甜荞柠檬酸转运蛋白基因FeFRD3的克隆及表达分析

该研究采用同源克隆策略,从甜荞中克隆到1个柠檬酸转运蛋白基因FeFRD3(GenBank登录号为MG462907)。FeFRD3基因含一个1 554bp开放阅读框,编码517个氨基酸,预测蛋白分子量为55.83kD,等电点为8.48。生物信息学分析显示,FeFRD3蛋白含有8个跨膜区,定位于质膜和液泡膜上。蛋白序列分析结果表明,FeFRD3与拟南芥、大豆和水稻的FRD3同源蛋白有较高的序列一致性。系统进化树分析表明,FeFRD3属于具有将铁由根向地上部位长距离转运功能的柠檬酸转运蛋白,且与拟南芥AtFRD3亲缘关系最近。qRT-PCR分析结果表明,FeFRD3基因在甜荞根、茎、叶和种子中均有表达,但在根中的表达量最高,在种子中的表达量最低;缺铁胁迫没有影响FeFRD3基因在根中的表达,但高铁胁迫明显诱导了该基因在根中的表达。研究结果为进一步深入研究FeFRD3基因在甜荞铁长距离转运中的功能奠定了基础。     

青花菜BoSCL3基因的克隆和渍水胁迫下的表达特征分析

为了解SCL3 (scarecrow-like 3)基因的功能,从青花菜(Brassica olreacea var. italica)中克隆得到1个SCL3基因,命名为BoSCL3,其cDNA全长1 355 bp,编码446个氨基酸。BoSCL3分子量为49.96 kD,为疏水性蛋白,与油菜(B. napus)、芜菁(B. rapa)中SCL3蛋白的亲缘关系最近,同科植物的SCL3具有较高的同源性。荧光定量PCR分析结果表明,青花菜BoSCL3基因表达量随渍水胁迫时间延长先下降后上升,推测其可能参与渍水胁迫响应。这为探讨青花菜BoSCL3基因响应渍水胁迫的分子机制提供理论依据。     

西伯利亚白刺质膜Na+/H+逆向转运蛋白基因NsSOS1的分离及表达分析

采用同源克隆技术分离了西伯利亚白刺(Nitraria sibirica)质膜Na~+/H~+逆向转运蛋白基因NsSOS1,并对其在不同胁迫条件下的表达特性进行了分析。NsSOS1包含3 516bp开放阅读框(ORF),编码1 171个氨基酸,蛋白分子量为128.34kD。生物信息学分析显示,NsSOS1包含12个跨膜结构域,具有植物SOS1蛋白的保守结构域。系统发育分析表明,NsSOS1与其他植物质膜Na~+/H~+逆向转运蛋白处于同一个次级分化群,与锦葵科海滨锦葵KvSOS1亲缘关系较近。实时荧光定量RT-PCR分析显示,NsSOS1基因在西伯利亚白刺的根和叶中表达量较高;其表达受到非生物胁迫(NaCl、低温、干旱)和外源激素(MeJA和GA)的诱导,表明NsSOS1基因在西伯利亚白刺抵御逆境胁迫过程中发挥重要作用。     

