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Plant Responses to Heavy Metals: From Deficiency to Excess

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Plant Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2024 | Viewed by 8481

Special Issue Editors

K.A. Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 35 Botanicheskaya st., Moscow 127276, Russia
Interests: metal transport, localization and distribution in plants; mechanisms of metal hyperaccumulation and tolerance; development of histochemical methods for metal detection in plant tissues
K.A. Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 35 Botanicheskaya st., Moscow 127276, Russia
Interests: metal transport, localization and distribution in plants; mechanisms of metal hyperaccumulation; mechanisms of plant metal tolerance; microscopy; histochemical techniques; plant functional anatomy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Some heavy metals, such as copper, manganese, nickel, and zinc, are essential for most plants but toxic when supplied in supraoptimal quantities, while the biological role for cadmium, mercury, and lead, with rare exceptions, is unknown and they are toxic even at fairly low concentrations in the environment. Both metal deficiency and metal excess can drastically affect different physiological processes in plants, leading to significant changes in plant growth and morphogenesis as well as plant productivity. This Special Issue is focused mainly on the mechanisms of metal effects, plant response to heavy metals, metal tolerance, and metal (hyper-)accumulation at the biochemical, physiological, molecular, genetic, and epigenetic levels.

We welcome the submission of reviews and original research articles on the following topics:

  • heavy metal homeostasis in plants;
  • plant response to metal deficiency and excess;
  • metal effects on plant growth and development;
  • metal localization and distribution in plants;
  • metal uptake and translocation;
  • metal tolerance proteins;
  • metal chelators involved in transport and compartmentalization of heavy metals;
  • heavy metal detoxification and signal transduction pathways;
  • physiological and molecular mechanisms of metal accumulation in hyperaccumulator and non-hyperaccumulator plants;
  • role of antioxidants in the amelioration of metal toxicity.

Dr. Ilya Vladimirovich Seregin
Dr. Anna D. Kozhevnikova
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • heavy metals
  • deficiency
  • metal toxicity
  • metal (hyper-)accumulation
  • mechanisms of metal tolerance
  • metal transport
  • metal uptake
  • metal sequestration
  • metal homeostasis

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 1361 KiB  
Communication
The Influence of Copper and Zinc on Photosynthesis and Phenolic Levels in Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), Borage (Borago officinalis L.), Common Nettle (Urtica dioica L.) and Peppermint (Mentha piperita L.)
by Dorota Adamczyk-Szabela and Wojciech M. Wolf
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(7), 3612; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25073612 - 23 Mar 2024
Viewed by 244
Abstract
This work is aimed at relationships which govern zinc and copper uptake by four popular medicinal herbs: basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), borage (Borago officinalis L.), common nettle (Urtica dioica L.) and peppermint (Mentha piperita L.). They are often grown in [...] Read more.
This work is aimed at relationships which govern zinc and copper uptake by four popular medicinal herbs: basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), borage (Borago officinalis L.), common nettle (Urtica dioica L.) and peppermint (Mentha piperita L.). They are often grown in soils with significant copper or zinc levels. Herbs were cultivated by a pot method in controlled conditions. Manganese, iron, copper and zinc concentrations were determined by High-Resolution Continuum Source Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. The efficiency of photosynthesis was estimated by measuring the chlorophyll content, water use efficiency, net photosynthesis, intercellular CO2, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate. Phenolic compounds were determined by the Folin–Ciocalteu method. Analysis of variance showed that herbs grown in soil treated with copper exhibited a lower iron content in roots, while manganese behaved in the opposite way. The only exception was borage, where a decrease in the manganese content in roots was observed. Both copper and zinc supplementations increased the total content of phenolics, while the highest increases were observed for common nettle and basil. Peppermint and borage responded less to supplementation. In the majority of samples, zinc and copper did not significantly affect the photosynthesis. Herbal extracts from common nettle and basil had unique antioxidant properties and may be good free radical scavengers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Responses to Heavy Metals: From Deficiency to Excess)
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16 pages, 3172 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Transcriptome Differences between Two Rice Cultivars Differing in Cadmium Translocation from Spike-Neck to Grain
by Shouping Zhao, Qi Zhang, Wendan Xiao, De Chen, Jing Hu, Na Gao, Miaojie Huang and Xuezhu Ye
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(7), 3592; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25073592 - 22 Mar 2024
Viewed by 279
Abstract
At present, the mechanism of varietal differences in cadmium (Cd) accumulation in rice is not well understood. Two rice cultivars, ZZY (high translocation-high grain Cd) and SJ18 (low translocation-low grain Cd), were used to analyze transcriptome differences in the spike-neck tissue in field [...] Read more.
