BnVP1, a novel vacuolar H+ pyrophosphatase gene from Boehmeria nivea confers cadmium tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis

Plants have developed precise defense mechanisms against cadmium (Cd) stress, with vacuolar compartmentalization of Cd2+ being a crucial process in Cd detoxification. The transport of Cd into vacuoles by these cation / H+ antiporters is powered by the pH gradient created by proton pumps. In this study, the full-length cDNA of a vacuolar H+-pyrophosphatase (V-PPase) gene from Boehmeria nivea (ramie), BnVP1, was isolated using the rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) method. The open reading frame (ORF) of BnVP1 is 2292 bp, encoding a 763 amino acid V-PPase protein with 15 predicted transmembrane domains. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis revealed that BnVP1 belongs to the Type I V-PPase family. Quantitative RT-PCR assays demonstrated that BnVP1 expression was significantly higher in ramie roots than in shoots. Cd treatments markedly induced BnVP1 expression in both roots and leaves of ramie seedlings, with a more pronounced effect in roots. Additionally, BnVP1 expression was significantly upregulated by the plant hormone methyl jasmonate (MeJA). Heterologous expression of BnVP1 in transgenic Arabidopsis significantly enhanced V-PPase activity in the roots. The growth performance, root elongation, and total chlorophyll content of transgenic plants with high tonoplast H+-PPase (V-PPase) activity were superior to those of wild-type plants. Overexpression of BnVP1 reduced membrane lipid peroxidation and ion leakage, and significantly increased Cd accumulation in the roots of transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings. This study provides new genetic resources for the phytoremediation of Cd-contaminated farmland.