Analysis of natural resistance associated macrophage protein nramp family of transporters in rice

Abstract

With increased industrialization environmental contamination with heavy metals both essential and non essential pose serious threat for the safe use of agricultural land newlineThe ability for uptake and sequestration of metals in different parts of the plants varies between different plants Biomagnification of these heavy metals via food chain has serious effects on consumers Rice (Oryza sativa L) is one of the most important cereal crops in most parts of the world and is cultivated in tropical and temperate regions of the world Rice is the staple food for half of the world s population Among the most cultivated cereals in the world rice stands next to wheat to feed the ever-growing population newlineMetal uptake and sequestration in plants is associated with several metal transporters These are proteins in the membrane that work as carrier and channels for metal transport They help in either metal efflux or uptake Plant genome encodes for several families of metal transporters that vary in their substrate specificity expression pattern and cellular localization Several transporters have been reported in rice also newlineTransporters are involved in metal efflux ie transport of metal ions from the cytoplasm either across the plasma membrane or into organelles Another set of transporters are involved in metal uptake They either act at the plasma membrane to move metals into the cytoplasm or remobilize metals from intracellular compartment into the cytoplasm One such transporter is NRAMP (Natural Resistance Associated Macrophage Protein) In rice plant there are 7 OsNRAMP transporters newline newline