In Silico Analysis of the Lipid Interaction of Plant High-Affinity Potassium Transporter1 (HKT1)

Abstract

Salinization is one of the most crucial soil degradation processes. Around 20 percent of the total area of the world’s cultivated lands and 33 percent of irrigated agricultural lands are affected by high salinity levels. Several experimental works have been done concerning salt's effect on plants, particularly NaCl. However, these have not clarified how such an effect is linked to natural salinity and osmotic stress. Hence, salinity stress leads to ion toxicity and osmotic stresses that result in plant oxidative stress. The genes and transporters that are initiated under salt stress include Na+/H + Exchangers (NHXs), Salt Overly Sensitive (SOS), a Plasma Membrane Protein (PMP), and High-Affinity Potassium Transporter (HKT), which are involved in ion transport. The membrane transporter high-affinity potassium transporter 1 (HKT1) is vital for plant growth and tolerance to salinity. Comprehending the mechanisms plants employ to withstand the consequences of high salinity, particularly those triggered in response to disrupted Na+ and K+ homeostasis at the cellular and molecular levels, is crucial. In addition to helping lower Na+-specific toxicity in plants, HKT1-type transporters maintain Na+ and K+ balance in stress conditions. An overview of the function and importance of HKT1-type transporters and their other plant species importance, particularly under the condition of salt stress, is given in this thesis. Plants can adapt to salinity in various ways, and a comparison of HKT1 structure with homologs will reveal these strategies. To understand the function of HKT1 in the membrane, we attempted its lipid interaction with protein. As a membrane protein transport, its interaction with lipids is essential. Multiple lipids docked on the HKT1 protein attempted to find the pivotal interaction between the protein and lipid.