小麦MTP基因家族分析及其在胁迫下的作用

金属耐性蛋白(metal tolerance protein,MTP)通过结合流入或流出胞质溶胶中的金属来维持植物体内的金属稳态。该研究通过多种生物信息学方法鉴定并分析小麦基因组TaMTP基因,并用qRT-PCR技术分析TaMTP基因在多种重金属胁迫下的表达情况,为深入研究该家族基因对小麦生长发育的调控机理及其抗逆性提供理论依据。结果表明:(1)TaMTPs均具有阳离子外排家族结构域,大多数成员具有锌转运蛋白二聚结构域;系统发育和聚类分析显示,TaMTP蛋白主要分为G1、G5、G6、G7、G8、G9和G12七组;基因结构和基序分析表明,TaMTP基因多具有相对保守的外显子-内含子排列和保守基序。(2)由RNA-Seq数据的基因表达谱分析发现,不同TaMTP基因都有其独特的表达机制,其中TaMTP1-1Bb和TaMTP1-1D在非生物胁迫下表达水平较高,TaMTP1-1A、TaMTP1-1Bb、TaMTP1-1D、TaMTP11-3Ab、TaMTP11-3B和TaMTP11-3D在生物胁迫下有较高的表达量。(3)qRT-PCR分析表明,当小麦遭受锌(Zn)、铜(Cu)、钴(Co)、镉(Cd)、锰(Mn)和铁(Fe)重金属胁迫时,TaMTP1-1A、TaMTP8-4A、TaMTP8-4D、TaMTP11-3Aa和TaMTP11-3B共5个TaMTP基因的表达水平增加,表明每种金属离子均可诱导这些TaMTP基因在根和叶的表达,但TaMTP1-1A和TaMTP8-4A在Fe~(3+)与Cu~(2+)胁迫下的表达情况完全相反,且在Fe~(3+)胁迫下小麦叶和根组织中2个基因的表达量均很低,推测TaMTPs可能参与相应的微量元素的耐受或转运,但不同TaMTP对不同金属的转运功能存在差异。     

蓖麻RcACA基因家族鉴定及非生物胁迫下表达模式分析

自抑制Ca^(2+)-ATPase酶(auto-inhibited Ca2+-ATPase,ACA)作为Ca2+-ATPase的亚家族之一,在植物细胞内维持Ca2+浓度平衡发挥着重要的作用。为探究蓖麻(Ricinus communis)RcACA基因家族的功能及基因表达模式,文中采用生物信息学手段鉴定蓖麻RcACA基因家族成员,预测分析了其基础的理化性质、亚细胞位置、蛋白的二级和三级结构、保守域、保守基序、基因结构、染色体位置及共线关系、进化特征、启动子顺式作用元件,并通过蓖麻转录组数据中的表达量(fragments per kilobase of exon model per million mapped fragments,FPKM)分析RcACA基因在非生物胁迫下的表达模式。结果表明,在蓖麻中共鉴定到8个RcACA基因家族成员,均是酸性蛋白且定位在细胞质膜;所有蛋白的二级和三级结构中α-螺旋和不规则卷曲较多;RcACA基因被聚为3类,同一类别中基因的结构与保守基序相似;均有典型的4个结构域RcACA3–RcACA8,还有1个Ca^(2+)-ATPase N端自抑制结构域(N-terminal autoinhibitory domain);RcACA基因多位于染色体长臂,拥有2对共线关系。RcACA基因编码区上游拥有较多的光响应作用元件,激素诱导类作用元件较少。种间聚类显示ACA基因在物种间的进化是保守的。组织表达模式分析显示,RcACA基因拥有明显的组织表达特异性,且多数基因在雄花中表达量最高;非生物胁迫表达分析表明,RcACA2–RcACA8在高盐和干旱胁迫下均上调表达,RcACA1在低温胁迫的0–24 h上调表达,表明RcACA基因积极地响应非生物胁迫。上述结果为探究RcACA基因在蓖麻生长发育和逆境胁迫中的作用提供了理论参考。     

大豆GmABI4基因克隆及表达分析

该研究基于大豆基因组数据库,根据拟南芥ABI4蛋白的氨基酸序列,经比对分析,获得了大豆中的2个GmABI4基因,分别命名为GmABI4-1(GenBank登录号为XM_014766551.1)和GmABI4-2(GenBank登录号为NM_001249003)。TMHMM软件和系统进化转录分析表明,这2个基因编码的蛋白均不具有信号肽,二级结构主要以无规则卷曲和延伸链为主;进化树分析表明,大豆GmABI4和野生大豆亲缘关系较近。荧光定量PCR分析表明,GmABI4-1与GmABI4-2基因在大豆种子与豆荚中的表达量均高于根、茎、叶、花等其他组织,推测可能与调控大豆种子生命活动相关。     

