Physiological and transcriptome analysis of sex-specific responses to cadmium stress in poplars
Soil cadmium (Cd) pollution is a serious ecological problem worldwide. Understanding Cd-detoxification mechanisms in woody plants will help to evaluate their tolerance ability and phytoremediation potential to Cd-polluted soils. This study investigated the growth, physiochemistry, Cd distribution, a...
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Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325000119 |
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| author | Meihua Liu Sumei Wu Yigang Song Mengjiao Shi Lita Yi |
| author_facet | Meihua Liu Sumei Wu Yigang Song Mengjiao Shi Lita Yi |
| author_sort | Meihua Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Soil cadmium (Cd) pollution is a serious ecological problem worldwide. Understanding Cd-detoxification mechanisms in woody plants will help to evaluate their tolerance ability and phytoremediation potential to Cd-polluted soils. This study investigated the growth, physiochemistry, Cd distribution, and transcriptome sequencing of male and female poplars under three Cd levels (0, 50, and 100 mg·kg−1). The results showed that Cd stress significantly inhibited the growth of aboveground parts. Over 70 % of the Cd was distributed in the cell wall fraction of roots, stems, and leaves, with the majority accumulating in the roots. Poplars can conjugate Cd with phytochelatins to reduce Cd damage, which is more evident in males than females. The antioxidant defense system of females is more effective than that of males at reducing the damage from Cd. Females demonstrated a stronger Cd-regulation ability than males under the 100 mg·kg−1 Cd treatment. Sex-specific responses to Cd were associated with differential gene expression. Under Cd stress, the genes related to oxidation-reduction processes, antioxidant enzyme activity and defense mechanisms, cell wall synthesis, and glutathione metabolism were mainly enriched and upregulated in females, whereas in males, genes related to photosynthesis and photosynthetic pigment biosynthesis were mainly enriched and downregulated, indicating greater damage to the photosynthetic system than in females. Our study provides novel insights into the mechanisms responding to Cd tolerance in poplars. Further studies should be carried out to assess the impact of soil Cd pollution on the wood quality of poplars. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-afe80ef4f960402a8f4775a2f737fe41 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0147-6513 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
| spelling | doaj-art-afe80ef4f960402a8f4775a2f737fe412025-01-23T05:26:04ZengElsevierEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety0147-65132025-01-01289117675Physiological and transcriptome analysis of sex-specific responses to cadmium stress in poplarsMeihua Liu0Sumei Wu1Yigang Song2Mengjiao Shi3Lita Yi4State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, ChinaEastern China Conservation Centre for Wild Endangered Plant Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai 201602, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China; Corresponding author.Soil cadmium (Cd) pollution is a serious ecological problem worldwide. Understanding Cd-detoxification mechanisms in woody plants will help to evaluate their tolerance ability and phytoremediation potential to Cd-polluted soils. This study investigated the growth, physiochemistry, Cd distribution, and transcriptome sequencing of male and female poplars under three Cd levels (0, 50, and 100 mg·kg−1). The results showed that Cd stress significantly inhibited the growth of aboveground parts. Over 70 % of the Cd was distributed in the cell wall fraction of roots, stems, and leaves, with the majority accumulating in the roots. Poplars can conjugate Cd with phytochelatins to reduce Cd damage, which is more evident in males than females. The antioxidant defense system of females is more effective than that of males at reducing the damage from Cd. Females demonstrated a stronger Cd-regulation ability than males under the 100 mg·kg−1 Cd treatment. Sex-specific responses to Cd were associated with differential gene expression. Under Cd stress, the genes related to oxidation-reduction processes, antioxidant enzyme activity and defense mechanisms, cell wall synthesis, and glutathione metabolism were mainly enriched and upregulated in females, whereas in males, genes related to photosynthesis and photosynthetic pigment biosynthesis were mainly enriched and downregulated, indicating greater damage to the photosynthetic system than in females. Our study provides novel insights into the mechanisms responding to Cd tolerance in poplars. Further studies should be carried out to assess the impact of soil Cd pollution on the wood quality of poplars.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325000119Heavy metalCadmium accumulationAntioxidant systemPhotosynthesisTranscriptomePoplar |
| spellingShingle | Meihua Liu Sumei Wu Yigang Song Mengjiao Shi Lita Yi Physiological and transcriptome analysis of sex-specific responses to cadmium stress in poplars Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Heavy metal Cadmium accumulation Antioxidant system Photosynthesis Transcriptome Poplar |
| title | Physiological and transcriptome analysis of sex-specific responses to cadmium stress in poplars |
| title_full | Physiological and transcriptome analysis of sex-specific responses to cadmium stress in poplars |
| title_fullStr | Physiological and transcriptome analysis of sex-specific responses to cadmium stress in poplars |
| title_full_unstemmed | Physiological and transcriptome analysis of sex-specific responses to cadmium stress in poplars |
| title_short | Physiological and transcriptome analysis of sex-specific responses to cadmium stress in poplars |
| title_sort | physiological and transcriptome analysis of sex specific responses to cadmium stress in poplars |
| topic | Heavy metal Cadmium accumulation Antioxidant system Photosynthesis Transcriptome Poplar |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325000119 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT meihualiu physiologicalandtranscriptomeanalysisofsexspecificresponsestocadmiumstressinpoplars AT sumeiwu physiologicalandtranscriptomeanalysisofsexspecificresponsestocadmiumstressinpoplars AT yigangsong physiologicalandtranscriptomeanalysisofsexspecificresponsestocadmiumstressinpoplars AT mengjiaoshi physiologicalandtranscriptomeanalysisofsexspecificresponsestocadmiumstressinpoplars AT litayi physiologicalandtranscriptomeanalysisofsexspecificresponsestocadmiumstressinpoplars |