Transgenic Plants That Accumulate Proline Display Enhanced Tolerance to Cadmium Stress.

Cadmium (Cd) accumulation in agricultural soils constitutes a serious problem for crop yields and food safety. It is known that proline (Pro) can rapidly accumulate in plant tissues in response to abiotic stress. To analyze the potential protective effect of Pro accumulation against Cd toxicity, we compared the response to Cd stress of wild-type (WT) and a transgenic line that we had previously obtained and characterized (p18), which expressed the Δ gene from (), and accumulated high Pro levels.

Cadmium-Tolerant and -Sensitive Cultivars Identified by Screening of Germplasm Display Contrasting Responses to Cadmium Stress.

Cadmium (Cd) pollution in soils is an increasing problem worldwide, and it affects crop production and safety. We identified Cd-tolerant and -sensitive cultivars by testing 258 accessions of at seedling stage, using the relative root growth (RRG) as an indicator of Cd tolerance. The factorial analysis (principal component analysis method) of the different growth parameters analyzed revealed a clear differentiation between accessions depending on the trait (tolerant or sensitive).

Wide cross-species RNA-Seq comparison reveals convergent molecular mechanisms involved in nickel hyperaccumulation across dicotyledons.

The Anthropocene epoch is associated with the spreading of metals in the environment increasing oxidative and genotoxic stress on organisms. Interestingly, c. 520 plant species growing on metalliferous soils acquired the capacity to accumulate and tolerate a tremendous amount of nickel in their shoots.

Biomolecular approaches to understanding metal tolerance and hyperaccumulation in plants.

Trace metal elements are essential for plant growth but become toxic at high concentrations, while some non-essential elements, such as Cd and As, show toxicity even in traces. Thus, metal homeostasis is tightly regulated in plants. Plant species colonising metalliferous soils have evolved mechanisms to hypertolerate metals and, in rare cases, can hyperaccumulate them in excess amounts in their shoots.

Vacuolar Iron Stores Gated by NRAMP3 and NRAMP4 Are the Primary Source of Iron in Germinating Seeds.

During seed germination, iron (Fe) stored in vacuoles is exported by the redundant NRAMP3 and NRAMP4 transporter proteins. A double mutant is unable to mobilize Fe stores and does not develop in the absence of external Fe. We used RNA sequencing to compare gene expression in and wild type during germination and early seedling development.

Genotypic variations in the dynamics of metal concentrations in poplar leaves: a field study with a perspective on phytoremediation.

Poplar is commonly used for phytoremediation of metal polluted soils. However, the high concentrations of trace elements present in leaves may return to soil upon leaf abscission. To investigate the mechanisms controlling leaf metal content, metal concentrations and expression levels of genes involved in metal transport were monitored at different developmental stages on leaves from different poplar genotypes growing on a contaminated field.