Synthetic ion channel inhibitors enhance plant drought tolerance
Abstract Drought stress significantly threatens global food security. According to the FAO2024, agriculture absorbs up to 80% of drought impacts. Stomata are vital pores for gas exchange and transpiration in plants. Stomatal closure, which is crucial for drought tolerance, is regulated by ion transport systems. Here, we identify two inhibitors of plasma membrane voltage-dependent potassium (K + ) channels, NS5806 and UA49, that induce stomatal closure, reduce guard cell K + levels, and increase drought resistance in Arabidopsis plants. This chemical-induced stomatal closure pathway is distinct from the abscisic acid (ABA). Notably, K + channel inhibition led to increased cytosolic Ca 2+ , which was absent in K + inward channel mutants, highlighting the link between K + channel activity and cytosolic Ca 2+ elevation. These findings suggest that the chemical regulation of K + channels represents a strategy to induce stomatal closure, potentially improving plant drought tolerance through targeted interventions.
Authors
- Mieko Arisawa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9561-2653)
- Khurram Bashir (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7123-8380)
- Megumi Kato (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4930-4852)
- Alex Costa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2628-1176)
- Yoshiyuki Murata (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7864-1903)
- Takumi Higaki (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1379-3930)
- Masaru Tsujii (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2127-1988)
- Nobuyuki Uozumi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4268-1126)
- Huifei Yin
- Toshinori Kinoshita (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7621-1259)
- Matteo Grenzi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2295-0018)
- Masana Yazaki
- Francisco Rubio (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7640-9548)
- Kanane Sato (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8771-4094)
- Shunya Saito (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8295-258X)
- Yasushi Todoroki (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4650-4477)
- Laura Luoni (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6485-5417)
- Masaru Kono (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1543-937X)
- Jörg Kudla (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8238-767X)
- Taishin Kakei
- Motoaki Seki (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8288-0467)
- Nobuhisa Isaka
- Shintaro Munemasa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1204-1822)
- Yasuhiro Ishimaru (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4723-8844)
- Toshio Yamaguchi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3256-1538)
- Jun Takeuchi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3049-8965)
- Asuka Kamimura
- Kyota Suzuki
- Yuki Hayashi
- Yasutaka Kawai
- Farhan Aziz
Institutions
- Niigata University of Pharmacy and Medical and Life Sciences (JP)
- Kihara Institute for Biological Research (JP)
- Shizuoka University (JP)
- Kyushu University (JP)
- Okayama University of Science (JP)
- Pioneer (United States) (US)
- Okayama University (JP)
- University of Milan (IT)
- Tohoku University (JP)
- Lahore University of Management Sciences (PK)
- University of Münster (DE)
- RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (JP)
- Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura (ES)
- Astrobiology Center (JP)
- National Research Council (IT)
- Nagoya University (JP)
- Saitama University (JP)
- The University of Tokyo (JP)
- Yokohama City University (JP)
- Kumamoto University (JP)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2026-07-27
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-75894-w
- Primary Topic
- Plant Stress Responses and Tolerance
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Università degli Studi di Milano
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
- Japan Science and Technology Agency
- Moonshot Research and Development Program