PubMed · 2026-06-04
Scientists mapped a family of metal-transporting genes across six crop mustard species and found specific genes in rapeseed that control how much cadmium the plant absorbs into roots, moves to leaves, or keeps out entirely — pointing to clear targets for breeding safer, cleaner crops.
81 NRAMP metal-transporter genes were identified across six Brassica species, organized into two distinct subfamilies with different roles in cadmium handling.
BnNRAMP2c and BnNRAMP2d expression strongly correlated with root cadmium accumulation, while BnNRAMP1c/1e/1f correlated with leaf cadmium levels, showing a clear division of labor.
BnNRAMP6a correlated negatively with root cadmium content, suggesting it may actively exclude cadmium — a potential mechanism for breeding low-cadmium crops.
