Identification of a rice transporter for manganese and cadmium uptake
Friday, September 21, 2012 - 08:30
in Physics & Chemistry
Rice (Oryza sativa) is an important dietary source of cadmium and can accumulate very high levels of manganese without toxic effects. However so far there has been little understanding of the uptake and transport mechanisms for these minerals. In depth studies by Jian Feng Ma and colleagues at Okayama University in Japan have revealed how OsNramp5, a member of the natural resistance macrophage protein (Nramp) family, enables uptake of specific minerals in rice.