Integrative Physiology and Molecular Mechanisms of Heavy Metal Stress in Rice

Dear Colleagues,

Rice is consumed by over half the world’s population, but heavy metal contamination (especially Cd, As, Pb, Cr) in paddy soils threatens grain safety, grain yield, and human health. This Special Issue, “Integrative Physiology and Molecular Mechanisms of Heavy Metal Stress in Rice,” highlights mechanistic studies on how rice senses, signals, adapts to, and detoxifies heavy metals. We welcome work on genetic, epigenetic, transcriptional, post-transcriptional, translational, and post-translational regulation of metal uptake, translocation, vacuolar sequestration, chelation, redox balance, and grain accumulation. Priority will be placed on studies that functionally validate key regulators, such as transcription factors (OsbZIPs, OsNACs), non-coding RNAs (miRNAs, lncRNAs), chromatin modifiers, and transporters (OsNRAMPs, OsHMAs), and use multi-omics data to define causal regulatory networks. The goal of this Special Issue is to translate these insights into practical solutions, including the gene-editing or breeding of low-metal varieties, optimization of agronomic practices, and improvement of phytoremediation, which all have the potential to advance food safety and sustainable food production.

We seek rigorous, biologically relevant research linking molecular mechanisms to whole-plant responses, especially under field/semi-field conditions. Topics of interest include gene expression dynamics, protein interactions, post-translational modifications (e.g., phosphorylation), metabolic shifts, and interorganellar coordination during metal stress.

Cutting-edge research in this field includes (i) CRISPR-based mapping of metal-responsive regulatory elements; (ii) single-cell and spatial transcriptomics in roots and nodes; (iii) epigenomic profiling (DNA methylation, histone marks) under chronic exposure; and (iv) systems modeling of transporter networks and redox signaling. Together, these advances shift the field from correlation to prediction and mechanism-guided breeding.

For this Special Issue, we seek the following:

• Original research with strong validation and biological insight;
• Critical reviews identifying trends, gaps, and frameworks;
• Methods papers on novel tools for phenotyping, subcellular imaging, or multi-omics in rice;
• Short communications reporting timely, high-impact mechanistic findings.

All submissions must focus on rice and advance our understanding of molecular regulation under heavy metal stress. Studies linking mechanisms to outcomes, e.g., lower grain Cd/As, stable yields in contaminated fields, or enhanced phytoextraction, are especially welcome.

Dr. Qina Huang
Dr. Xiaoyan Lin
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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