Brassica napus is a biennial crop that is widely used for biofuel, fodder, and oil. Current study indicates that B. napus has a great potential for growth in marginal soils polluted with heavy metals. Transcriptome profiling of putative genes associated with chromium (Cr) absorption, transport, and accumulation in B. napus was used to study the molecular mechanism of plant resistance to 50-mu M Cr stress. The results demonstrated significant reductions in morphological and physiological attributes, changes in related gene profiles, cell structural damage, and downregulation of photosynthesis-associated genes. Furthermore, the plants showed the ability to recover from Cr-induced damage by controlling Cr uptake and maintaining redox balance in photosynthesis under stressful conditions. Following the Cr treatment, plant roots absorbed high Cr and stored it in cell walls, to decrease the absorption to aboveground plant parts. Under Cr treatment, 2401 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Cr-induced DEGs were related to photosynthesis, metal-ion chelation, and heavy-metal transport. Co-expression and weighted correlation network analysis revealed the relevance of ABC transporter pathways and glutathione metabolism in B. napus Cr tolerance. This study has the potential to provide a molecular and genetic basis for the validation of future candidate genes and the breeding of crops with similar properties.

来源平台：JOURNAL OF PLANT GROWTH REGULATION