TSJT1 and glutamate is required for aluminum tolerance associated with mitochondrial pyruvate carrier 1 in Arabidopsis

Aluminum stress is a critical limiting factor in crop productivity, as it rapidly inhibits root elongation, impairs water and nutrient uptake, and ultimately leads to substantial yield reductions. To address this challenge, it is essential to elucidate the mechanisms underlying plant aluminum toxicity and tolerance, thereby enhancing crop resilience to aluminum stress. In this study, we employed transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses to identify the protein TSJT1, which is induced by aluminum exposure and plays an essential role in the plant’s response to aluminum. Notably, <i>TSJT1</i> expression was significantly up-regulated in mpc1 mutants; furthermore, overexpression of <i>TSJT1</i> markedly enhanced the plant’s resistance to aluminum stress. Our integrated analysis also revealed significant differences in glutamate metabolites as well as a protein encoding glutamate synthetase during this process. Through exogenous glutamate supplementation, we demonstrated that glutamate plays a critical role in the MPC1-mediated response to aluminum stress.