Overexpression of a novel Arabidopsis gene related to putative zinc-transporter genes from animals can lead to enhanced zinc resistance and accumulation

• Published in: Plant physiology (Bethesda) 1999-03, Vol.119 (3), p.1047-1055
• Main Authors: Zaal, B.J. van der, Neuteboom, L.W, Pinas, J.E, Chardonnens, A.N, Schat, H, Verkleij, J.A.C, Hooykaas, P.J.J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: active transport; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Amino Acid Sequence; amino acid sequences; Amino acids; Animals; antisense DNA; antisense RNA; Arabidopsis; Arabidopsis - drug effects; Arabidopsis - genetics; Arabidopsis - metabolism; Arabidopsis Proteins; Arabidopsis thaliana; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; Carrier Proteins - genetics; Carrier Proteins - metabolism; Cation Transport Proteins; chemical constituents of plants; Complementary DNA; DNA, Complementary - genetics; DNA, Plant - genetics; Drug Resistance - genetics; Economic plant physiology; Environmental and Stress Physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; genbank/af072858; Gene Expression; genes; Genes, Plant; Heavy metals; Messenger RNA; Mineral nutrition; Molecular Sequence Data; nucleotide sequences; Nutrition. Photosynthesis. Respiration. Metabolism; Plant physiology and development; plant proteins; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Plant roots; Plants; Plants, Genetically Modified; plasma membrane; promoter regions; Proteins; resistance; Seedlings; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; Transgenic plants; uptake; Water and solutes. Absorption, translocation and permeability; Yeasts; Zinc; Zinc - metabolism; Zinc - pharmacology
• ISSN: 0032-0889; 1532-2548
• DOI: 10.1104/pp.119.3.1047

We describe the isolation of an Arabidopsis gene that is closely related to the animal ZnT genes (Zn transporter). The protein encoded by the ZAT (Zn transporter of Arabidopsis thaliana) gene has 398 amino acid residues and is predicted to have six membrane-spanning domains. To obtain evidence for the postulated function of the Arabidopsis gene, transgenic plants with the ZAT coding sequence under control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter were analyzed. Plants obtained with ZAT in the sense orientation exhibited enhanced Zn resistance and strongly increased Zn content in the roots under high Zn exposure. Antisense mRNA-producing plants were viable, with a wild-type level of Zn resistance and content, like plants expressing a truncated coding sequence lacking the C-terminal cytoplasmic domain of the protein. The availability of ZAT can lead to a better understanding of the mechanism of Zn homeostasis and resistance in plants.