马铃薯StCML基因家族鉴定及表达分析

类钙调蛋白(calmodulin-like protein, CML)是植物中一种重要的Ca~(2+)结合蛋白,在植物生长发育和胁迫响应过程中起着重要的作用。该研究通过生物信息学方法在马铃薯基因组中鉴定了StCML基因家族成员,并对它们的表达模式及胁迫响应进行了分析,为深入解析马铃薯StCML基因家族成员在生长发育和胁迫响应中的作用机制奠定理论基础。结果显示:(1)在马铃薯基因组中共鉴定到80个StCML基因,它们均具有EF-hand结构;根据系统进化树拓扑结构可分为5个亚家族,在1～5亚家族中分别含有18、12、14、12、和24个基因,大部分基因具有较为保守的基因结构和基序。(2)RNA-Seq数据分析发现,StCML基因主要在马铃薯的花、叶柄、芽、雄蕊、匍匐茎和块茎中有特异表达,并且主要对盐、热、干旱和赤霉素处理有响应。(3)qRT-PCR分析发现,在低温胁迫下StCML13、StCML21和StCML53表达上调;在高温胁迫下StCML11、StCML21和StCML39表达上调;盐胁迫下StCML21和StCML60表达上调;青枯菌处理下StCML53表达上调,StCML8、StCML 13、StCML 21和StCML 60表达下调。研究表明,StCML基因对多种胁迫均有响应。     

毛果杨HMA基因家族的生物信息学分析

重金属转运ATP酶（heavy metal transporting ATPase,HMA）是一种通过水解ATP跨膜运送重金属阳离子的转运蛋白,属于P-ATPase家族中一个亚类。不同HMA蛋白对重金属离子的转运具有选择性,在植物修复重金属污染土壤方面起着重要作用。依据毛果杨全基因组测序的结果,以及HMA基因蛋白的序列和功能特征,从毛果杨基因组中鉴定了13个HMA基因家族成员,分属于Zn亚类（Zn2＋/Co2＋/Cd2＋/Pb2＋P1B-ATPase）和Cu亚类（Cu＋/Ag＋P1B-ATPase）两个亚家族,主要分布于1、3号染色体上。生物信息学分析表明,毛果杨HMA基因的氨基酸序列一致性介于21.3%~89.3%,且具有保守的基序CPC、HP、DKTGT、TGEx、GDG、PxD和CxxC等。蛋白理化特征分析显示,多数毛果杨HMA蛋白稍偏酸性,结构稳定性较好,蛋白脂溶指数高,稍具疏水性。密码子偏好性分析显示,毛果杨HMA蛋白14个氨基酸中存在16个高频密码子,另有1个终止密码子为高频密码子,显示出毛果杨的种属特征。研究结果展示了毛果杨HMA基因家族的基本信息和特点,为深入研究毛果杨HMA基因的功能搭建了基础平台。     

水曲柳中MYBL2基因表达特征分析

MYB转录因子家族是植物中最大的转录因子家族之一,参与植物生长、繁殖和代谢的各个时期,能通过多种方式参与植物抗逆生长。该文在水曲柳中克隆FmMYBL2基因,利用生物信息学分析其结构和表达特征,并构建FmMYBL2蛋白的系统进化树。对水曲柳幼苗进行低温胁迫、盐胁迫处理以及激素分子诱导处理(包括ABA、IAA、GA_3、JA、SA)。分别在0、1、3、6、12、24、48 h取样,利用实时荧光定量PCR对上述处理样品中FmMYBL2基因进行定量分析,并分析了FmMYBL2的时空表达特征。结果表明:(1)克隆得到的FmMYBL2基因全长为762 bp,编码253个氨基酸。(2) FmMYBL2蛋白是亲水性蛋白,氨基酸序列比对表明其与棉花同源关系较近。(3)荧光定量分析表明,FmMYBL2基因响应低温胁迫和盐胁迫,同时ABA、IAA、GA_3、JA、SA共同调控该基因表达。(4)在低温处理1 h、盐胁迫48 h时,虽然FmMYBL2基因表达量最高,激素诱导后表达量持续波动,但其能在短时间内迅速响应。(5) FmMYBL2基因在根、芽、花、种子中均有表达,雄花中的表达量最高。该研究结果为深入研究MYBL2基因功能和水曲柳抗逆生长的调控奠定基础。     

