Mapping the Arabidopsis transportome reveals CNGC10 and CNGC13 in fungal-assisted salt tolerance
Soil salinity is a growing threat to agriculture because excess salt damages plants and reduces crop productivity. This study explores how a beneficial root fungus helps plants manage salt stress by influencing the transport of sodium within plant cells.
Soil salinity severely limits global crop yields by causing toxic sodium (Na⁺) buildup in plants. This study, led by CBGP researchers from “Plant Hormonal Regulatory Networks” explored how the beneficial fungus Serendipita indica helps the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana tolerate salt. While it was known that S. indica reduces sodium accumulation, the exact mechanisms were unclear. By analyzing the plant’s transportome (genes responsible for moving ions), researchers found that the fungus significantly alters gene expression. Surprisingly, common salt-tolerance genes (like SOS1) weren't the primary drivers. Instead, the study identified CNGC10 and CNGC13 as key regulators; without them, plants accumulated more sodium.
Ultimately, the fungus acts as a physiological buffer, coordinating various transporters for sodium, calcium, and nutrients to maintain ionic balance. Leveraging these plant-microbe interactions offers a sustainable strategy to protect crops against increasing soil salinity caused by climate change.
Original Paper:
González Ortega-Villaizán, A., Haro, R., Conchillo, L.B., Guerrero-Galán, C., Pollmann, S., Benito, B.✉ 2026. Transcriptional regulation of the Arabidopsis transportome by salt stress and symbiosis with Serendipita indica. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB 231, 111053. DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2026.111053