title: A LEA gene regulates Cadmium tolerance by mediating physiological responses.
abstract: In this study, the function of a LEA gene (TaLEA1) from Tamrix androssowii in response to heavy metal stress was characterized. Time-course expression analyses showed that NaCl, ZnCl(2), CuSO(4), and CdCl(2) considerably increased the expression levels of the TaLEA1 gene, thereby suggesting that this gene plays a role in the responses to these test stressors. To analyze the heavy metal stress-tolerance mechanism regulated by TaLEA1, TaLEA1-overexpressing transgenic poplar plants (Populus davidiana Dode × P. bollena Lauche) were generated. Significant differences were not observed between the proline content of the transgenic and wild-type (WT) plants before and after CdCl(2) stress. However, in comparison with the WT plants, the TaLEA1-transformed poplar plants had significantly higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activities, and lower malondialdehyde (MDA) levels under CdCl(2) stress. Further, the transgenic plants showed better growth than the WT plants did, indicating that TaLEA1 provides tolerance to cadmium stress. These results suggest that TaLEA1 confers tolerance to cadmium stress by enhancing reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging ability and decreasing lipid peroxidation. Subcellular-localization analysis showed that the TaLEA1 protein was distributed in the cytoplasm and nucleus.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China.
authors: Caiqiu
authors: C
authors: Gao
authors: State Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China.
authors: Chao
authors: C
authors: Wang
authors: State Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China.
authors: Lei
authors: L
authors: Zheng
authors: State Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China.
authors: Liuqiang
authors: L
authors: Wang
authors: State Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China.
authors: Yucheng
authors: Y
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D002104:Cadmium / Q000378:metabolism*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D032107:Populus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D002104:Cadmium; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D009195:Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase