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Identification of a Tri-Iron(III), Tri-Citrate Complex in the Xylem Sap of Iron-Deficient Tomato Resupplied with Iron: New Insights into Plant Iron Long-Distance Transport

2009; Oxford University Press; Volume: 51; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1093/pcp/pcp170

1471-9053

Rubén Rellán‐Álvarez, Justo Giner-Martínez-Sierra, J. Orduna, Irene Orera, José Ángel Rodríguez-Castrillón, J. Ignacio García Alonso, Javier Abadı́a, Ana Álvarez‐Fernández,

Aluminum toxicity and tolerance in plants and animals

The identification of Fe transport forms in plant xylem sap is crucial to the understanding of long-distance Fe transport processes in plants. Previous studies have proposed that Fe may be transported as an Fe–citrate complex in plant xylem sap, but such a complex has never been detected. In this study we report the first direct and unequivocal identification of a natural Fe complex in plant xylem sap. A tri-Fe(III), tri-citrate complex (Fe3Cit3) was found in the xylem sap of Fe-deficient tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Mill. cv. 'Tres Cantos') resupplied with Fe, by using an integrated mass spectrometry approach based on exact molecular mass, isotopic signature and Fe determination and retention time. This complex has been modeled as having an oxo-bridged tri-Fe core. A second complex, a di-Fe(III), di-citrate complex was also detected in Fe–citrate standards along with Fe3Cit3, with the allocation of Fe between the two complexes depending on the Fe to citrate ratio. These results provide evidence for Fe–citrate complex xylem transport in plants. The consequences for the role of Fe to citrate ratio in long-distance transport of Fe in xylem are also discussed.