Functional characterisation of LKT1, a K+ uptake channel from tomato root hairs, and comparison with the closely related potato inwardly rectifying K+ channel SKT1 after expression in Xenopus oocytes.

A cDNA encoding a novel inwardly rectifying potassium (K+(in)) channel, LKT1, was cloned from a root-hair-specific cDNA library of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). The LKT1 mRNA was shown to be most strongly expressed in root hairs by Northern blot analysis.

Isolation and characterization of two cDNA clones encoding ATP-sulfurylases from potato by complementation of a yeast mutant.

Sulfur plays an important role in plants, being used for the biosynthesis of amino acids, sulfolipids and secondary metabolites. After uptake sulfate is activated and subsequently reduced to sulfide or serves as donor for sulfurylation reactions. The first step in the activation of sulfate in all cases studied so far is catalyzed by the enzyme ATP-sulfurylase (E.