Mining iron: Iron uptake and transport in plants

Iron uptake in plants is highly regulated in order to supply amounts sufficient for optimal growth while preventing excess accumulation. In response to iron deficiency, plants induce either reduction-based or chelation-based mechanisms to enhance iron uptake from the soil. Genes involved in each mechanism have been identified from various model plants including Arabidopsis and rice. Iron transport within plants is also tightly controlled. New information has emerged on transporters that play a role in xylem loading and phloem loading/unloading of iron, and on the iron chelators involved in iron homeostasis. Some of the components regulating iron deficiency responses also have been elucidated, demonstrating that iron dependent gene regulation occurs at both the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels.