Dev T. BrittoUTSC logo
BA (Redlands), BSc (UBC), PhD (UBC)
Department of Biological Sciences
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Department of Cell and Systems Biology
University of Toronto
Senior Research Fellow, Kronzucker Lab

Review Editor, Journal of Plant Physiology
Editorial Board, Frontiers in Plant Nutrition
University of Toronto
1265 Military Trail
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M1C 1A4
 Tel  (416) 287-7427
Fax (416) 287-7642
britto@utsc.utoronto.ca
PUBLICATIONS

  1. Hamam, A.M., Coskun, D., Britto, D.T., Plett, D., Kronzucker, H.J. (2019). Plasma-membrane electrical responses to salt and osmotic gradients contradict radiotracer kinetics, and reveal Na+-transport dynamics in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Planta 249, 1037-1051.
  2. Flam-Shepherd, R., Britto, D.T., Kronzucker, H. J. (2018). vaCATE: A platform for automating data output from compartmental analysis by tracer efflux. Journal of Open Research Software 6:21, 1-9, doi.org/10.5334/jors.175.
  3. Britto, D. T. & Kronzucker, H. J. (2018). From aquaporin to ecosystem: Plants in the water cycle.  Journal of Plant Physiology 227, 1-2.
  4. Flam-Shepherd, R., Huynh, W.Q., Coskun, D., Hamam, A.M., Britto, D.T., Kronzucker, H.J. (2018). Membrane fluxes, bypass flows, and sodium stress in rice: the influence of silicon. (Accompanied by a commissioned Insight article titled “Sodium fluxes and silicon at the root plasma membrane: a paradigm shift?”) Journal of Experimental Botany 69, 1679-1692.  Also see this article.
  5. Coskun, D., Britto, D.T., Kronzucker, H.J. (2017). The nitrogen-potassium intersection: Membranes, metabolism, and mechanism. Plant, Cell & Environment (Yearly Reviews of Environmental Plant Physiology) 40, 2029-2041.
  6. Coskun, D., Britto, D.T., Shi, W.M., Kronzucker, H.J. (2017). Nitrogen transformations in modern agriculture and the role of biological nitrification inhibition. Nature Plants 3, 1-10. 
  7. Coskun, D., Britto, D.T., Shi, W.M., Kronzucker, H.J. (2017). How plant root exudates shape the nitrogen cycle. Trends in Plant Science 22, 661-673.
  8. Coskun, D., Britto, D.T., Huynh, W.Q., Kronzucker, H.J. (2016). The role of silicon in higher plants under salinity and drought stress. Frontiers in Plant Science 7,  Number  1072, doi:  10.3389/fpls.2016.01072
  9. Britto, D.T., Wilhelm, C., Kronzucker H.J. (2016). From biochemical pathways to the agro-ecological scale: Carbon capture in a changing climate. Journal of Plant Physiology 203, 1-2.
  10. Coskun, D., Britto, D.T., Kronzucker, H.J. (2016). Nutrient constraints on terrestrial carbon fixation: The role of nitrogen. Journal of Plant Physiology, doi:10.1016/j.jplph.2016.05.016
  11. Hamam, A.M., Britto, D.T., Flam-Shepherd, R., Kronzucker, H.J. (2016) Measurement of differential Na+ efflux from apical and bulk root zones of intact barley and Arabidopsis plants. Frontiers in Plant Science, 7, Number 00272. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2016.00272
  12. Coskun, D., Britto, D.T., Kochian, L.V., Kronzucker, H.J. (2016) How high do ion fluxes go? A re-evaluation of the two-mechamism model of K+ transport in plant roots. Plant Science, in press.
  13. Coskun, D., Britto, D.T., Kronzucker, H.J. (2016) The nitrogen-potassium intersection: Membranes, metabolism, and mechanism. Plant, Cell & Environment (Yearly Reviews of Environmental Plant Physiology), doi:10.1111/pce.12671
  14. Britto, D.T., Kronzucker, H.J. (2015). Sodium efflux in plant roots: What do we really know? Journal of Plant Physiology 186-7, 1-12.
  15. Coskun, D., Britto, D.T., Hamam, A., Kronzucker, H.J. (2014). Measuring fluxes of mineral nutrients and toxicants in plants with radioactive tracers. Journal of Visualized Experiments 90, doi: 10.3791/51877
  16. Coskun, D., Britto, D.T., Kronzucker, H.J. (2014). The physiology of channel-mediated K+ acquisition in roots of higher plants. Physiologia Plantarum 151, 305-312.
  17. Britto, D.T., Balkos, K.D., Becker, A., Coskun, D., Huynh, W.Q., Kronzucker, H.J. (2014). Potassium and nitrogen poising: physiological changes and biomass gains in rice and barley. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 94, 1085-1089.
  18. Coskun, D., Britto, D.T., Li, M., Becker, A., Kronzucker, H.J. (2013). Rapid ammonia gas transport accounts for futile transmembrane cycling under NH3/NH4+ toxicity in plant roots. Plant Physiology 163, 1859-1867.
  19. Kronzucker, H.J., Coskun, D., Schulze, L.M. Wong, J.R., Britto, D.T. (2013). Sodium as nutrient and toxicant. Plant & Soil 369, 1-23 (Marschner Review & cover article).
  20. Britto, D.T. & Kronzucker, H.J. (2013). Ecological significance and complexity of N-source preference in plants. Annals of Botany 6, 957-963.  
  21. Coskun, D., Britto, D.T., Li, M., Oh, S. Kronzucker, H.J. (2013). Capacity and plasticity of K+ channels and high-affinity transporters in roots of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and Arabidopsis thaliana L. Plant Physiology 162, 496-511.
  22. Coskun, D., Britto, D.T., Jean, Y-K., Kabir, I., Tolay, I.. Torun, A.A., Kronzucker, H.J. (2013). K+ efflux and retention in response to NaCl stress do not predict salt tolerance in contrasting genotypes of rice (Oryza sativa L.). PLOS ONE, 8, e57767. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0057767
  23. Britto, D.T., Kronzucker, H.J. (2013). Flux measurements of cations using radioactive tracers. Methods in Molecular Biology 953, 161-170.
  24. Britto, D.T., Kronzucker, H.J. (2012). Isotope techniques to study kinetics of Na+ and K+ transport under salinity conditions. Methods in Molecular Biology 913, 389-398.
  25. Schulze, L.M., Britto, D.T., Li, M., Kronzucker, H.J. (2012). A pharmacological analysis of high-affinity sodium transport in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.): A 24Na+/ 42K+ study. Journal of Experimental Botany 63, 2479-2489.
  26. Coskun, D., Britto, D.T., Jean, Y-K., Schulze L., Becker, A., Kronzucker, H.J. (2012). Silver ions disrupt K+ homeostasis and cellular integrity in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) roots. Journal of Experimental Botany 63, 151-162.
  27. Britto, D.T. & Kronzucker, H.J. (2011). Genes do not form channels. Plant and Soil 346, 15-17.
  28. Kronzucker, H.J. & Britto, D.T. (2011). Sodium transport in plants: A critical review. New Phytologist 189, 54-81. (Tansley Review)
  29. Coskun, D., Britto, D.T., Kronzucker, H.J. (2010). Regulation and mechanism of potassium release from barley roots: an in planta 42K analysis. New Phytologist  188, 1028-1038. 
  30. Britto, D.T., Ebrahimi-Ardebili S., Hamam A.M., Coskun D., Kronzucker H.J. (2010). 42K analysis of sodium-induced potassium efflux in barley: Mechanism and relevance to salt tolerance. New Phytologist 186, 373-384.
  31. Balkos, K.D., Britto, D.T., Kronzucker, H.J. (2010). Optimization of ammonium acquisition and metabolism by potassium in rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. IR-72). Plant, Cell & Environment 33, 23-34. (cover article) 
  32. Britto, D.T. & Kronzucker, H.J. (2009). Ussing's conundrum and the search for transport mechanisms in plants. New Phytologist 183, 243-246.
  33. Szczerba, M.W., Britto, D.T., Kronzucker, H.J. (2009). K+ transport in plants: physiology and molecular biology. Journal of Plant Phsyiology 166, 447-466.
  34. Malagoli, P., Britto, D.T., Schulze, L.M., Kronzucker, H.J. (2008). Futile Na+ cycling at the root plasma membrane in rice (Oryza sativa L.) �€“ kinetics, energetics, and relation to salinity tolerance. Journal of Experimental Botany 59, 4109-4117.
  35. Szczerba, M.W., Britto, D.T., Ali, S.A., Balkos, K.D., Kronzucker, H.J. (2008). NH4+-stimulated and -inhibited components of K+ transport in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Journal of Experimental Botany 59, 3415-3423.
  36. Kronzucker, H.J., Szczerba, M.W., Schulze, L.M., Britto, D.T. (2008). Non-reciprocal interactions between K+ and Na+ ions in barley. Journal of Experimental Botany 59, 2793-2801.
  37. Britto, D.T. & Kronzucker H.J. (2008). Cellular mechanisms of potassium transport in plants. Physiologia Plantarum 133, 637-350.
  38. Szczerba, M.W., Britto, D.T., Balkos, K.D., Kronzucker, H.J. (2008). Alleviation of rapid, futile ammonium cycling at the plasma membrane by potassium reveals K+-sensitive and -insensitive components of NH4+ transport. Journal of Experimental Botany 59, 303-313.
  39. Britto, D.T. & Kronzucker, H.J. (2007).  Mechanisms of potassium transport in plants. Proceedings of the International Fertiliser Society 605, 1-24.
  40. Britto, D.T. & Kronzucker, H.J. (2006). Futile cycling at the plasma membrane: A hallmark of low-affinity nutrient transport. Trends in Plant Science 11, 529-534.
  41. Kronzucker, H.J., Szczerba, M.W., Moazami-Goudarzi, M., Britto, D.T. (2006). The cytosolic Na+:K+ ratio does not explain salinity-induced growth impairment in barley : A dual-tracer study using 42K+ and 24Na+. Plant, Cell & Environment 29, 2228-2237.
  42. Szczerba, M.W., Britto, D.T., Kronzucker, H.J. (2006). Rapid, futile K+ cycling and pool-size dynamics define low-affinity potassium transport in barley. Plant Physiology 141, 1494-1507.
  43. Szczerba, M.W., Britto, D.T., Kronzucker, H.J. (2006). The face value of ion fluxes: the challenge of determining influx in the low-affinity transport range. Journal of Experimental Botany 57, 3293-3300.
  44. Britto, D.T., Szczerba, M.W., Kronzucker, H.J. (2006). A new, non-perturbing sampling procedure in tracer exchange measurements. Journal of Experimental Botany 57, 1309-1314.
  45. Britto, D.T. & Kronzucker, H.J. (2005). Plant nitrogen transport and its regulation in changing soil environments. Journal of Crop Improvement 15, 1-23.
  46. Britto, D.T. & Kronzucker, H.J. (2005). Nitrogen acquisition, PEP carboxylase, and cellular pH homeostasis: New views on old paradigms. Plant, Cell & Environment 28, 1396-1409.
  47. Britto, D.T. & Kronzucker, H.J. (2005). Plant nitrogen transport and its regulation in changing soil environments. In: Enhancing the Efficiency of Nitrogen Utilization in Plants (A.S. Basra, S.S. Goyal & R. Tischner, eds.). The Haworth Press Inc., Binghampton, NY, pp. 1-23.
  48. Britto, D.T. & Kronzucker H.J. (2004). Bioengineering N acquisition in rice: Can novel initiatives in rice genomics and physiology contribute to global food security? BioEssays 26, 683-692.
  49. Britto, D.T., Ruth, T.J., Lapi, S., Kronzucker, H.J. (2004). Cellular and whole-plant chloride dynamics in barley: Insights into chloride-nitrogen interactions and salinity responses. Planta 218, 615-622.
  50. Britto, D.T. & Kronzucker H.J. (2004). Biology and Biotechnology of Nitrogen Acquisition in Rice: Implications for Food Security. In: Plant Ecophysiology, Vol. 3: Nitrogen Acquisition and Assimilation in Higher Plants (S. Amâncio, & I.D.H. Stulen, eds.). Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands, pp. 261-281.
