Department of Plant Sciences

Cadmium (Cd) is one of the most toxic heavy metals for both plants and humans, and Cd accumulation in rice grains has become a major agricultural problem in Japan. In this study, we investigated the role of OsNramp1 in Cd uptake and transport in rice. An OsNramp1::GFP fusion protein localized to the plasma membrane in onion epidermal cells, and yeast expressing OsNramp1 showed increased sensitivity to Cd. Furthermore, OsNramp1-overexpressing rice accumulated more Cd in the leaf blades than non-transformed rice when cultured in Cd-contaminated soil. These results suggest that OsNramp1 increases the cellular uptake and accumulation of Cd in plants.