Phytochelatins (PCs) play important roles in the detoxification of and tolerance to heavy metals in plants. The synthesis of PCs is catalyzed by phytochelatin synthase (PCS), which is activated by heavy metal ions. In this study, we isolated a gene, , from the bast fiber crop ramie () using the RACE (rapid amplification of cDNA ends) method. The full-length cDNA is 1,949 bp in length with a 1,518 bp open reading frame (ORF) that encodes a 505 amino acid protein. The deduced BnPCS1 protein has a conserved N-terminus containing the catalytic triad Cys, His, Asp, and a flexible C-terminal region containing a CCQETCVKC motif. The promoter region contains several cis-acting elements involved in phytohormone or abiotic stress responses. Subcellular localization analysis indicates that the BnPCS1-GFP protein localizes to the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Real-time PCR assays show that the expression of is significantly induced by cadmium (Cd) and the plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA). Overexpression lines of exhibited better root growth and fresh weight, lower level of MDA and HO, and higher Cd accumulation and translocation factor compared to the WT under Cd stress. Taken together, these results could provide new gene resources for phytoremediation of Cd-contaminated soils.

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8239399PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.639189DOI Listing

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Article Synopsis
  • Phytochelatin synthase (PCS) is essential for detoxifying heavy metals, and this study investigates the molecular characteristics and functional role of the NtPCS1 gene in relation to metal stress, particularly cadmium (Cd).
  • The NtPCS1 enzyme shows increased activity with the order Ag > Cd > Cu > Pb > Hg > Fe > Zn, and its expression is highest in flowers and upregulated by Cd exposure, but overexpressing it in tobacco does not increase Cd accumulation despite producing more phytochelatins.
  • The PCS1 overexpressing tobacco lines are hypersensitive to Cd stress, which can be mitigated by the addition of glutathione (GSH), suggesting that enhancing GSH levels can
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