水母雪莲通气组织形成的相关基因SmLSD1克隆及表达

该研究以水母雪莲为实验材料,通过RT-PCR结合RACE技术克隆了通气组织形成相关基因SmLSD1(GenBank登录号为OL690334),并对该基因在不同胁迫下的表达量及编码蛋白结构进行测定分析。结果表明：(1)水母雪莲SmLSD1基因全长965 bp,包含537 bp的开放阅读框,编码178个氨基酸。(2)同源序列比对发现,水母雪莲SmLSD1蛋白与菊科植物牛蒡LSD1的氨基酸序列相似性最高,达到98.31%。(3)亚细胞定位显示SmLSD1基因主要在细胞核和细胞膜上表达;原核表达显示,SmLSD1基因编码氨基酸的分子量约为18 kD。(4)荧光定量分析显示,SmLSD1基因在根、茎、叶中均有表达,且在叶片中表达量最高;在低温、低氧及紫外胁迫下,SmLSD1基因的表达量下调。研究推测,SmLSD1基因在水母雪莲通气组织的形成以及对逆境胁迫的响应中发挥着重要作用。     

Tamarix hispida metallothionein-like ThMT3, a reactive oxygen species scavenger, increases tolerance against Cd2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, and NaCl in transgenic yeast

A metallothionein-like gene, ThMT3, encoding a type 3 metallothionein, was isolated from a Tamarix hispida leaf cDNA library. Expression analysis revealed that mRNA of ThMT3 was upregulated by high salinity as well as by heavy metal ions, and that ThMT3 was predominantly expressed in the leaf. Transgenic yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) expressing ThMT3 showed increased tolerance to Cd²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺, and NaCl stress. Transgenic yeast also accumulated more Cd²⁺, Zn²⁺, and NaCl, but not Cu²⁺. Analysis of the expression of four genes (GLR1, GTT2, GSH1, and YCF1) that aid in transporting heavy metal (Cd²⁺) from the cytoplasm to the vacuole demonstrated that none of these genes were induced under Cd²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺, and NaCl stress in ThMT3-transgenic yeast. H₂O₂ levels in transgenic yeast under such stress conditions were less than half those in control yeast under the same conditions. Three antioxidant genes (SOD1, CAT1, and GPX1) were specifically expressed under Cd²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺, and NaCl stress in the transgenic yeast. Cd²⁺, Zn²⁺, and Cu²⁺ increased the expression levels of SOD1, CAT1, and GPX1, respectively, whereas NaCl induced the expression of SOD1 and GPX1.     

Actions of cadmium on basolateral plasma membrane proteins involved in calcium uptake by fish intestine

Summary The inhibition of Ca^2–-ATPase, (Na⁺+K⁺)-ATPase and Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchange by Cd²⁺ was studied in fish intestinal basolateral plasma membrane preparations. ATP driven ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ uptake into inside-out membrane vesicles displayed a K _m for Ca²⁺ of 88±17 nm, and was extremely sensitive to Cd²⁺ with an IC₅₀ of 8.2±3.0 pM Cd²⁺, indicating an inhibition via the Ca²⁺ site. (Na⁺+K⁺)-ATPase activity was half-maximally inhibited by micromolar amounts of Cd²⁺, displaying an IC₅₀ of 2.6±0.6 m Cd²⁺. Cd²⁺ ions apparently compete for the Mg²⁺ site of the (Na^– +K⁺)-ATPase. The Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchanger was inhibited by Cd²⁺ with an IC₅₀ of 73±11 nm. Cd²⁺ is a competitive inhibitor of the exchanger via an interaction with the Ca²⁺ site (K _i = 11 nm). Bepridil, a Na⁺ site specific inhibitor of Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchange, induced an additional inhibition, but did not change the K _i of Cd²⁺. Also, Cd²⁺ is exchanged against Ca²⁺, albeit to a lesser extent than Ca²⁺. The exchanger is only partly blocked by the binding of Cd²⁺. In vivo cadmium that has entered the enterocyte may be shuttled across the basolateral plasma membrane by the Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchanger. We conclude that intracellular Cd²⁺ ions will inhibit plasma membrane proteins predominantly via a specific interaction with divalent metal ion sites.We would like to thank Dr. D. Fackre (University of Alberta, Canada) for stimulating discussions and Mr. F.A.T. Spanings (University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands) for excellent fish husbandry. The fura-2 measurements of intracellular Ca²⁺ concentrations in tilapia enterocytes were carried out in the Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H7, Canada. Th.J.M. Schoenmakers and G. Flik were supported by travel grants from the Foundation for Fundamental Biological Research (BION) and the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO).     