At present, the mechanism of varietal differences in cadmium (Cd) accumulation in rice is not well understood. Two rice cultivars, ZZY (high translocation-high grain Cd) and SJ18 (low translocation-low grain Cd), were used to analyze transcriptome differences in the spike-neck tissue in field trials. The results showed that, compared with ZZY, 22,367 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in SJ18, including 2941 upregulated and 19,426 downregulated genes. GO analysis enriched 59 downregulated terms, concerning 24 terms enriched for more than 1000 DEGs, including cellular and metabolic processes, biological regulation, localization, catalytic activity, transporter activity, signaling, etc. KEGG enrichment identified 21 significant downregulated pathways, regarding the ribosome, metabolic pathways, biosynthesis of secondary metabolism, signaling transduction, cell membrane and cytoskeleton synthesis, genetic information transfer, amino acid synthesis, etc. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) revealed that these DEGs could be clustered into five modules. Among them, the yellow module was significantly related to SJ18 with hub genes related to OsHMA and OsActin, whereas the brown module was significantly related to ZZY with hub genes related to mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), CBS, and glutaredoxin. This suggests that different mechanisms are involved in the process of spike-neck–grain Cd translocation among varieties. This study provides new insights into the mechanisms underlying differences in Cd transport among rice varieties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Responses to Heavy Metals: From Deficiency to Excess)
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17 pages, 2725 KiB  
Article
Sulfur-Oxidizing Bacteria Alleviate Salt and Cadmium Stress in Halophyte Tripolium pannonicum (Jacq.) Dobrocz.
by Aleksandra Koźmińska, Iwona Kamińska and Ewa Hanus-Fajerska
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(5), 2455; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25052455 - 20 Feb 2024
Viewed by 504
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate how introducing halophilic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) Halothiobacillus halophilus to the growth substrate affects the physiological and biochemical responses of the halophyte Tripolium pannonicum (also known as sea aster or seashore aster) under salt and cadmium [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to investigate how introducing halophilic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) Halothiobacillus halophilus to the growth substrate affects the physiological and biochemical responses of the halophyte Tripolium pannonicum (also known as sea aster or seashore aster) under salt and cadmium stress conditions. This study assessed the plant’s response to these stressors and bacterial inoculation by analyzing various factors including the accumulation of elements such as sodium (Na), chloride (Cl), cadmium (Cd) and sulfur (S); growth parameters; levels of photosynthetic pigments, proline and phenolic compounds; the formation of malondialdehyde (MDA); and the plant’s potential to scavenge 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The results revealed that bacterial inoculation was effective in mitigating the deleterious effect of cadmium stress on some growth criteria. For instance, stem length was 2-hold higher, the growth tolerance index was 3-fold higher and there was a 20% increase in the content of photosynthetic pigments compared to non-inoculated plants. Furthermore, the SOB contributed to enhancing cadmium tolerance in Tripolium pannonicum by increasing the availability of sulfur in the plant’s leaves, which led to the maintenance of an appropriate, about 2-fold-higher level of phenolic compounds (phenylpropanoids and flavonols), as well as chloride ions. The level of MDA decreased after bacterial application in all experimental variants except when both salt and cadmium stress were present. These findings provide novel insights into how halophytes respond to abiotic stress following inoculation of the growth medium with sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. The data suggest that inoculating the substrate with SOB has a beneficial effect on T. pannonicum’s tolerance to cadmium stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Responses to Heavy Metals: From Deficiency to Excess)
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17 pages, 3956 KiB  
Article
Transcriptome Profiling, Physiological and Biochemical Analyses Reveal Comprehensive Insights in Cadmium Stress in Brassica carinata L.
by Tinghai Yang, Biao Pang, Lizhou Zhou, Lei Gu, Hongcheng Wang, Xuye Du, Huinan Wang and Bin Zhu
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(2), 1260; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25021260 - 19 Jan 2024
Viewed by 596
Abstract
With the constant progress of urbanization and industrialization, cadmium (Cd) has emerged as one of the heavy metals that pollute soil and water. The presence of Cd has a substantial negative impact on the growth and development of both animals and plants. The [...] Read more.
