Heterologous expression of the yeast Tpo1p or Pdr5p membrane transporters in Arabidopsis confers plant xenobiotic tolerance

Sci Rep. 2017 Jul 3;7(1):4529. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-04534-7.

Abstract

Soil contamination is a major hindrance for plant growth and development. The lack of effective strategies to remove chemicals released into the environment has raised the need to increase plant resilience to soil pollutants. Here, we investigated the ability of two Saccharomyces cerevisiae plasma-membrane transporters, the Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS) member Tpo1p and the ATP-Binding Cassette (ABC) protein Pdr5p, to confer Multiple Drug Resistance (MDR) in Arabidopsis thaliana. Transgenic plants expressing either of the yeast transporters were undistinguishable from the wild type under control conditions, but displayed tolerance when challenged with the herbicides 2,4-D and barban. Plants expressing ScTPO1 were also more resistant to the herbicides alachlor and metolachlor as well as to the fungicide mancozeb and the Co2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Al3+ and Cd2+ cations, while ScPDR5-expressing plants exhibited tolerance to cycloheximide. Yeast mutants lacking Tpo1p or Pdr5p showed increased sensitivity to most of the agents tested in plants. Our results demonstrate that the S. cerevisiae Tpo1p and Pdr5p transporters are able to mediate resistance to a broad range of compounds of agricultural interest in yeast as well as in Arabidopsis, underscoring their potential in future biotechnological applications.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / genetics*
  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / metabolism
  • Antiporters / genetics*
  • Antiporters / metabolism
  • Arabidopsis / drug effects*
  • Arabidopsis / physiology*
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Drug Resistance / genetics*
  • Ectopic Gene Expression*
  • Herbicides / pharmacology
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Organic Cation Transport Proteins / genetics*
  • Organic Cation Transport Proteins / metabolism
  • Plant Development / genetics
  • Plants, Genetically Modified
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / genetics*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / metabolism
  • Xenobiotics / pharmacology*

Substances

  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters
  • Antiporters
  • Herbicides
  • Organic Cation Transport Proteins
  • PDR5 protein, S cerevisiae
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
  • TPO1 protein, S cerevisiae
  • Xenobiotics