Evolution of Iron Acquisition in Higher Plants

In the plant kingdom, two iron (Fe) acquisition strategies exist. All plant species, except grasses, acquire Fe^{2 +} from soil after reduction of Fe^{3 +} using the Strategy I mechanism. Although expressing many Strategy I activities, grasses employ the Strategy II mechanism, which involves the synthesis, secretion, and uptake of phytosiderophores that chelate Fe^{3 +} from soil. In recent years, several genes involved in Fe acquisition have been identified in plants. This study examined the phylogenetic distribution of iron-acquisition genes of five dicots, five grasses, and one gymnosperm. Both Strategy I and II plant species possessed either all or some genes for Strategy I. For Strategy II genes, only the five grasses expressed genes for phytosiderophore synthesis. Due to the conservation of Strategy I genes among both Strategy I and II species and absence of Strategy II genes from dicot and gymnosperm species, we concluded that Strategy II in grasses was derived relative to Strategy I.