Iron uptake and transport in plants: the good, the bad, and the ionome.

Fe is essential for plant growth. At the same time, Fe is highly reactive and toxic via the Fenton reaction. Consequently, plants tightly control Fe homeostasis and react to Fe deficiency as well as Fe overload. The ability of plants to respond to Fe availability ultimately affects human nutrition, both in terms of crop yield and the Fe concentration of edible tissues. Thus, elucidating the mechanisms of Fe uptake and transport is essential for the breeding of crops that are more nutrient rich and more tolerant of Fe-limited soils.This review covers Fe transport and homeostasis in plants, focusing on the research published in the past five years. Because Fe transporters often have a broad range of substrates, we also examine the relationship between Fe and the toxic metals that often accompany Fe uptake, namely Cd, Co, and Ni. We begin by discussing Fe uptake into the root, then long-distance transport to the shoot, and finally, the loading of Fe into seeds. And, as Fe is essential to the metabolism of the mitochondria and chloroplast, we also look at the recent discoveries in Fe transport and homeostasis at the intracellular level. We do not cover the regulation of these transporters asmore » this topic has been recently reviewed.« less