With the constant progress of urbanization and industrialization, cadmium (Cd) has emerged as one of the heavy metals that pollute soil and water. The presence of Cd has a substantial negative impact on the growth and development of both animals and plants. The allotetraploid Brasscia. carinata, an oil crop in the biofuel industry, is known to produce seeds with a high percentage of erucic acid; it is also known for its disease resistance and widespread adaptability. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the tolerance of B. carinata to Cd and its physiological responses and gene expressions under exposure to Cd. Here, we observed that the tested B. carinata exhibited a strong tolerance to Cd (1 mmol/L CdCl2 solution) and exhibited a significant ability to accumulate Cd, particularly in its roots, with concentrations reaching up to 3000 mg/kg. Additionally, we found that the total oil content of B. carinata seeds harvested from the Cd-contaminated soil did not show a significant change, but there were noticeable alterations in certain constituents. The activities of antioxidant enzymes, including catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), were observed to significantly increase after treatment with different concentrations of CdCl2 solutions (0.25 mmol/L, 0.5 mmol/L, and 1 mmol/L CdCl2). This suggests that these antioxidant enzymes work together to enhance Cd tolerance. Comparative transcriptome analysis was conducted to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the shoots and roots of B. carinata when exposed to a 0.25 mmol/L CdCl2 solution for 7 days. A total of 631 DEGs were found in the shoots, while 271 DEGs were found in the roots. It was observed that these selected DEGs, which responded to Cd stress, also showed differential expression after exposure to PbCl2. This suggests that B. carinata may employ a similar molecular mechanism when tolerating these heavy metals. The functional annotation of the DEGs showed enrichment in the categories of ‘inorganic ion transport and metabolism’ and ‘signal transduction mechanisms’. Additionally, the DEGs involved in ‘tryptophan metabolism’ and ‘zeatin biosynthesis’ pathways were found to be upregulated in both the shoots and roots of B. carinata, suggesting that the plant can enhance its tolerance to Cd by promoting the biosynthesis of plant hormones. These results highlight the strong Cd tolerance of B. carinata and its potential use as a Cd accumulator. Overall, our study provides valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying heavy metal tolerance in B. carinata. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Responses to Heavy Metals: From Deficiency to Excess)
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17 pages, 7174 KiB  
Article
Overexpression of ApHIPP26 from the Hyperaccumulator Arabis paniculata Confers Enhanced Cadmium Tolerance and Accumulation to Arabidopsis thaliana
by Lizhou Zhou, Lvlan Ye, Biao Pang, Yunyan Hou, Junxing Yu, Xuye Du, Lei Gu, Hongcheng Wang and Bin Zhu
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(20), 15052; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242015052 - 10 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1062
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal that seriously affects metabolism after accumulation in plants, and it also causes adverse effects on humans through the food chain. The HIPP gene family has been shown to be highly tolerant to Cd stress due to [...] Read more.
Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal that seriously affects metabolism after accumulation in plants, and it also causes adverse effects on humans through the food chain. The HIPP gene family has been shown to be highly tolerant to Cd stress due to its special domain and molecular structure. This study described the Cd-induced gene ApHIPP26 from the hyperaccumulator Arabis paniculata. Its subcellular localization showed that ApHIPP26 was located in the nucleus. Transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing ApHIPP26 exhibited a significant increase in main root length and fresh weight under Cd stress. Compared with wild-type lines, Cd accumulated much more in transgenic Arabidopsis both aboveground and underground. Under Cd stress, the expression of genes related to the absorption and transport of heavy metals underwent different changes in parallel, which were involved in the accumulation and distribution of Cd in plants, such as AtNRAMP6 and AtNRAMP3. Under Cd stress, the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase) in the transgenic lines were higher than those in the wild type. The physiological and biochemical indices showed that the proline and chlorophyll contents in the transgenic lines increased significantly after Cd treatment, while the malondialdehyde (MDA) content decreased. In addition, the gene expression profile analysis showed that ApHIPP26 improved the tolerance of Arabidopsis to Cd by regulating the changes of related genes in plant hormone signal transduction pathway. In conclusion, ApHIPP26 plays an important role in cadmium tolerance by alleviating oxidative stress and regulating plant hormones, which provides a basis for understanding the molecular mechanism of cadmium tolerance in plants and provides new insights for phytoremediation in Cd-contaminated areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Responses to Heavy Metals: From Deficiency to Excess)
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30 pages, 5103 KiB  
Article
Transcriptome Sequencing Analysis of Root in Soybean Responding to Mn Poisoning
by Ying Liu, Yuhu Pan, Jianyu Li, Jingye Chen, Shaoxia Yang, Min Zhao and Yingbin Xue
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(16), 12727; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241612727 - 12 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1185
Abstract
Manganese (Mn) is among one of the essential trace elements for normal plant development; however, excessive Mn can cause plant growth and development to be hindered. Nevertheless, the regulatory mechanisms of plant root response to Mn poisoning remain unclear. In the present study, [...] Read more.
Manganese (Mn) is among one of the essential trace elements for normal plant development; however, excessive Mn can cause plant growth and development to be hindered. Nevertheless, the regulatory mechanisms of plant root response to Mn poisoning remain unclear. In the present study, results revealed that the root growth was inhibited when exposed to Mn poisoning. Physiological results showed that the antioxidase enzyme activities (peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, and catalase) and the proline, malondialdehyde, and soluble sugar contents increased significantly under Mn toxicity stress (100 μM Mn), whereas the soluble protein and four hormones’ (indolebutyric acid, abscisic acid, indoleacetic acid, and gibberellic acid 3) contents decreased significantly. In addition, the Mn, Fe, Na, Al, and Se contents in the roots increased significantly, whereas those of Mg, Zn, and K decreased significantly. Furthermore, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis was used to test the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of soybean root under Mn poisoning. The results found 45,274 genes in soybean root and 1430 DEGs under Mn concentrations of 5 (normal) and 100 (toxicity) μM. Among these DEGs, 572 were upregulated and 858 were downregulated, indicating that soybean roots may initiate complex molecular regulatory mechanisms on Mn poisoning stress. The results of quantitative RT-PCR indicated that many DEGs were upregulated or downregulated markedly in the roots, suggesting that the regulation of DEGs may be complex. Therefore, the regulatory mechanism of soybean root on Mn toxicity stress is complicated. Present results lay the foundation for further study on the molecular regulation mechanism of function genes involved in regulating Mn tolerance traits in soybean roots. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Responses to Heavy Metals: From Deficiency to Excess)
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18 pages, 4447 KiB  
Article
Exploring Transcriptional Regulation of Hyperaccumulation in Sedum plumbizincicola through Integrated Transcriptome Analysis and CRISPR/Cas9 Technology
by Yixin Zhang, Yanlan Mo, Liyuan Han, Zhenyuan Sun and Wenzhong Xu
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(14), 11845; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241411845 - 24 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 956
Abstract
The cadmium hyperaccumulator Sedum plumbizincicola has remarkable abilities for cadmium (Cd) transport, accumulation and detoxification, but the transcriptional regulation mechanisms responsible for its Cd hyperaccumulation remain unknown. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a comparative transcriptome study between S. plumbizincicola and the [...] Read more.
The cadmium hyperaccumulator Sedum plumbizincicola has remarkable abilities for cadmium (Cd) transport, accumulation and detoxification, but the transcriptional regulation mechanisms responsible for its Cd hyperaccumulation remain unknown. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a comparative transcriptome study between S. plumbizincicola and the non-hyperaccumulating ecotype (NHE) of Sedum alfredii with or without Cd treatment. Our results revealed many differentially expressed genes involved in heavy metal transport and detoxification that were abundantly expressed in S. plumbizincicola. Additionally, we identified a large number of differentially expressed transcription factor genes, highlighting the complexity of transcriptional regulatory networks. We further screened four transcription factor genes that were highly expressed in the roots of S. plumbizincicola as candidate genes for creating CRISPR/Cas9 knockout mutations. Among these, the SpARR11 and SpMYB84 mutant lines exhibited decreased Cd accumulation in their aboveground parts, suggesting that these two transcription factors may play a role in the regulation of the Cd hyperaccumulation in S. plumbizincicola. Although further research will be required to determine the precise targeted genes of these transcription factors, combined transcriptome analysis and CRISPR/Cas9 technology provides unprecedented opportunities for identifying transcription factors related to Cd hyperaccumulation and contributes to the understanding of the transcriptional regulation mechanism of hyperaccumulation in S. plumbizincicola. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Responses to Heavy Metals: From Deficiency to Excess)
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Review

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24 pages, 28452 KiB  
Review
Regulatory Mechanisms Underlying Arsenic Uptake, Transport, and Detoxification in Rice
by Anjing Geng, Wenli Lian, Xu Wang and Guang Chen
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(13), 11031; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241311031 - 03 Jul 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1416
Abstract
Arsenic (As) is a metalloid environmental pollutant ubiquitous in nature that causes chronic and irreversible poisoning to humans through its bioaccumulation in the trophic chain. Rice, the staple food crop for 350 million people worldwide, accumulates As more easily compared to other cereal [...] Read more.
Arsenic (As) is a metalloid environmental pollutant ubiquitous in nature that causes chronic and irreversible poisoning to humans through its bioaccumulation in the trophic chain. Rice, the staple food crop for 350 million people worldwide, accumulates As more easily compared to other cereal crops due to its growth characteristics. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of the molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying As uptake, transport, and detoxification in rice is of great significance to solving the issue of As bioaccumulation in rice, improving its quality and safety and protecting human health. This review summarizes recent studies on the molecular mechanisms of As toxicity, uptake, transport, redistribution, regulation, and detoxification in rice. It aims to provide novel insights and approaches for preventing and controlling As bioaccumulation in rice plants, especially reducing As accumulation in rice grains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Responses to Heavy Metals: From Deficiency to Excess)
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32 pages, 932 KiB  
Review
Nicotianamine: A Key Player in Metal Homeostasis and Hyperaccumulation in Plants
by Ilya V. Seregin and Anna D. Kozhevnikova
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(13), 10822; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241310822 - 28 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1251
Abstract
Nicotianamine (NA) is a low-molecular-weight N-containing metal-binding ligand, whose accumulation in plant organs changes under metal deficiency or excess. Although NA biosynthesis can be induced in vivo by various metals, this non-proteinogenic amino acid is mainly involved in the detoxification and transport of [...] Read more.
Nicotianamine (NA) is a low-molecular-weight N-containing metal-binding ligand, whose accumulation in plant organs changes under metal deficiency or excess. Although NA biosynthesis can be induced in vivo by various metals, this non-proteinogenic amino acid is mainly involved in the detoxification and transport of iron, zinc, nickel, copper and manganese. This review summarizes the current knowledge on NA biosynthesis and its regulation, considers the mechanisms of NA secretion by plant roots, as well as the mechanisms of intracellular transport of NA and its complexes with metals, and its role in radial and long-distance metal transport. Its role in metal tolerance is also discussed. The NA contents in excluders, storing metals primarily in roots, and in hyperaccumulators, accumulating metals mainly in shoots, are compared. The available data suggest that NA plays an important role in maintaining metal homeostasis and hyperaccumulation mechanisms. The study of metal-binding compounds is of interdisciplinary significance, not only regarding their effects on metal toxicity in plants, but also in connection with the development of biofortification approaches to increase the metal contents, primarily of iron and zinc, in agricultural plants, since the deficiency of these elements in food crops seriously affects human health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Responses to Heavy Metals: From Deficiency to Excess)
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