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Overexpression of a soybean O-acetylserine (thiol) lyase-encoding gene GmOASTL4 in tobacco increases cysteine levels and enhances tolerance to cadmium stress

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Abstract

O-Acetylserine (thiol) lyase (OASTL, EC 2.5.1.47) catalyzes the final step in cysteine biosynthesis. The soybean GmOASTL4 gene was overexpressed in tobacco. Transgenic plants showed markedly increased accumulation of transcripts and higher cysteine content compared with the wild-type. Upon exposure to cadmium stress, OASTL activity and cysteine levels increased significantly in transgenic plants. Cadmium accumulation and the activity of both superoxide dismutase and catalase enzymes were enhanced in transformants. These results demonstrate that overexpression of GmOASTL4 in tobacco can enhance cysteine levels and increase tolerance to cadmium stress.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by the National 863 Project (2007AA10Z193, 2006AA10Z1C1), the National 973 Project (2004CB117206), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30771362).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Center for Soybean Improvement, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China

    Huixia Ning, Chunhong Zhang, Yao Yao & Deyue Yu

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  1. Huixia Ning
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  2. Chunhong Zhang
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  3. Yao Yao
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  4. Deyue Yu
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Correspondence to Deyue Yu.

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Ning, H., Zhang, C., Yao, Y. et al. Overexpression of a soybean O-acetylserine (thiol) lyase-encoding gene GmOASTL4 in tobacco increases cysteine levels and enhances tolerance to cadmium stress. Biotechnol Lett 32, 557–564 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-009-0178-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-009-0178-z

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