Effect of cadmium on promoter activity of rice phytochelatin synthase gene in transgenic tobacco plants

Abstract

The effect of cadmium acetate (200 and 400 μM Cd(CH3COO)2) on the transcriptional promoter activity of rice (Oryza sativa L.) phytochelatin synthase gene 900 bp in size was studied. The reporter gene of glucuronidase was placed under the control of this promoter in transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) plants. For determining boundaries of this gene promoter responsive to cadmium, deletion constructs were created and their transcriptional activity was measured under the influence of different cadmium concentrations. Deletion of 189 bp from the 5′-terminus of this gene promoter resulted in some transcription activation, whereas deletion of successive 95 bp from the 5′-terminus resulted in cadmium-independent activation of the promoter.