Between the devil and the deep blue sea: herbivory induces foraging for and uptake of cadmium in a metal hyperaccumulating plant

Early lateral root formation in response to calcium and nickel shows variation within disjunct populations of Arabidopsis lyrata spp. lyrata

Root architecture is important in nutrient uptake and avoidance of toxic compounds within the soil. Arabidopsis lyrata spp. lyrata has widespread distribution in disjunct environments that encounter unique stressors starting at germination. Five populations of A. lyrata spp. lyrata show local adaptation to Nickel (Ni) but cross-tolerance to variations in Calcium (Ca) concentration within the soil. Differentiation among the populations begins early in development and appears to impact timing of lateral root formation; therefore the purpose of the study was to understand changes in root architecture and root exploration in response to Ca and Ni within the first three weeks of growth. Lateral root formation was first characterized under one concentration of Ca and Ni. Lateral root formation and tap root length were reduced in all five populations in response to Ni compared to Ca, with the least reduction in the three serpentine populations. When the populations were exposed to a gradient (either Ca or Ni) there were differences in population response based on the nature of the gradient. Start side was the greatest determinant of root exploration and lateral root formation under a Ca gradient, while population was the greatest determinant of root exploration and lateral root formation under a Ni gradient. All populations exhibited about the same frequency of root exploration under a Ca gradient, while the serpentine populations exhibited much higher levels of root exploration under a Ni gradient compared to the two non-serpentine populations. Differences among populations in response to Ca and Ni demonstrate the importance of stress responses early in development, particularly in species that have widespread distribution among disparate habitats.

A new mushroom hyperaccumulator: Cadmium and arsenic in the ectomycorrhizal basidiomycete Thelephora penicillata

Fruit-bodies of six Thelephora species (Fungi, Basidiomycota, Thelephoraceae) were analyzed for their trace element concentrations. In Thelephora penicillata, extremely high concentrations of Cd and As were found, followed by highly elevated concentrations of Cu and Zn. The highest accumulation ability was found for Cd with a mean concentration of 1.17 ± 0.37 g kg^-1 (dry mass) in fruit-bodies collected from 20 unpolluted sites; the mean As concentration was 0.878 ± 0.242 g kg^-1. Furthermore, striking accumulation of Se (923 ± 28 mg kg^-1) was found in one sample of T. vialis and elevated concentrations of S were detected in T. palmata (19.6 ± 5.9 g kg^-1). The analyzed Thelephora species were sequenced and, based on the Maximum Likelihood phylogenetic analysis (ITS rDNA) of the genus, possible other Thelephora (hyper)accumulators were predicted on the basis of their phylogenetic relationship with the discovered (hyper)accumulators. The striking ability of T. penicillata to accumulate simultaneously Cd, As, Cu, and Zn has no parallel in the Fungal Kingdom and raises the question of a biological importance of metal(loid) hyperaccumulation in mushrooms.