title: The serine acetyltransferase gene family in Arabidopsis thaliana and the regulation of its expression by cadmium.
abstract: Expression of the serine acetyltransferase (SAT) gene family from Arabidopsis thaliana was investigated in response to treatment with the heavy metal cadmium (Cd). A fourth member of the SAT gene family, Sat-106, was also cloned and the complete SAT gene family from A. thaliana is discussed. Northern analysis of the gene family revealed tissue-specific expression patterns for each isogene. A. thaliana plants grown under 50 microM CdCl2 for a 24 h time course were also used for northern analysis. Expression of all SAT genes was increased to some extent by Cd treatment. Sat-5 expression showed particularly high levels of induction in the leaves of treated plants and was chosen for study by in situ hybridisation. Sat-5 expression was induced in the root and stem cortex and the leaf lamella and trichomes in response to heavy metal stress. SAT and its product O-acetylserine have previously been shown to be implicated in the control of sulphate reduction and cysteine biosynthesis in plants. These results suggest that specific SAT isoforms have a role in increasing cysteine production under conditions of heavy-metal stress when increased biosynthesis of glutathione and phytochelatins is required for detoxification purposes.
authors.affiliation: Agriculture and Environment Division, IACR-Rothantsted, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ, UK.
authors.forename: Jonathan R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Howarth
authors.forename: José R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Domínguez-Solís
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez-Alcalá
authors.forename: John L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wray
authors.forename: Luis C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gotor
mesh_terms: D000123:Acetyltransferases / Q000235:genetics*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002104:Cadmium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D051050:Serine O-Acetyltransferase
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D018749:RNA, Plant; D002104:Cadmium; D000123:Acetyltransferases; D051050:Serine O-Acetyltransferase