Molecular analysis of plant metal homeostasis, tolerance and accumulation in the model system Arabidopsis halleri
DFG CL 152/3-2
From 01/2008 to 01/2011Principal Investigator: Stephan Clemens
Staff: Ulrich Deinlein
Grant: CL 152/3-2 Molecular analysis of plant metal homeostasis, tolerance and accumulation in the model system Arabidopsis halleri
Certain plant species show the ability to hyperaccumulate heavy metals. This characteristic is of fundamental biological as well as practical interest. A molecular understanding can lead to new insights into an important biological problem, the acquisition and distribution of essential transition metals such as Cu, Zn, and Fe. Furthermore, both Fe and Zn deficiency are among the most widespread types of malnutrition worldwide. We investigate Arabidopsis halleri as a model system to elucidate the hyperaccumulation of Zn and Cd at the molecular level. Comparative transcriptome studies led us to hypothesize that an altered regulation of metal homeostasis genes is underlying hyperaccumulation. During the initial project phase we gained new insights into hyperaccumulation thanks to cross-species microarray experiments. We established the foundation for a bioinformatic improvement of this approach, which has proven to be invaluable for the molecular understanding of evolutionary processes. Currently, we are focussing on the synthesis of nicotianamine, a low-molecular weight metal chelator, its role for Zn homeostasis and hyperaccumulation as well as the molecular basis of its altered regulation in A. halleri as compared to A. thaliana.