Jing Hui: The Plant Cell First Author

Jing Hui, first author of “The Mycorrhiza-Specific Ammonium Transporter ZmAMT3;1 Mediates Mycorrhiza-dependent Nitrogen Uptake in Maize Roots”

Current Position: China Agricultural University, Research Assistant

Education: Ph.D. degree from China Agricultural University; Bachelor degree from Northwest A&F University

Non-scientific Interests: Playing Ping-pong and reading

Brief bio: I got my Ph.D. degree from the College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University (CAU), supervised by Prof. Dr. Lixing Yuan. During my PhD study, I investigated the function and regulation of mycorrhiza-dependent nitrogen (Myc-N) uptake in maize using a combination of plant physiology, genetics, molecular biology and omics approaches. I identified a new mycorrhiza-specific ammonium transporter (AMT) gene ZmAMT3;1 in maize, and found the encoded protein responsible for NH₄⁺ transport from fungus to host plants at the symbiotic interface. I further conducted greenhouse pot experiments and two-years field trials using the ZmAMT3;1-RNAi transgenic maize lines, and showed the significant contribution of ZmAMT3;1-dependent Myc-N to the overall plant N nutrition. Interestingly, I also observed that maize plants could coordinate Myc-N and direct root N uptake via sophisticated regulation of corresponding AMTs. My work thus provides a promising approach to improve crop N-use efficiency involving plant-microbe interactions. I will continue my interest in exploring the mysteries of plant-microbe interactions for a sustainable agriculture.

姓名：惠静

目前职位：中国农业大学，科研助理

教育背景：中国农业大学，农学博士；西北农林科技大学，农学学士

兴趣爱好：乒乓球，阅读

个人简介：我毕业于中国农业大学资源与环境学院，获得博士学位，导师是袁力行教授。我的博士课题以玉米为研究对象，结合植物生理、遗传、分子和组学方法，系统解析植物菌根氮吸收途径的分子功能和调控机制。我鉴定到一个受菌根诱导特异表达的玉米铵转运蛋白基因ZmAMT3;1, 其编码蛋白介导了共生界面上铵从菌丝向宿主植物的传递。我进一步构建了ZmAMT3;1-RNAi玉米转基因系，并通过温室盆栽和田间试验证明，ZmAMT3;1介导的菌根氮吸收途径对玉米植株氮营养贡献显著。有趣的是，我还发现玉米能够通过精巧调控铵转运蛋白来协调菌根途径与根系途径对土壤氮素的吸收。这些认识为我们发掘植物-微生物互作潜力提高作物氮效率提供了一条有效途径。未来我将继续坚持自己的兴趣，深入探索植物-微生物互作的奥秘，为我国农业可持续发展做出贡献