  51. Britto, D.T. & Kronzucker, H.J. (2003). Trans-stimulation of 13NH4+ efflux provides evidence for the cytosolic origin of tracer in the compartmental analysis of barley roots. Functional Plant Biology 30, 1233-1238.
  52. Britto, D.T. & Kronzucker, H.J. (2003). Cytosolic ion exchange dynamics: Insights into the mechanisms of component ion fluxes and their measurement. Functional Plant Biology 30, 355-363.
  53. Kronzucker, H.J., Szczerba, M.W., Britto, D.T. (2003). Cytosolic potassium homeostasis revisited: 42K-tracer analysis reveals set-point variations in [K+]. Planta 217, 540-546.
  54. Britto, D.T. & Kronzucker, H.J. (2003). Ion fluxes and cytosolic pool sizes: examining fundamental relationships in transmembrane flux regulation. Planta 217, 490-497.
  55. Kronzucker, H.J., Siddiqi, M.Y., Glass, A.D.M., Britto, D.T. (2003).Root ammonium transport efficiency as a determinant in forest colonization patterns: an hypothesis. Physiologia Plantarum 117, 164-170. (cover article)
  56. Britto, D.T. & Kronzucker, H.J. (2003). The case for cytosolic NO3- heterostasis: a critique of a recently proposed model. Plant, Cell & Environment 26, 183-188.
  57. Britto, D.T., Siddiqi, M.Y., Glass, A.D.M., Kronzucker, H.J. (2002). Subcellular NH4+ flux analysis in leaf segments of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). New Phytologist 155, 373-380.
  58. Britto, D.T. & Kronzucker, H.J. (2002). NH4+ toxicity in higher plants: A critical review. Journal of Plant Physiology 159, 567-584. (invited review)
  59. Glass, A.D.M., Britto, D.T., Kaiser, B.N., Kinghorn, J.R., Kronzucker, H.J., Kumar, A., Okamoto, M., Rawat, S., Siddiqi, M.Y., Unkles, S.E., Vidmar, J.J. (2002). The regulation of nitrate and ammonium transport systems in plants. Journal of Experimental Botany 53, 855-864.
  60. Kronzucker, H.J., Britto, D.T., Davenport, R., Tester, M. (2001). Ammonium toxicity and the real cost of transport. Trends in Plant Science 6, 335-337.
  61. Britto, D.T., Siddiqi, M.Y., Glass, A.D.M., Kronzucker, H.J. (2001). Futile transmembrane NH4+ cycling: A cellular hypothesis to explain ammonium toxicity in plants. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 98, 4255-4258.
  62. Britto, D.T. & Kronzucker, H.J. (2001).  Constancy of nitrogen turnover kinetics in the plant cell: Insights into the integration of subcellular N fluxes. Planta 213, 175-181.
  63. Britto, D.T. & Kronzucker, H.J. (2001).  Can unidirectional influx be measured in higher plants? A mathematical approach using parameters from efflux analysis. New Phytologist 150, 37-47.
  64. Britto, D.T., Glass, A.D.M., Kronzucker, H.J., Siddiqi, M.Y. (2001). Cytosolic concentrations and transmembrane fluxes of NH4+/NH3 . An examination of recent proposals. Plant Physiology 125, 523-526.
  65. Glass, A.D.M., Britto, D.T., Kaiser, B.N., Kronzucker, H.J., Kumar, A., Okamoto, M., Rawat, S.R., Siddiqi, M.Y., Silim, S.M., Vidmar, J.J., Zhou, D. (2001). Nitrogen transport in plants, with an emphasis on the regulation of fluxes to match plant demand. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science 164, 199-207.
  66. Britto, D.T., Glass, A.D.M., Kronzucker, H.J. (2000). Studies of Nitrogen Absorption and Assimilation in Plants by Use of 13N. In: Isotope Production And Applications In The 21st Century: Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Isotopes (Nigel Stevenson, ed.). World Scientific Publ. Co., Singapore, pp. 433-435.
  67. Siddiqi, M.Y., Kronzucker, H.J., Britto, D.T., Glass, A.D.M. (1998). Growth of a tomato crop at reduced nutrient concentrations as a strategy to limit eutrophication. Journal of Plant Nutrition 21, 1879-1895.
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