TabHLH86 regulates TaPEPC10 expression and mediates cadmium tolerance in wheat

In this study, we elucidated that wheat TaPEPC10, regulated by the transcription factor TabHLH86, reduces tolerance to cadmium (Cd) stress. To investigate the function and regulatory mechanism of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) genes in wheat under Cd stress, we employed bioinformatics approaches to identify 18 PEPC genes and predicted TaPEPC10 as a key responder based on its expression profile under Cd stress. We conducted phenotypic analyses and measured various physiological and biochemical indices in TaPEPC10 mutant wheat under Cd stress. Compared to wild-type (WT) plants, the mutants exhibited more severe Cd-sensitive phenotypes. Furthermore, the Cd content, along with the levels of superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, and malondialdehyde, were significantly elevated compared to those in WT plants, while the activities of antioxidant enzymes were reduced. These findings suggest that the mutation in TaPEPC10 exacerbates Cd accumulation and oxidative damage, thereby compromising the Cd tolerance of wheat. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis showed that TaPEPC10 mutations increased Cd sensitivity by regulating genes involved in photosynthetic electron transport and plant hormone signaling. Conversely, overexpression of TaPEPC10 in Arabidopsis thaliana reduced Cd accumulation and enhanced Cd tolerance compared to wild-type plants. Finally, we found that TabHLH86 binds to the TaPEPC10 promoter and promotes its expression. This study confirms that the TabHLH86-TaPEPC10 pathway represents a novel molecular mechanism underlying Cd tolerance in wheat.