In vivo and in vitro effects of copper and cadmium on the plasma membrane H+-ATPase from cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) roots

The plasmalemma vesicles isolated from cucumber and maize roots were used to study the effect of Cu²⁺ and Cd²⁺ on the hydrolytic and proton pumping activities of ATPase. In vivo application of metal ions to the plant growth solutions resulted in stimulation of the proton transport in maize. In cucumber roots the action of metals was not the same: cadmium stimulated the H⁺ transport through plasmalemma whereas Cu²⁺ almost completely inhibited it. Copper ions decreased the hydrolytic activity of H⁺-ATPase in cucumber, without any effect on this activity in membranes isolated from maize roots. The effect of cadmium on the hydrolytic activities was opposite: ATP-hydrolysis activity in plasmalemma was not altered in cucumber, whereas in maize its stimulation was observed. The amount of accumulated metals was not the main reason of different influence of metals on H⁺-ATPase activity in tested plants. In in vitro experiments Cu²⁺ inhibited H⁺ transport in the cucumber, to a higher degree than Cd²⁺ and both metals did not change this H⁺-ATPase activity of plasmalemma isolated from corn roots. Cu²⁺ added into the incubation medium reduced the hydrolytic activity of ATPase in the plasma membrane isolated from cucumber as well as from corn roots. Cd²⁺ diminished the hydrolytic activity of ATPase in cucumber, and no effect of Cd²⁺ in the plasmalemma isolated from corn roots was found. Our results indicated different in vitro and in vivo action of both metals on H⁺-ATPase and different response of this enzyme to Cu²⁺ and Cd²⁺ in maize and cucumber.     

Cd2+和Pb2+对花翅摇蚊(Chironomus kiiensis)幼虫生长发育的影响及富集效应

河流、湖泊等水生环境中普遍存在的重金属污染破坏水生生态系统并间接威胁人类健康。为探究重金属胁迫下水生昆虫花翅摇蚊（Chironomus kiiensis）生态毒理,测定了重金属Cd²⁺和Pb²⁺胁迫对花翅摇蚊化蛹率和羽化率的影响,检测了摇蚊的口器致畸与富集效应。研究结果表明,Cd²⁺和Pb²⁺影响摇蚊幼虫化蛹和羽化过程,单一重金属离子处理14 d Pb²⁺处理组的化蛹率和羽化率分别为22.22%和8.89%,低于Cd²⁺的化蛹率（25.56%）和羽化率（11.11%）,表现出更强的抑制效应。混合离子1：2和2：1配比处理组化蛹率和羽化率均为11.11%和4.44%,显著低于单一重金属离子胁迫下的化蛹率和羽化率。单一重金属离子及混合离子处理均能导致花翅摇蚊幼虫口器致畸,表现为上颚前齿断裂,中齿和基齿磨损、缺失,下唇板齿部不规则,下唇板边缘齿与中央齿磨损、断裂、增生、缺失。不同重金属离子处理下幼虫口器致畸率不同,并与暴露时间呈正相关,其中1：2配比处理14 d致畸率达到40.61%。重金属离子在摇蚊幼虫体内产生生物富集效应,单一重金属离子处理下的Pb²⁺富集含量7 d至14 d由11.46 mg/kg上升至31.32 mg/kg,不同配比混合离子处理下Pb²⁺富集含量均呈增加趋势,其中1：2配比处理组由15.48 mg/kg上升至42.50 mg/kg,而Cd²⁺在单一重金属与1：1混合离子处理组7 d至14 d的富集含量无显著性变化,2：1配比处理组由14.20 mg/kg下降至9.52 mg/kg,1：2配比由5.85 mg/kg上升至20.99 mg/kg。这些研究结果表明Cd²⁺和Pb²⁺胁迫影响花翅摇蚊幼虫生长发育且口器出现畸型,与重金属在幼虫体内的富集密切相关,为研究重金属对水生生态系统多重效应提供了理论依据。     

