<i>Vvmrp1, Vvmt1</i>, and <i>Vvmt2</i> Co-Expression Improves Cadmium Tolerance and Reduces Cadmium Accumulation in Rice
Cadmium (Cd) contamination in agricultural soils severely threatens rice production and food safety. To address this issue, this study developed transgenic rice lines co-expressing three <i>Vitis vinifera</i> genes: the ABCC transporter <i>Vvmrp1</i> and metallothioneins <...
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2025-06-01
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| author | Hongjuan Han Yu Wang Cen Qian Quanhong Yao Qiaoquan Liu |
| author_facet | Hongjuan Han Yu Wang Cen Qian Quanhong Yao Qiaoquan Liu |
| author_sort | Hongjuan Han |
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| description | Cadmium (Cd) contamination in agricultural soils severely threatens rice production and food safety. To address this issue, this study developed transgenic rice lines co-expressing three <i>Vitis vinifera</i> genes: the ABCC transporter <i>Vvmrp1</i> and metallothioneins <i>Vvmt1</i> and <i>Vvmt2</i>. AlphaFold computational modeling confirmed the conserved ABCC-type transporter domain in VvMRP1. Under hydroponic conditions, transgenic rice showed remarkable Cd tolerance, surviving 30 mM Cd (lethal to wildtype, WT) without growth penalties, and exhibited 62.5% survival at 1 mM Cd vs. complete wild-type mortality. Field-relevant Cd exposure (1 mM) reduced Cd accumulation to 35.8% in roots, 83% in stems, and 76.8% in grains compared to WT. Mechanistic analyses revealed that <i>Vvmrp1</i> mediates cellular Cd efflux while <i>Vvmt1</i> and 2 chelate free Cd ions, synergistically inhibiting Cd translocation. Transgenic plants also maintained better Fe, P, and Mg homeostasis under Cd stress. This study pioneers the co-expression of a transporter with metallothioneins in rice, demonstrating their complementary roles in Cd detoxification without pleiotropic effects from endogenous gene modification. The findings provide an effective genetic strategy for cultivating low-Cd rice in contaminated soils, offering significant implications for food safety and sustainable agriculture. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6156d610fc724ccfb0046e334d2d02af |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-6156d610fc724ccfb0046e334d2d02af2025-08-20T03:24:29ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952025-06-01156149310.3390/agronomy15061493<i>Vvmrp1, Vvmt1</i>, and <i>Vvmt2</i> Co-Expression Improves Cadmium Tolerance and Reduces Cadmium Accumulation in RiceHongjuan Han0Yu Wang1Cen Qian2Quanhong Yao3Qiaoquan Liu4Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genetics and Breeding, Agro-Biotechnology Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201106, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genetics and Breeding, Agro-Biotechnology Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201106, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genetics and Breeding, Agro-Biotechnology Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201106, ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaCadmium (Cd) contamination in agricultural soils severely threatens rice production and food safety. To address this issue, this study developed transgenic rice lines co-expressing three <i>Vitis vinifera</i> genes: the ABCC transporter <i>Vvmrp1</i> and metallothioneins <i>Vvmt1</i> and <i>Vvmt2</i>. AlphaFold computational modeling confirmed the conserved ABCC-type transporter domain in VvMRP1. Under hydroponic conditions, transgenic rice showed remarkable Cd tolerance, surviving 30 mM Cd (lethal to wildtype, WT) without growth penalties, and exhibited 62.5% survival at 1 mM Cd vs. complete wild-type mortality. Field-relevant Cd exposure (1 mM) reduced Cd accumulation to 35.8% in roots, 83% in stems, and 76.8% in grains compared to WT. Mechanistic analyses revealed that <i>Vvmrp1</i> mediates cellular Cd efflux while <i>Vvmt1</i> and 2 chelate free Cd ions, synergistically inhibiting Cd translocation. Transgenic plants also maintained better Fe, P, and Mg homeostasis under Cd stress. This study pioneers the co-expression of a transporter with metallothioneins in rice, demonstrating their complementary roles in Cd detoxification without pleiotropic effects from endogenous gene modification. The findings provide an effective genetic strategy for cultivating low-Cd rice in contaminated soils, offering significant implications for food safety and sustainable agriculture.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/6/1493multi-gene co-transformationcadmium accumulation and tolerance<i>Vvmrp1</i><i>Vvmt1</i><i>Vvmt2</i>low-Cd rice breeding |
| spellingShingle | Hongjuan Han Yu Wang Cen Qian Quanhong Yao Qiaoquan Liu <i>Vvmrp1, Vvmt1</i>, and <i>Vvmt2</i> Co-Expression Improves Cadmium Tolerance and Reduces Cadmium Accumulation in Rice Agronomy multi-gene co-transformation cadmium accumulation and tolerance <i>Vvmrp1</i> <i>Vvmt1</i> <i>Vvmt2</i> low-Cd rice breeding |
| title | <i>Vvmrp1, Vvmt1</i>, and <i>Vvmt2</i> Co-Expression Improves Cadmium Tolerance and Reduces Cadmium Accumulation in Rice |
| title_full | <i>Vvmrp1, Vvmt1</i>, and <i>Vvmt2</i> Co-Expression Improves Cadmium Tolerance and Reduces Cadmium Accumulation in Rice |
| title_fullStr | <i>Vvmrp1, Vvmt1</i>, and <i>Vvmt2</i> Co-Expression Improves Cadmium Tolerance and Reduces Cadmium Accumulation in Rice |
| title_full_unstemmed | <i>Vvmrp1, Vvmt1</i>, and <i>Vvmt2</i> Co-Expression Improves Cadmium Tolerance and Reduces Cadmium Accumulation in Rice |
| title_short | <i>Vvmrp1, Vvmt1</i>, and <i>Vvmt2</i> Co-Expression Improves Cadmium Tolerance and Reduces Cadmium Accumulation in Rice |
| title_sort | i vvmrp1 vvmt1 i and i vvmt2 i co expression improves cadmium tolerance and reduces cadmium accumulation in rice |
| topic | multi-gene co-transformation cadmium accumulation and tolerance <i>Vvmrp1</i> <i>Vvmt1</i> <i>Vvmt2</i> low-Cd rice breeding |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/6/1493 |
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