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Integrated study on subcellular localization and chemical speciation of Pb reveals root strategies for Pb sequestration and detoxification in Salix integra

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Abstract

Background and aims

Salix integra has a high tolerance to lead (Pb) stress, and has been applied in the phytostabilization of Pb-Zn mine tailings in East China. Mechanisms for Pb sequestration and detoxification were poorly understood in Salix plants. The present study aimed to elucidate where Pb was localized and how Pb was combined in roots of S. integra for a better understanding of Pb tolerance strategies.

Methods

Histochemical methods combined with synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to explore the distribution and chemical forms of Pb at cellular and subcellular levels in S. integra.

Results

The accumulation of Pb displayed a fast linear uptake in roots and stems in the short-term period, whereas a slower Freundlich-like uptake in leaves. Micro-XRF and histochemical staining revealed that the absorbed Pb in roots was mostly restricted in the cortex, and partly translocated in the stele. At the subcellular level, most Pb in roots was localized in the cell walls and trophoplast fraction, and the free -OH and pectin C—O/C—O—S groups may be involved in the cell wall sequestration. It was also found that the majority of Pb in roots existed as phosphate and oxalate.

Conclusions

S. integra has a high uptake potential of accumulating Pb in their roots. The absorbed Pb was primarily localized in the cell walls and combined with -OH or pectin groups, and precipitation as phosphate or oxalate may be responsible for the detoxification in root cells.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31770653; 314000526) and the Zhejiang Science and Technology Major Program on Agricultural (trees) New Variety Breeding (2016C02056-11). We acknowledge the support from the 4W1B beamline of BSRF (Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility), Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. We are grately thankful for the help of Dr. Dongliang Chen and Dr. Juncai Dongfor their technical assistance in data acquisition and processing. We are also thankful to Dr. Hengfu Yin and Dr. Xiaojiao Han for their valuable suggestions during the revision period.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Zhejiang, 311400, Hangzhou, China

    Shufeng Wang, Xiang Shi & Guangcai Chen

  2. School of Forest Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 80100, Joensuu, Finland

    Mir Md Abdus Salam

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  1. Shufeng Wang
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  2. Xiang Shi
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  3. Mir Md Abdus Salam
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  4. Guangcai Chen
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Contributions

Shufeng Wang: Conceptualization, Methodology, Original draft preparation.

Xiang Shi: Data curation.

Guangcai Chen: Conceptualization, Methodology, Supervision.

Mir Md Abdus Salam: Reviewing and Editing.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Guangcai Chen.

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Supplementary Information

Supplementary file 1

Histochemical stainning of Pb in root tips of S. integra using dithizone method in 0–48 h treated with 100 μM of Pb (PNG 26376 kb)

High Resolution Image (TIF 903 kb) (TIF 838 kb)

Supplementary file 2

Energy counts of Pb and other mutrient elements based on micro-XRF scanning (XLSX 31 kb)

ESM 3

(PDF 250 kb)

Supplementary file 4

Transmission electron micrographs of plant cells.((a): Root cells of the control plants; (b) and (c): Root cells exposed to 200 μM Pb for 14 days; (d): Leaf cells of the control plants; (e) and (f): Leaf cells exposed to 200 μM Pb for 14 days; CW: cell walls; V: vacuole; IS: intercellular spaces; TP: trophoplast; Pl: plasmalemma; ER: endoplasmic reticulum; Chl: chloroplast. 1–6: energy spectrum sites) (PNG 25010 kb)

High Resolution Image (TIF 903 kb)

Supplementary file 5

EDX-spectrum of Pb precipitates in different subcellular spaces of root and leaf. (1: root cell walls and intercellular spaces; 2: trophoplast; 3: endoplasmic reticulum; 4: leaf cell walls; 5: intercellular spaces of leaf cells; 6: valuoles of leaf cells.) (PNG 25010 kb)

High Resolution Image (TIF 242 kb)

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Wang, S., Shi, X., Salam, M.M.A. et al. Integrated study on subcellular localization and chemical speciation of Pb reveals root strategies for Pb sequestration and detoxification in Salix integra. Plant Soil 467, 197–211 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-021-05045-1

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