title: Expression of metallothionein type 2 and 3 genes in Prosopis glandulosa leaves treated with copper.
abstract: For a better understanding of the strategies that are used by Prosopis glandulosa in heavy metal tolerance, the present study evaluated the gene expression of three metallothioneins (MTs; PgMt2-1, PgMt2, and PgMt3) in plants exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of copper. The PgMt2-1, PgMt2, and PgMt3 sequences were homologous to the MT type 2 (isoform 1), Mt2, and Mt3 sequences of other plant species found in GenBank. A reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction showed that treatment with 100 mM Cu2+induced a significant increase in PgMt2 and PgMt3 expression during the first 4 h of exposure compared to that of PgMt2-1. However, after 8 h of exposure, the expression levels of PgMt2 and PgMt3 were significantly lower than those of PgMt2-1. PgMt transcript levels only increased significantly during the first hour after exposure to copper, suggesting that PgMts could play a key role in the plant's detoxification mechanism. However, additional studies are required to confirm MTs as a mechanism of heavy metal tolerance and accumulation in this species.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciencias Agrícolas de la Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Ejido Nuevo León, Baja California, México.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Michel-Lopez
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Cinvestav Unidad Mérida, Mérida, Yucatan, Mexico.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Zapata-Pérez
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciencias Agrícolas de la Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Ejido Nuevo León, Baja California, México daniasaf@gmail.com.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: González-Mendoza
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciencias Agrícolas de la Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Ejido Nuevo León, Baja California, México.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Grimaldo-Juarez
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciencias Agrícolas de la Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Ejido Nuevo León, Baja California, México.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ceceña-Duran
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciencias Agrícolas de la Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Ejido Nuevo León, Baja California, México.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tzintzun-Camacho
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D003300:Copper / Q000633:toxicity*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000235:genetics*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D029862:Prosopis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D003300:Copper; D008668:Metallothionein