Abstract
Boron (B) is an essential micronutrient for plants, but B can become toxic at elevated concentrations. In B rich soils, crop yields and qualities are decreased. Hence, the toxic effects of high B are important problem on agronomic policy. However, the molecular mechanisms of B toxicity are still poorly understood.
The aim of this study is to identify genes involved in B tolerance and to understand the mechanisms of B toxicity. For the purpose, yeast was transformed with an Arabidopsis cDNA library and transformants were selected on toxic 80 mM B concentrations. In this screening, we isolated several yeast that showed enhanced B tolerance. Sequence analysis showed that one of the cDNA clones from the yeast encodes poly(A) binding protein PAB2. PAB2 has been reported to involved in translation initiation and stability of mRNA. Possible role of PAB2 in B tolerance will be discussed.
