The expression profiling of Nicotiana tabacum provides insights into the underlying mechanisms of cadmium hyperaccumulation

Agricultural and industrial development has increased soil cadmium concentrations. Tobacco, a highly industrialized cash crop, exhibits a strong ability to accumulate cadmium and is classified as a hyperaccumulator plant. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying cadmium hyperaccumulation in tobacco remain unknown. By analyzing the expression profiling from genes to proteins in tobacco under cadmium stress, we found that the significant alteration in the expression of cell wall and membrane-associated proteins, accompanied by cell wall thickening, is a hall mark of tobacco's response to cadmium stress. This study provides insights into cadmium absorption and tolerance mechanisms in crops and offers theoretical support for developing phytoremediation methods using cadmium hyperaccumulating plants.