Identification and functional analysis of a tobacco cadmium transporter gene mutant

To obtain Cd-deficiency phenotype in tobacco, the mutant of NtHMA2 gene was screened by TILLING and the contents of Cd and other heavy metals in mutant were detected. The results showed that comparing with the control, the contents of Cd, Zn, Cr, Ni, As and Fe in mutant under Cd stress decreased by 36.84%, 27.92%, 32.48%, 30.18%, 11.33% and 30.51%, respectively. The plant height of mutant was reduced significantly. However, there was no significant difference of the other agronomic traits. The low Cd-content tobacco mutant obtained in this study, hma2-23 , could be applied to develop anti-Cd tobacco varieties.