Mining iron: Iron uptake and transport in plants

Summary

This review synthesises knowledge on how plants regulate iron acquisition from soil and subsequent transport and distribution within tissues. It describes the dual strategies plants employ under iron deficiency—reduction-based and chelation-based mechanisms—and identifies key genes and transporters involved in iron loading into xylem and phloem. The paper highlights emerging understanding of transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of iron-responsive genes in model species including Arabidopsis and rice.

Regional applicability

The mechanistic and genetic findings on iron uptake and transport apply broadly across plant species and are relevant to UK horticulture and arable cropping where iron deficiency can occur, particularly on calcareous soils. Understanding these pathways supports development of iron-biofortified crop varieties and targeted nutrient management strategies.

Key measures

Iron uptake mechanisms, iron transport pathways, gene expression regulation, iron homeostasis and chelation

Outcomes reported

The paper reviews mechanisms of iron uptake from soil in response to iron deficiency, including reduction-based and chelation-based pathways, and describes iron transport systems within plants via xylem and phloem loading. It identifies genes and regulatory components controlling iron deficiency responses at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels.

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