Keeping nitrate in the roots: an unexpected requirement for cadmium tolerance in plants.

Li et al. (2010) identified AtNRT1.8 as a membrane transporter involved in the control of long-distance transport of nitrate between roots and shoot. Both the regulation of AtNRT1.8 expression and the phenotype of an nrt1.8 mutant indicate that this transporter plays an important role in protecting the plant against cadmium toxicity, and possibly against a wide range of biotic and abiotic stresses.