AhNAS2 suppression in Arabidopsis halleri roots

The model Zn hyperaccumulators Arabidopsis halleri and Noccaea caerulescens share elevated nicotianamine synthase (NAS) expression relative to non-accumulators among a core of alterations in metal homeostasis gene expression. Suppression of AhNAS2 expression by RNAi resulted in strongly reduced root NA accumulation and a concomitant decrease in root-to-shoot-translocation of Zn but not of other micronutrients. Few secondary effects on the root transcriptome were detected by microarray analysis. Vegetatively propagated clones of A. halleri wildtype plants and a line with strong suppression of AhNAS2 were grown hydroponically for weeks in two different media (control Hoagland and 10 µM Zn2+ added). Roots were harvested and analyzed. Three plants were pooled for one sample. Three independent experiments were performed.