Overexpression of ZNT1 and NRAMP4 from the Ni Hyperaccumulator Noccaea caerulescens Population Monte Prinzera in Arabidopsis thaliana Perturbs Fe, Mn, and Ni Accumulation

Abstract

Metalliferous soils are characterized by a high content of metal compounds that can hamper plant growth. The pseudometallophyte Noccaea caerulescens is able to grow on metalliferous substrates by implementing both tolerance and accumulation of usually toxic metal ions. Expression of particular transmembrane transporter proteins (e.g., members of the ZIP and NRAMP families) leads to metal tolerance and accumulation, and its comparison between hyperaccumulator N. caerulescens with non-accumulator relatives Arabidopsis thaliana and Thlaspi arvense has deepened our knowledge on mechanisms adopted by plants to survive in metalliferous soils. In this work, two transporters, ZNT1 and NRAMP4, expressed in a serpentinic population of N. caerulescens identified on the Monte Prinzera (Italy) are considered, and their expression has been induced in yeast and in A. thaliana. In the latter, single transgenic lines were crossed to test the effect of the combined over-expression of the two transporters. An enhanced iron and manganese translocation towards the shoot was induced by overexpression of NcZNT1. The combined overexpression of NcZNT1 and NcNRAMP4 did perturb the metal accumulation in plants.

The thiol-reductase activity of YUCCA6 enhances nickel heavy metal stress tolerance in Arabidopsis

“…Although the Ni contents were dramatically increased in the Ni treated plants of both genotypes, yuc6-1D contained significantly more (10.5% more) Ni than Col-gl ( Figure 3A ). Ni treatments reduce manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) availability for plants, both of which are necessary for chlorophyll biosynthesis and photosynthesis ( Rahman et al., 2005 ; Fasani et al., 2021 ; Rai et al., 2021 ). Our data showed that Ni stress decreased the Mn and Fe contents to a similar extent in Col-gl and yuc6-1D ( Figures 3B, C ).…”

Overexpression of ApHIPP26 from the Hyperaccumulator Arabis paniculata Confers Enhanced Cadmium Tolerance and Accumulation to Arabidopsis thaliana

“…Ectopic expression of ZNT1 cloned from Noccaea caerulescens (J.Presl & C.Presl) F.K.Mey. revealed that NcZNT1 contributed greatly to root-shoot transport of metals such as nickel, Cd, zinc, iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn) in A. thaliana [38]. The upwards transport of Fe and Mn rather than Cu or Zn was increased in transgenic A. thaliana overexpressing SnYSL3 (Solanum nigrum L.), but when stressed by Cd the transport efficiency of Mn no longer changed [39].…”