ARTICLE

In plants, iron (Fe) is essential for mitochondrial electron transport, heme, and Fe-sulphur (Fe-s) cluster synthesis; however, plant mitochondrial Fe transporters have not been identified. Here we show, identify and characterize the rice mitochondrial Fe transporter (mIT). Based on a transfer DnA library screen, we identified a rice line showing symptoms of Fe deficiency while accumulating high shoot levels of Fe. Homozygous knockout of MIT in this line resulted in a lethal phenotype. mIT localized to the mitochondria and complemented the growth of ∆mrs3∆mrs4 yeast defective in mitochondrial Fe transport. The growth of MIT-knockdown (mit-2) plants was also significantly impaired despite abundant Fe accumulation. Further, the decrease in the activity of the mitochondrial and cytosolic Fe-s enzyme, aconitase, indicated that Fe-s cluster synthesis is affected in mit-2 plants. These results indicate that mIT is a mitochondrial Fe transporter essential for rice growth and development