Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Over the last decade, considerable advances have occurred in understanding the molecular biology and biophysics of water permeation across plant membranes and tissues. Spurred on by the rapid advances in cloning and functional characterization of a superfamily of major intrinsic proteins, some of which function as aquaporins, the biophysics of transport of water and small non-electrolytes across plant membranes is being re-examined based on the proposed function of these membrane-integral proteins in their native membranes. This review focuses on a number of issues that are central to an understanding of aquaporin function: (1) the need to be able to test for water-channel activity in native membranes; (2) the implications of the observed solute/water selectivity of aquaporins; (3) the putative functional roles of aquaporins at the cell, tissue and organ levels in plants; and (4) information that can be obtained from studies of the abundance, diversity and expression patterns of aquaporins. It is clear that to answer many of the critical questions that remain concerning aquaporin function, combined studies using appropriate molecular and biophysical techniques will be required.

Type

Conference paper

Publication Date

01/06/1999

Volume

50

Pages

1055 - 1071