IRT1 — Arabidopsis thaliana

Summary

AT4G19690, known as IRT1 (iron-regulated transporter 1) in Arabidopsis thaliana, encodes a ZIP family metal ion transporter with transmembrane transporter activity for iron, zinc, manganese, copper, and cadmium, as well as iron channel activity. IRT1 is associated with iron uptake, acquisition, and translocation, and has been connected to cadmium uptake and accumulation, zinc tolerance, arsenic accumulation, and copper accumulation. The protein localizes to the plasma membrane, endosomes, and vacuole, and is linked to ubiquitin-mediated endocytosis, cellular iron ion homeostasis, and the biosynthesis of fraxetin, sideretin, and melatonin. IRT1 has been connected to traits including iron content, root system cadmium content, leaf chlorosis, shoot fresh weight, root branching, lateral root number, salt response, disease tolerance, and photosynthetic efficiency. Related genes in other species are linked to zinc uptake, nickel accumulation, and cadmium sensitivity.