title: Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) FeMT3 gene in heavy metal stress: protective role of the protein and inducibility of the promoter region under Cu(2+) and Cd(2+) treatments.
abstract: The protective role in vivo of buckwheat metallothionein type 3 (FeMT3) during metal stress and the responsiveness of its promoter to metal ions were examined. Increased tolerance to heavy metals of FeMT3 producing Escherichia coli and cup1(Delta) yeast cells was detected. The defensive ability of buckwheat MT3 during Cd and Cu stresses was also demonstrated in Nicotiana debneyii leaves transiently expressing FeMT3. In contrast to phytochelatins, the cytoplasmatic localization of FeMT3 was not altered under heavy metal stress. Functional analysis of the corresponding promoter region revealed extremely high inducibility upon Cu(2+) and Cd(2+) treatments. The confirmed defense ability of FeMT3 protein in vivo and the great responsiveness of its promoter during heavy metal exposure make this gene a suitable candidate for biotechnological applications.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Plant Molecular Biology, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 444a, Belgrade, Serbia. dragana.nikolic@imgge.bg.ac.rs
authors.forename: Dragana B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Nikolić
authors.forename: Jelena T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Samardzić
authors.forename: Ana M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bratić
authors.forename: Ivan P
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Radin
authors.forename: Srdjan P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Gavrilović
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rausch
authors.forename: Vesna R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Maksimović
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002104:Cadmium / Q000378:metabolism; D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism; D019612:Fagopyrum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D000090023:Metallothionein 3; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000090023:Metallothionein 3; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D002104:Cadmium; D003300:Copper