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Effect of arsenate toxicity on antioxidant enzymes and expression of nicotianamine synthase in contrasting genotypes of bioenergy crop Ricinus communis

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Abstract

Arsenic (As) is a toxic environmental pollutant. Growing Ricinus communis (castor) on As-contaminated land has the advantage that in addition to revegetation of contaminated land, it can produce bioenergy. To date, As tolerance mechanisms of this plant are not fully understood. In our previous study, we screened tolerant and sensitive genotypes of castor and reported higher total As concentration, enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and oxidative stress in sensitive genotypes of castor GCH 2 and GCH 4 in comparison to tolerant genotypes WM and DCH 177. In the present study, we compared the activity, isoenzyme profile, and gene expression of ROS-scavenging enzymes, proline content, and expression of nicotianamine synthase genes (RcNAS1, RcNAS2, and RcNAS3) in As-tolerant and As-sensitive genotypes of castor. SOD and GPX activity increased significantly in roots of tolerant genotype WM but remained the same or decreased in sensitive genotype GCH 2 and GCH 4 at 200 μM arsenate [As(V)] treatment indicating their important role in As tolerance in castor. CAT activity and proline content increased in sensitive genotypes but remained the same in tolerant genotypes due to As(V) treatment. APX activity showed no significant change in roots and leaves of both tolerant and sensitive genotypes. NAS genes (RcNAS1, RcNAS2, and RcNAS3) encode enzymes that catalyze trimerization of S-adenosylmethionine to form nicotianamine and are critical for metal chelation and heavy metal tolerance. Differential responses of RcNAS1, RcNAS2, and RcNAS3 genes in WM and GCH 2 due to As(V) treatment suggest their role in As(V) tolerance.

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Acknowledgements

PS is thankful to the Department of Science and Technology-SERB project no. ECR/2016/000888 and University Grant Commission-Start-up grant no. F.4-5(107-FRP)/2014(BSR) for financial support. The Department of Biotechnology (BT/PR9028/INF/22/193/2013) is greatly acknowledged. RS is thankful for UGC-JRF Fellowship during the period of this work. We are very grateful to the reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions.

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The DST-SERB project (ECR/2016/000888), UGC Start-up grant [F. 4-5(107-FRP)/2014 (BSR)], and DBT (BT/PR9028/INF/22/193/2013) supported this work.

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  1. Department of Life Sciences, Central University of Jharkhand, Brambe, Ranchi, 835205, India

    Rajani Singh, Amarendra Narayan Misra & Pallavi Sharma

  2. Khallikote University, Berhampur, Odisha, 761008, India

    Amarendra Narayan Misra

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  1. Rajani Singh
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PS—conceived the project; RS—performed all the experiments and statistical analysis; RS and PS—analysed results; RS—wrote the manuscript with the help of PS and ANM. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Pallavi Sharma.

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Singh, R., Misra, A.N. & Sharma, P. Effect of arsenate toxicity on antioxidant enzymes and expression of nicotianamine synthase in contrasting genotypes of bioenergy crop Ricinus communis. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 31421–31430 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-12701-7

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