ferric chelate reductase activity. We found that iron deficiency evoked an increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration and the elevated Ca2+ would bind to CBL1/CBL9, leading to activation of CIPK23. These novel findings highlight the involvement of calcium-dependent CBL-CIPK23 complexes in the regulation of iron acquisition. Moreover, mutation of CIPK23 led to changes in contents of mineral elements, suggesting that CBL-CIPK23 complexes could be as “nutritional sensors” to sense and regulate the mineral homeostasis in Arabisopsis.