Integrated ionomic and transcriptomic dissection reveals the core transporter genes responsive to varying cadmium abundances in allotetraploid rapeseed

BACKGROUND: Oilseed rape (B. napus L.) has great potential for phytoremediation of cadmium (Cd)-polluted soils due to its large plant biomass production and strong metal accumulation. Soil properties and the presence of other soluble compounds or ions, cause a heterogeneous distribution of Cd. RESULTS: The aim of our study was to reveal the differential responses of B. napus to different Cd abundances. Herein, we found that high Cd (50 μM) severely inhibited the growth of B. napus, which was not repressed by low Cd (0.50 μM) under hydroponic culture system. ICP-MS assays showed that the Cd(2+) concentrations in both shoots and roots under 50 μM Cd were over 10 times higher than those under 0.50 μM Cd. Under low Cd, the concentrations of only shoot Ca(2+)/Mn(2+) and root Mn(2+) were obviously changed (both reduced); under high Cd, the concentrations of most cations assayed were significantly altered in both shoots and roots except root Ca(2+) and Mg(2+). High-throughput transcriptomic profiling revealed a total of 18,021 and 1408 differentially expressed genes under high Cd and low Cd conditions, respectively. The biological categories related to the biosynthesis of plant cell wall components and response to external stimulus were over-accumulated under low Cd, whereas the terms involving photosynthesis, nitrogen transport and response, and cellular metal ion homeostasis were highly enriched under high Cd. Differential expression of the transporters responsible for Cd uptake (NRAMPs), transport (IRTs and ZIPs), sequestration (HMAs, ABCs, and CAXs), and detoxification (MTPs, PCR, MTs, and PCSs), and some other essential nutrient transporters were investigated, and gene co-expression network analysis revealed the core members of these Cd transporters. Some Cd transporter genes, especially NRAMPs and IRTs, showed opposite responsive patterns between high Cd and low Cd conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings would enrich our understanding of the interaction between essential nutrients and Cd, and might also provide suitable gene resources and important implications for the genetic improvement of plant Cd accumulation and resistance through molecular engineering of these core genes under varying Cd abundances in soils. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12870-021-03136-w.