Gene for Limiting Arsenic Accumulation in Plants Revealed

Arsenic is a carcinogenic element which makes it dangerous for human health. Plants accumulate this element due to its presence in soil and water. Naturally, plants have the ability to control the level of the accumulated arsenic by converting arsenate to arsenite through chemical reduction occurring in the roots. The arsenite is then transported to the shoot through phosphate transport system. This conversion provides the key for the detoxification process of arsenic. A group of international scientists from University of Aberdeen, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, and Rothamsted Research studied this process to find the gene responsible for it.

By the use of genome-wide association mapping in Arabidopsis thaliana, they were able to reveal the gene needed for the conversion process. The scientists named High Arsenic Content 1 (HAC1) as the gene mainly responsible in the chemical reduction process. This gene encodes the enzyme, arsenate reductase, that converts arsenate to arsenite. Removal of this gene in plant causes an increased concentration and accumulated of arsenic levels in the shoots.This further testify the importance of this gene in the conversion process. Identification of this gene is necessary in breeding new varieties of crop with less arsenic accumulation.  

Read more at http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002009.