Cr3+和Cd2+对普通小球藻生长及抗氧化酶活性的影响

[目的] 为探究重金属对淡水绿藻生长的影响。[方法] 选取对水质检测具有明显指示作用的普通小球藻（Chlorella vulgaris）为实验材料,CdCl₂·2H₂O和CrCl₃·7H₂O提供重金属离子,探究不同浓度Cr³⁺和Cd²⁺在单一和复合胁迫下对藻细胞浓度、叶绿素a及相关抗氧化酶活性的影响。[结果] 随着Cr³⁺和Cd²⁺浓度不断增加,藻细胞浓度呈先增长后下降趋势;叶绿素a含量呈现先下降后升高再下降的现象,浓度为1 mg/L的单一和复合胁迫下有最大值,且毒性作用表现为Cr³⁺ < Cd²⁺ < Cr³⁺+Cd²⁺;与藻细胞膜相关的丙二醛（MDA）和过氧化氢（H₂O₂）含量随着重金属离子浓度的增大而增长;重金属离子浓度低于10 mg/L时对藻细胞内抗氧化酶系统中的超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、过氧化氢酶（CAT）和过氧化物酶（POD）表现为促进作用,而大于10 mg/L时具有抑制作用。[结论] 结果表明在单一或复合重金属胁迫下,普通小球藻会充分调动与抗逆性相关的酶来维持自身的正常生长。     

重金属铜、锌、镉复合胁迫对麻疯树幼苗生理生化的影响

该研究以Cu~(2+)、Zn~(2+)、Cd~(2+)单一胁迫为对照,探讨不同浓度的Cu~(2+)、Zn~(2+)、Cd~(2+)复合胁迫对麻疯树幼苗生理生化指标的影响。结果表明:随着Cu~(2+)、Zn~(2+)、Cd~(2+)浓度的增加,麻疯树幼苗叶片中的蛋白质(Pro)、丙二醛(MDA)含量均逐渐增加,其叶片叶绿素含量随着Zn~(2+)胁迫浓度的增加呈现出先降后升的趋势,在中等浓度(100 mg·L-1)的Zn~(2+)胁迫时含量最低、随着Cu~(2+)胁迫浓度的增加叶绿素含量先升高后降低,在Cu~(2+)浓度为200 mg·L-1时含量最高,达到1 200 mg·g-1FW; Cd~(2+)胁迫对叶绿素含量和根系活力无明显影响。根系活力在Zn~(2+)浓度为100 mg·L~(-1)时最强,随着Cu~(2+)浓度的增加而减弱。低浓度的Cu~(2+)、Zn~(2+)、Cd~(2+)对过氧化物酶活性和可溶性糖含量都具有促进作用。Cu~(2+)、Zn~(2+)、Cd~(2+)复合胁迫时对可溶性蛋白、叶绿素和丙二醛含量均无明显影响,随着复合胁迫时浓度的增加,可溶性糖含量和根系活力先增后减。这表明麻疯树对三种重金属的胁迫具有一定的抗性,过高浓度的胁迫会影响麻疯树幼苗生理生化的一些指标,但是麻疯树可以通过自身的防御系统使伤害降到最小。此外,重金属复合胁迫可以在一定程度上减轻单一胁迫对麻疯树幼苗造成的毒害作用。     

Mechanism for Cd2+ inhibition of (K++ Mg2+)ATPase activity and K+ (86Rb+) uptake join roots of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris)

