Iris lactea var. chinensis (Fisch.) (I. lactea var. chinensis) is a well-known cadmium (Cd)-tolerant plant and we have previously shown that the metallothionein gene, IlMT2a, of the plant may be playing a key role in conferring the Cd tolerance. In this study, we have identified several proteins interacting with the IlMT2a by screening yeast two-hybrid library constructed from cDNAs isolated from Cd-treated I. lacteal var. chinensis plants. Putative functions of these proteins include those involved in photosynthesis, ROS scavenge, nutrient transport, and transcriptional regulation, to name a few. In particular, another metallothionein, which we assigned the name of IlMT3, was identified as an interacting partner of the IlMT2a. Unlike IlMT2a, it did not provide any significant protection against Cd toxicity in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana L. (A. thaliana). To our knowledge, this is the first time ever reporting the interaction of two metallothionein proteins in plants. Learning the biological significance of the interaction between IlMT2a and IlMT3 would be the focus of future study and would be able to provide valuable insights into the understanding plant metallothionein's diverse and complex roles in coordinating many important cellular physiologies including stress responses, gene regulations, and energy metabolisms.
Keywords: Iris lactea var. chinensis; cadmium; interaction; metallothioneins; yeast two-hybrid.