Fig. 2.

CaWRKY41 was transcriptionally induced by Cd and H₂O₂ treatment in pepper. (A, B) CaWRKY41 expression in pepper leaves and roots determined by RT–qPCR at the indicated time points after treatment with 25 µM CdSO₄. HPT, hours post treatment. (C) CaWRKY41 expression in pepper leaves and roots determined by RT–qPCR at 12 HPT with 2.5, 5, or 60 µM CdSO₄. CK, control untreated. (D) CaWRKY41 expression in pepper leaves analyzed at 0, 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, and 48 HPT with 1 mM H₂O₂. Relative expression levels of CaWRKY41 in stressed plants were compared with those of control plants, which were set to a value of 1. Data represent the mean ±SE of three biological replicates. Asterisks indicate significant differences compared with control plants (Student’s t-test; *P<0.05, **P<0.01). (E) Excess Cd-induced expression of CaWRKY41 in pepper leaves was inhibited by treatment with 10 mM ascorbic acid (AsA). (F, G) GUS expression in transgenic Arabidopsis plants carrying the pCaWRKY41::GUS construct. Seven-day-old pCaWRKY41::GUS seedlings were transferred to ½ MS medium without (F) or with (G) 25 µM CdSO₄ for 12 h, followed by staining. Panels labeled F-shoot, F-root, G-shoot, and G-root show magnifications of the corresponding plant parts shown in panel F or G, respectively, to show details of the GUS staining patterns of shoots and roots of pCaWRKY41::GUS seedlings. Plants were grown on ½ MS medium under 16 h light/8 h dark conditions.