Steady state kinetics were used to examine the influence of Cd²⁺ both on K⁺ stimulation of a membrane-bound ATPase from sugar beet roots (Beta vulgaris L. cv. Monohill) and on K⁺(⁸⁶Rb⁺) uptake in intact or excised beet roots. The in vitro effect of Cd²⁺ was studied both on a 12000–25000 g root fraction of the (Na⁺+K⁺+Mg²⁺)ATPase and on the ATPase when further purified by an aqueous polymer two-phase system. The observed data can be summarized as follows: 1) Cd²⁺ at high concentrations (>100 μM) inhibits the MgATPase activity in a competitive way, probably by forming a complex with ATP. 2) Cd²⁺ at concentrations <100 μM inhibits the specific K⁺ activation at both high and low affinity sites for K⁺. The inhibition pattern appears to be the same in the two ATPase preparations of different purity. In the presence of the substrate MgATP, and at K⁺ <5 mM, the inhibition by Cd²⁺ with respect to K⁺ is uncompetitive. In the presence of MgATP and K⁺ >10 μM, the inhibition by Cd²⁺ is competitive. 3) At the low concentrations of K⁺, Cd²⁺ also inhibits the 2,4-dinitrophenol(DNP)-sensitive (metabolic) K⁺(⁸⁶Rb⁺) uptake uncompetitively both in excised roots and in roots of intact plants. 4) The DNP-insensitive (non metabolic) K⁺(⁸⁶Rb⁺) uptake is little influenced by Cd²⁺. As Cd²⁺ inhibits the metabolic uptake of K⁺(⁸⁶Rb⁺) and the K⁺ activation of the ATPase in the same way at low concentrations of K⁺, the same binding site is probably involved. Therefore, under field conditions, when the concentration of K⁺ is low, the presence of Cd²⁺ could be disadvantageous.     

Comparative expression analysis of heavy metal ATPase subfamily genes between Cd-tolerant and Cd-sensitive turnip landraces

The heavy metal ATPase(HMA)subfamily is mainly involved in heavy metal(HM)tolerance and transport in plants,but an understanding of the definite roles and mechanisms of most HMA members are still limited.In the present study,we identified 14 candidate HMA genes named BrrHMAl—BrrHMA8 from the turnip genome and analyzed the phylogeny,gene structure,chromosome distribution,and conserved domains and motifs of HMAs in turnip(Brassica rapa var.rapa).According to our phylogenetic tree,the BrrHMAs are divided into a Zn/Cd/Co/Pb subclass and Cu/Ag subclass.The BrrHMA members show similar structural characteristics within subclasses.To explore the roles of BrrHMAs in turnip,we compared the gene sequences and expression patterns of the BrrHMA genes between a Cd-tolerant landrace and a Cd-sensitive landrace.Most BrrHMA genes showed similar spatial expression patterns in both Cd-tolerant and Cd-sensitive turnip landraces;some BrrHMA genes,however,were differentially expressed in specific tissue in Cd-tolerant and Cd-sensitive turnip.Specifically,BrrHMA genes in the Zn/Cd/Co/Pb subclass shared the same coding sequence but were differentially expressed in Cd-tolerant and Cd-sensitive turnip landraces under Cd stress.Our findings suggest that the stable expression and up-regulated expression of BrrHMA Zn/Cd/Co/Pb subclass genes under Cd stress may contribute to the higher Cd tolerance of turnip landraces.     

Functional comparision between truncated MTT1 and truncated MTT2 from Tetrahyemna thermophila

Metallothioneins (MTs) are low-molecular-weight proteins with high Cys content and high metal-chelating ability. CdMT and CuMT subfamilies present different characteristics in Tetrahymena. To explore the effect of the cysteine arrangement and sequence length of MTs for binding different metal ions, MTT1, truncated MTT1 (TM1), MTT2, and truncated MTT2 (TM2) were expressed in E. coli. The half-maximal inhibiting concentrations (IC₅₀) of Cd²⁺ and Cu⁺ for the recombinant strains were different. Furthermore, E. coli cells expressing MTT1 and TM1 exhibited higher accumulating ability for Cd²⁺ than cells expressing MTT2 and TM2. However, the opposite is true for Cu⁺. The binding ability of the different recombinant proteins to Cd²⁺ and Cu⁺ were also different. MTT1 and truncated mutant TM1 were the preference for Cd²⁺, whereas MTT2 and truncated mutant TM2 were the preference for Cu⁺ coordination. These results showed that metal ion tolerance and accumulation ability not only depended on cysteine arrangement pattern but also on sequence length of MT in Tetrahymena.