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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Ithaca, New York » Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture & Health » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #137944

Title: ECOTYPIC VARIATION IN THE TRANSPORT, COMPARTMENTATION, AND COORDINATION OF CD BETWEEN POPULATIONS OF THE METAL HYPERACCUMULATOR, THLASPI CAERULESCENS

Author
item EBBS, STEPHEN - SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIV
item MCGRATH, STEVE - IACR-ROTHAMSTED
item Kochian, Leon

Submitted to: American Society of Plant Biologists Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/2/2002
Publication Date: 3/25/2002
Citation: Ebbs, S.D., Mcgrath, S.P., Kochian, L.V. 2002. Ecotypic variation in the transport, compartmentation, and coordination of cd between populations of the metal hyperaccumulator, thlaspi caerulescens. American Society of Plant Biologists Annual Meeting. p. 21.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens is known for its ability to hyperaccumulate and tolerate cadmium and zinc. This species is found in isolated, often small, populations across Great Britain, France, Belgium, and other European countries. While T. caerulescens populations from these different areas are all found growing in soils with heavy metal contamination, the soil concentrations of Zn and Cd vary as much as 10-fold. The ability of T. caerulescens to hyperaccumulate these metals also varies significantly, but perhaps surprisingly is not related to the metal content of the soil from which the population originated. That is, the most efficient hyperaccumulators of a given metal do not necessarily originate on soils with the highest concentration of that metal. Current research is exploring the ecotypic variation in Cd hyperaccumulation between selected populations of T. caerulescens, searching for the underlying physiological and/or biochemical basis of this variation. Transport data from radiotracer uptake studies will be presented, describing the variation in Cd transport observed between populations and its relation to the hyperaccumulation potential of each ecotype. In addition, results from subcellular compartmentation studies and X-ray spectroscopy analyses with selected populations will be presented describing the distribution and coordination of Cd in the different populations. By relating the pattern of accumulation and coordination to the extent of hyperaccumulation, the results will indicate the relative importance of specific biochemical and transport processes to metal hyperaccumulation and tolerance in this species.