biostudies-literatureSakuraba YMEXT | Japan Society for the Promotion of ScienceMEXT | Japan Science and Technology Agency256https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC7910545biostudies-literatureUnknown4(1)Identification of genes and their alleles capable of improving plant growth under low nitrogen (N) conditions is key for developing sustainable agriculture. Here, we show that a genome-wide association study using Arabidopsis thaliana accessions suggested an association between different magnitudes of N deficiency responses and diversity in NRT1.1/NPF6.3 that encodes a dual-affinity nitrate transporter involved in nitrate uptake by roots. Various analyses using accessions exhibiting reduced N deficiency responses revealed that enhanced NRT1.1 expression in shoots rather than in roots is responsible for better growth of Arabidopsis seedlings under N deficient conditions. Furthermore, polymorphisms that increased NRT1.1 promoter activity were identified in the NRT1.1 promoter sequences of thCommunications biologyEnhanced NRT1.1/NPF6.3 expression in shoots improves growth under nitrogen deficiency stress in Arabidopsis.PMC7910545JPMJCR 15O518H03940Iba KYanagisawa SMabuchi ASakuraba YChaganzhanafalseEnhanced NRT1.1/NPF6.3 expression in shoots improves growth under nitrogen deficiency stress in Arabidopsis.Identification of genes and their alleles capable of improving plant growth under low nitrogen (N) conditions is key for developing sustainable agriculture. Here, we show that a genome-wide association study using Arabidopsis thaliana accessions suggested an association between different magnitudes of N deficiency responses and diversity in NRT1.1/NPF6.3 that encodes a dual-affinity nitrate transporter involved in nitrate uptake by roots. Various analyses using accessions exhibiting reduced N deficiency responses revealed that enhanced NRT1.1 expression in shoots rather than in roots is responsible for better growth of Arabidopsis seedlings under N deficient conditions. Furthermore, polymorphisms that increased NRT1.1 promoter activity were identified in the NRT1.1 promoter sequences of th2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Feb2025-04-04T22:01:22.591Z2025-04-04T22:01:22.591ZS-EPMC79105453363785510.1038/s42003-021-01775-1