Aquaporin Functionality in Plant Responses to Abiotic Stresses

Aquaporins constitute a family of membrane‐embedded channel proteins that regulate transcellular water movement and the diffusion of small neutral solutes and signalling molecules. In plants, aquaporins are sorted into subfamilies including plasma membrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs), tonoplast intrinsic proteins (TIPs), nodulin‐26‐like intrinsic proteins (NIPs), small basic intrinsic proteins (SIPs) and X intrinsic proteins (XIPs). By modulating cellular water permeability, aquaporins underpin critical processes in drought avoidance, salinity tolerance, temperature adaptation and nutrient acquisition. Under water deficit or high salinity, dynamic regulation of PIP and TIP gating—via phosphorylation, pH modulation, reactive oxygen species or abscisic acid—adjusts root hydraulic conductance and leaf transpiration. In cold or heat stress, alterations in aquaporin abundance and subcellular trafficking influence osmotic adjustment and ice nucleation. Reactive oxygen species permeation through specific aquaporins acts as a rapid signal transduction mechanism that coordinates stomatal closure and stress‐responsive gene expression. Integration of aquaporin function with morphological traits such as xylem anatomy and stomatal dynamics informs strategies to improve crop resilience. Advances in our understanding of aquaporin structure–function relationships, isoform‐specific regulation and cross‐talk with hormonal networks hold promise for engineering plants with enhanced tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses.

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Aquaporin Functionality in Plant Responses to Abiotic Stresses publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in aquaporin functionality in plant responses to abiotic stresses across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Aquaporin: Channel protein facilitating the passage of water and small solutes across cellular membranes.

Plasma membrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs): Subgroup of aquaporins localised in the plasma membrane, central to root and leaf water transport.

Tonoplast intrinsic proteins (TIPs): Subgroup of aquaporins located on the vacuolar membrane, involved in intracellular water balance.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Highly reactive molecules, such as hydrogen peroxide, that function as stress signals and can permeate membranes via specific aquaporins.

Hydraulic conductivity: Measure of the ease with which water moves through plant tissues, often regulated by aquaporin gating.

Abscisic acid (ABA): Plant hormone that modulates aquaporin expression and gating in response to drought and salinity stress.

References

1. Genetic variation in the aquaporin TONOPLAST INTRINSIC PROTEIN 4;3 modulates maize cold tolerance. Plant Biotechnology Journal (2024).
2. Scaffold protein RhCASPL1D1 stabilizes RhPIP2 aquaporins and promotes flower recovery after dehydration in rose (Rosa hybrida). Horticulture Research (2025).
3. Genome-wide analysis of aquaporin and their responses to abiotic stresses in plants: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Plant Stress (2024).
4. Specific Aquaporins Facilitate the Diffusion of Hydrogen Peroxide across Membranes*. Journal of Biological Chemistry (2006).
5. Regulation of aquaporins in plants under stress. Biological Research (2018).
6. The Roles of Aquaporins in Plant Stress Responses. Journal of Developmental Biology (2016).
7. Drought and Abscisic Acid Effects on Aquaporin Content Translate into Changes in Hydraulic Conductivity and Leaf Growth Rate: A Trans-Scale Approach. Plant Physiology (2009).
8. Roles of Morphology, Anatomy, and Aquaporins in Determining Contrasting Hydraulic Behavior of Roots. Plant Physiology (2009).