Analysis of BnMTL, a novel metallothionein‐like protein in the bast fiber crop Ramie (Boehmeria nivea). Issue 9 (18th August 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gao, Gang; Chen, Jikang; Chen, Ping; Chen, Kunmei; Abubakar, Aminu Shehu; Yu, Chunming; Zhu, Aiguo
• Is Part Of: FEBS open bio. Volume 9:Issue 9(2019)
• Page Start: 1632
• Page End: 1639
• Publication Date: 2019-08-18
• Subjects: BnMTL -- Cd2+ tolerance -- expression pattern -- heterologous expression -- ramie; Molecular biology -- Periodicals; Cytology -- Periodicals; Life sciences -- Periodicals; Biological Science Disciplines -- Periodicals; Molecular Biology -- Periodicals; Cell Biology -- Periodicals; Cytology; Life sciences; Molecular biology; Periodicals; 572.805
• DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.12705
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2211-5463

Abstract

Abstract : Ramie ( Boehmeria nivea ) is a perennial herb that is highly tolerant of heavy metals. In the present study, we cloned a novel metallothionein‐like gene from ramie; this gene, termed BnMTL, encodes a putative 46 amino acid protein with a molecular mass of 4.38 kDa. Analysis using quantitative RT‐PCR revealed that cadmium (Cd 2+ ) treatment results in elevated expression of BnMTL in the roots. We heterologously overexpressed BnMTL in Escherichia coli cells to examine its binding to Cd 2+ and its possible role in homeostasis. Recombinant E. coli cells expressing BnMTL exhibited a high tolerance of Cd 2+ stress up to a concentration of 1 mm, and the observed accumulation of Cd 2+ was almost eight‐fold higher than the control. These results demonstrate that BnMTL (i) is highly expressed in the root following exposure to Cd 2+ and (ii) encodes a typical metallothionein‐like protein with high cadmium‐binding activity. Abstract : In the present study, the expression of a novel gene ( BnMTL ) encoding a metallothionein‐like protein was found to be significantly up‐regulated in the roots of bast fiber crop ramie when treated with Cd 2+ . Its Cd 2+ binding properties were evaluated via heterologous expression in recombinant Escherichia coli cells. Our results suggest that BnMTL is a candidate gene for Cd 2+ phytoremediation.