Drought is a limiting factor for crop plant production, especially in arid and semi-arid climates. In this study, sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) was inoculated with two arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, either the standard Rhizophagus irregularis or the desert-adapted Rhizophagus arabicus, and grown in experimental microcosms under well-watered or drought conditions. We investigated gene expression of selected major intrinsic proteins (MIPs) of sorghum in these mycorrhizal plants, compared to non-inoculated, well-watered sorghum (control). Colonization with R. irregularis induced the MIPs SbPIP2.2 and SbPIP2.5, regardless of whether sorghum plants were well watered or not. Root colonization with R. arabicus, however, caused an exclusive, strong reduction in the transcript levels of three MIP genes (SbTIP2.1, SbNIP1.2, SbNIP2.2) under drought conditions. We also studied water transport properties of mycorrhiza-regulated MIPs. One particular MIP, SbPIP2.8, was associated with high water permeability of roots. Expression of this gene was strongly repressed in all sorghum plants (mycorrhizal and non-inoculated) that experienced drought conditions.

干旱是作物生产的限制因素，特别是在干旱和半干旱气候下。在这项研究中，高粱（Sorghum bicolor）接种了两种丛枝菌根真菌，即标准的不规则根瘤菌或适应沙漠的根瘤菌根瘤菌，并在水或干旱条件下的实验性微观世界中生长。我们与未经接种，水分充足的高粱（对照）相比，研究了这些菌根植物中高粱的选定主要内在蛋白（MIP）的基因表达。用不规则红杆菌定殖可诱导MIP SbPIP2.2和SbPIP2.5，无论高粱植物浇水是否良好。与根定殖R. arabicus，然而，引起了三个MIP基因（转录水平一个排他性的，强还原SbTIP2。 1，SbNIP1。 2，SbNIP2。 2）干旱条件下。我们还研究了菌根调节的MIP的输水特性。一种特殊的MIP SbPIP2.8与根的高透水性相关。在经历干旱条件的所有高粱植物（菌根和未接种）中，该基因的表达均被强烈抑制。