Expression of the synthetic phytochelatin gene in tobacco

In the process of obtaining transgenic plants suitable for phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated soils, a synthetic pseudophytochelatin gene coding for a phytochelatin analog Met(GluCys)₆Gly was de novo designed and cloned. Contrary to natural enzymatically synthesized phytochelatins, this peptide can be made by a template synthesis. A construct carrying the gene in question under the control of the viral constitutive 35S promoter was made on the basis of a binary vector pCAMBIA 1305.1. This construct was used to express the pseudophytochelatin gene in the model transgenic tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L.), and the above plants acquired additional resistance to various cadmium concentrations.