Abstract
Ammonium transporter (AMT) proteins have been reported in many plants, but no comprehensive analysis was performed in wheat. In this study, we identified 23 AMT members (hereafter TaAMTs) using a protein homology search in wheat genome. Tissue-specific expression analysis showed that TaAMT1;1a, TaAMT1;1b, and TaAMT1;3a were relatively more highly expressed in comparison with other TaAMTs. TaAMT1;1a, TaAMT1;1b, and TaAMT1;3a-GFP were localized in the plasma membrane in tobacco leaves, and TaAMT1;1a, TaAMT1;1b, and TaAMT1;3a successfully complemented a yeast 31019b strain in which ammonium uptake was deficient. In addition, the expression of TaAMT1;1b in an Arabidopsis AMT quadruple mutant (qko) successfully restored [Formula: see text] uptake ability. Resupply of [Formula: see text] rapidly increased cellular [Formula: see text] contents and suppressed expression of TaAMT1;3a, but not of TaAMT;1;1a and TaAMT1;1b expressions. Expression of TaAMT1;1a, TaAMT1;1b, and TaAMT1;3a was not changed in leaves after [Formula: see text] resupply. In contrast, nitrogen (N) deprivation induced TaAMT1;1a, TaAMT1;1b, and TaAMT1;3a gene expressions in the roots and leaves. Expression analysis in the leaves of the stem rust-susceptible wheat line "Little Club" and the rust-tolerant strain "Mini 2761" revealed that TaAMT1;1a, TaAMT1;1b, and TaAMT1;3a were specifically induced in the former but not in the latter. Rust-susceptible wheat plants grown under N-free conditions exhibited a lower disease index than plants grown with [Formula: see text] as the sole N source in the medium after infection with Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici, suggesting that [Formula: see text] and its transport may facilitate the infection of wheat stem rust disease. Our findings may be important for understanding the potential function TaAMTs in wheat plants.