Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) stress significantly affects plant growth and development. <em>Potentilla sericea </em>is typically grown in gardens or as ground cover. In this study, the Cd response of <em>P. sericea </em>was analyzed based on physiological examinations and transcriptome analyses that uncovered the gene expression changes in <em>P. sericea </em>roots induced by a 7-day treatment with 90 µmol/L Cd<sup>2+</sup>. A total of 53,225 unigenes were identified, including 11,684 differentially expressed genes (DEGs; 8,083 upregulated and 3,601 downregulated). Additionally, 44 gene ontology terms and 127 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways were significantly enriched among these DEGs. Genes related to glutathione metabolism, plant hormone signal transduction, peroxisome processes, sulfur metabolism, and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways were confirmed as relevant to the Cd response of <em>P. sericea</em>. The molecular biology-related data described here may be useful for the future breeding of transgenic <em>P. sericea </em>plants with increased resistance to heavy metal stresses.
Highlights
Heavy metal contamination in soils from cadmium (Cd) is an increasingly urgent problem throughout the world
After Cd2+ (20 mM) of treatment, wilting occurred in Cajanus cajan and the chlorophyll content decreased by 70%, transpiration rate decreased by 60%, and photosynthesis efficiency decreased by 76% (Sheoran et al, 1990)
Transpiration rate (Tr) was higher in the control treatment by 40% compared with the Cd treatment
Summary
Heavy metal contamination in soils from cadmium (Cd) is an increasingly urgent problem throughout the world. Cadmium contamination alters the photosynthetic rate and respiration of plants, thereby influencing their profitability and quality (Clemens et al, 2013). Previous studies have revealed that high Cd concentrations could denature proteins, leading to cellular damage in higher plants (Lin & Aarts, 2012). Some research results show that Cd affects the absorption and accumulation of sulfur by inhibiting the absorption rate and enzyme activity of nitrate (Ferretti et al, 1994). These findings indicate that Cd can damage plants in various ways
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