Transcription profiling of the metal-hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens

• Published in: Zeitschrift für Naturforschung C. A journal of biosciences Vol. 60; no. 3; pp. 216 - 223
• Main Authors: Plessi, M, Rigola, D, Hassinen, V, Aarts, M.G.M, Schat, H, Ernst, D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Verlag der Zeitschrift für Naturforschung 01.03.2005
• Subjects: Brassicaceae - genetics; Brassicaceae - metabolism; Cadmium - metabolism; DNA, Plant - genetics; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Metals - pharmacokinetics; Microarray; Nickel - metabolism; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; Plant Proteins - genetics; Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Plant - genetics; Thlaspi caerulescens; Transcription, Genetic; Zinc - metabolism; Zinc Hyperaccumulation
• ISSN: 0939-5075; 1865-7125
• DOI: 10.1515/znc-2005-3-406

Thlaspi caerulescens is a well-studied metal-hyperaccumulator of zinc, cadmium and nickel, belonging to the Brassicaceae family. Moreover it is one of the few hyperaccumulators that occur on different metalliferous soil types, as well as on nonmetalliferous soils. We are interested in the development of systems to improve phytoremediation of metal contaminated soils through improved metal-accumulation. About 1900 cDNAs isolated from T. caerulescens roots were hybridized with reverse transcribed RNA from zinc-treated T. caerulescens plants of two accessions originating from two different soil types. This comparative transcript profiling of T. caerulescens plants resulted in the identification of genes that are affected by heavy metals. The developed microarray proved to be an appropriate tool for a large scale analysis of gene expression in this metal-accumulator species.