Background:

Metal-nicotianamine transporter (YSL) family protein belongs to the oligopeptide heavy metal transporter group, as characterized in Arabidopsis thaliana. Oligopeptide transporters (OPTs) are a group of membrane-localized proteins, involved in different transport mechanisms, contributing to nitrogen mobilization, glutathione transport and long-distance metal distribution. Metal-nicotianamine transporter gene 3 (YSL3) incorporates the oligopeptide transporter domain, found to transfer several heavy metals in diverse plant species, and among them cadmium transport in Brassica oleracea.

Objective:

To evaluate and confirm the expression of Metal-nicotianamine transporter (YSL3) under cadmium stress.

Studied species:

Brassica oleracea var. acephala

Study site and dates:

Brassica oleracea var. acephala samples were collected from Blagaj region, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Methods:

Through a simple bioinformatic approach the interactome partner of Metal-nicotianamine transporter (YSL3) was discovered and annotated. Oligopeptide transporter 3 (OPT3) and Metal-nicotianamine transporter (YSL3) genes were checked for expression levels under cadmium stress.

Results:

We have identified a strong interacting partner of YSL3, later confirmed as Oligopeptide transporter 3 (OPT3) protein in Brassica oleracea. The in vitro expression analysis by using a qRT-PCR revealed a significant upregulation of YSL3 and OPT3, during Cd stress.

Conclusions:

These findings indicate that the represented in-silico approach, followed by in vitro gene expression study, successfully confirmed YSL3 and identified OPT3 as a new gene, in correlation to cadmium stress.