title: A role for CK2 β subunit 4 in the regulation of plant growth, cadmium accumulation and H2O2content under cadmium stress in Arabidopsis thaliana.
abstract: Protein kinase CK2, which consists of two α and two β subunits, plays an essential role in plant development and is implicated in plant responses to abiotic stresses, including salt and heat. However, the function of CK2 in response to heavy metals such as cadmium (Cd) has not yet been established. In this study, the transgenic line CKB4ox, which overexpresses CKB4 encoding the CK2β subunit and has elevated CK2 activity, was used to investigate the potential role of CK2 in response to Cd stress in Arabidopsis thaliana. Under Cd stress, CKB4ox showed reduced root growth and biomass accumulation as well as decreased chlorophyll and proline contents compared with wild type. Furthermore, increased Cd accumulation and a higher H2O2content were found in CKB4ox, possibly contributing to the inhibition of CKB4ox growth under Cd stress. Additionally, altered levels of Cd and H2O2were found to be associated with decreased expression of genes involved in Cd efflux, Cd sequestration and H2O2scavenging. Taken together, these results suggest that elevated expression of CKB4 and increased CK2 activity enhance the sensitivity of plants to Cd stress by affecting Cd and H2O2accumulation, including the modulation of genes involved in Cd transport and H2O2scavenging. This study provides direct evidence for the involvement of plant CK2 in the response to Cd stress.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Shu
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
authors.forename: Lin-Yu
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China. Electronic address: yuantingting@whu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Ting-Ting
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001693:Biological Transport, Active / Q000235:genetics; D002104:Cadmium / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000633:toxicity*; D047390:Casein Kinase II / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D011392:Proline / Q000378:metabolism; D021122:Protein Subunits; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D021122:Protein Subunits; D002104:Cadmium; D002734:Chlorophyll; D011392:Proline; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; C512223:CKB4 protein, Arabidopsis; D047390:Casein Kinase II
keywords: CK2; CKB4; Cadmium; H(2)O(2); Stress