Influence of Iron Status on Cadmium and Zinc Uptake by Different Ecotypes of the Hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens

Abstract

We have previously identified an ecotype of the hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens (Ganges), which is far superior to other ecotypes (including Prayon) in Cd uptake. In this study, we investigated the effect of Fe status on the uptake of Cd and Zn in the Ganges and Prayon ecotypes, and the kinetics of Cd and Zn influx using radioisotopes. Furthermore, the T. caerulescens ZIP (Zn-regulated transporter/Fe-regulated transporter-like protein) genes TcZNT1-G andTcIRT1-G were cloned from the Ganges ecotype and their expression under Fe-sufficient and -deficient conditions was analyzed. Both short- and long-term studies revealed that Cd uptake was significantly enhanced by Fe deficiency only in the Ganges ecotype. The concentration-dependent kinetics of Cd influx showed that theV _max of Cd was 3 times greater in Fe-deficient Ganges plants compared with Fe-sufficient plants. In Prayon, Fe deficiency did not induce a significant increase inV _max for Cd. Zn uptake was not influenced by the Fe status of the plants in either of the ecotypes. These results are in agreement with the gene expression study. The abundance ofZNT1-G mRNA was similar between the Fe treatments and between the two ecotypes. In contrast, abundance of theTcIRT1-G mRNA was greatly increased only in Ganges root tissue under Fe-deficient conditions. The present results indicate that the stimulatory effect of Fe deficiency on Cd uptake in Ganges may be related to an up-regulation in the expression of genes encoding for Fe²⁺ uptake, possibly TcIRT1-G.