Phytoremediation potential of Brassica oleracea varieties through cadmium tolerance gene expression analysis
Highlights • Gene expression in response to Cd: The study analyzed the expression levels of several genes (RAMP6, HIPP26, HIPP27, HMA2, and MAPK2) in response to CdCl2 exposure. The results showed an overall increase in gene expression with higher Cd concentrations, except for HMA2 at 1000 µM CdCl2.• MAPK2 expression variability: The expression of MAPK2 varied among kale varieties, with an overall decrease in Kale 23. This may be due to mutations in the MAPK2 primers and potential cell death in higher CdCl2 concentrations.• Role of RAMP6: RAMP6 was found to have a proportional increase in expression with increasing CdCl2 concentrations, suggesting its role in Cd metabolism in B. Oleracea.• HIPP26 and HIPP27 Potential Roles: While studies specific to B. Oleracea are lacking, findings from A. thaliana suggest that HIPP26 and HIPP27 may be involved in Cd influx in B. Oleracea, with HIPP27 possibly playing a role in Cd detoxification.• Kale varietal resistance: Domestic B. Oleracea kale varieties exhibited greater resistance to Cd stress compared to hybrid varieties, highlighting the potential for phytoremediation.