Cadmium contributes to heat tolerance of a hyperaccumulator plant species

Heat stress and cadmium (Cd) pollution are both increasingly prevalent environmental constraint for plants, while interactions between Cd accumulation and thermotolerance in plants remains unknown. This work aims to evaluate the effects of Cd on thermotolerance tolerance of a hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii by physiological and transcriptome analysis. The results suggest that Cd efficiently enhances the thermotolerance of S. alfredii plants mainly by regulation of stomatal movement and antioxidative systems, which are largely associated with improved phytochromes and heat shock proteins.