Potassium transporters in plants – Involvement in K+ acquisition, redistribution and homeostasis

Potassium is a major plant nutrient which has to be accumulated in great quantity by roots and distributed throughout the plant and within plant cells. Membrane transport of potassium can be mediated by potassium channels and secondary potassium transporters. Plant potassium transporters are present in three families of membrane proteins: the K+ uptake permeases (KT/HAK/KUP), the K+ transporter (Trk/HKT) family and the cation proton antiporters (CPA). This review will discuss the contribution of members of each family to potassium acquisition, redistribution and homeostasis.