Molecular mechanisms of boron-deficiency stress signaling in plants

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Boron is an essential micronutrient for plants. Boron deficiency is one of the major constraints in crop production worldwide. However, it remains unclear how boron deficiency causes various metabolic disorders and cell death. To understand the mechanism, we analyzed the physiological changes in cultured tobacco cells and Arabidopsis plants upon boron deprivation. We found that reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulated in the cells deprived of boron, and oxidative damages caused by this ROS accumulation was the major and direct cause of cell death. We also found that plant cells could perceive the disappearance of boron from their external medium immediately after the deprivation.