Structural insights into the coordinated regulation of the SLAH family in Arabidopsis thaliana
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: S-type anion channel homologs (SLAH) are widely expressed in various plant tissues and play a key role in anion transport, which is crucial for plant adaptation to both biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, we employ cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to analyze four SLAH channel complexes from Arabidopsis thaliana: the homotrimeric SLAH3 channel, the 2SLAH1 + SLAH3+tRNA complex, the 1SLAH1 + 2SLAH3 complex, and the 3SLAH1+tRNA complex. Critically, our studies reveal that tRNA directly binds to and occupies the intracellular entrance of the SLAH1 homotrimer and the 2SLAH1 + SLAH3 heterocomplex. Electrophysiological experiments confirm tRNA's role as a potent inhibitory regulatory subunit: RNase-mediated tRNA degradation robustly activates SLAH1 currents, while targeted mutagenesis of SLAH1 tRNA-interacting residues phenocopy this activation and enhanced ABA-induced stomatal closure. Combining with structural biology, electrophysiology, and biochemistry, we comprehensively examine the key residues in SLAH1 and SLAH3 that are responsible for the anion permeation. This mechanistic advancement provides a deeper understanding of the molecular basis for plant stress tolerance and identifies specific molecular targets for future engineering crops.
Source: Nature Communications
Authors: Sensen Zhang, Xueying Huang, Xiaojuan Wang, Boya Qi, Kaiwen Yang, Chang Liu, Ruochong Li, Xudong Chen, Jingbo Yi, Jian Yin, Maofei Chen, Botong Liu, Jiayi Fan, Tao Liu, Zhilin Hao, Kun Cui, Ni Xiao, Yingcai Song, Yujie Li, Di Wu, Tiancong Qi, Jian Mao, Bing Zhang, Maojun Yang, Jianping Xie, Zhiqiang Liu
Institutions: State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua University, Tongji University, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Fudan University, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $6,990
OpenAlex ID: W4417419503