Abstract 2807 Regulation of the Cellular Distribution of the Tobacco NtNIP2;1 Silicon Transporter

Silicate minerals are abundant in the Earth's crust. Plants acquire silicon in the form of silicic acid (SA). SA supplementation permits plants to better deal with a wide variety of stress. We recently discovered a tobacco gene (NtNIP2;1) encoding a Si transporter. This gene is a member of the NIP subfamily of aquaporins (AQPs). While AQPs generally permit water movement, NIPs also transport solutes. For example, the NIP2 subfamily can transport SA. Little is known about the trafficking or regulation of Si transport proteins.