Overexpression of a Defensin-Like Gene CAL2 Enhances Cadmium Accumulation in Plants.

ABSTRACT: Accumulation and detoxification of cadmium in rice shoots are of great importance for adaptation to grow in cadmium contaminated soils and for limiting the transport of Cd to grains. However, the molecular mechanisms behind the processes involved in this regulation remain largely unknown. Defensin proteins play important roles in heavy metal tolerance and accumulation in plants. In rice, the cell wall-localized defensin protein (CAL1) is involved in Cd efflux and partitioning to the shoots. In the present study, we functionally characterized the CAL2 defensin protein and determined its contribution to Cd accumulation. CAL2 shared 66% similarity with CAL1, and its mRNA accumulation is mainly observed in roots and is unaffected by Cd stress, but its transcription level was lower than that of

SUBMITTER: Luo JS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7057248 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature