Brassica juncea Produces a Phytochelatin-Cadmium-Sulfide Complex

Abstract
Phytochelatins (PCs) are enzymically synthesized peptides produced in higher plants and some fungi upon exposure to heavy metals. We have examined PC production in the Se-tolerant wild mustard Brassica juncea and found that it produces two types of PC-Cd complexes with the same characteristics as those from fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, including a high molecular weight PC-Cd-sulfide form.