Abstract
We investigated the effects of agents known to affect cellular glutathione (reduced form, GSH) levels on the growth of rice seedlings treated with Cd. CdCl2 was more effective than CdSO4 in inhibiting root growth. However, CdCl2 had no effect on shoot growth. GSH, a substrate for phytochelatin synthesis, was effective in counteracting growth inhibition of roots by CdCl2. Root growth in the CdCl2 medium was found also to be enhanced by the addition of L-glutamic acid and L-cysteine, both of which are substrates for GSH formation. Buthionine sulfoximine, an inhibitor of GSH synthesis, rendered the roots susceptible to growth inhibition by Cd. Our results suggest that GSH level may play a role in regulating Cd-inhibited growth of rice roots.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- BSO:
-
buthionine sulfoximine
- GSH:
-
reduced form glutathione
References
Bishnoi NR, Sheoran IS and Singh R (1993) Effect of cadmium and nickel on mobilisation of food reserves and activities of hydrolytic enzymes in germinating pigeon pea seeds. Biol Plant 35: 583–589
deKok LJ, deKan PJL, Tanczos OG and Kuiper PJC (1981) Sulphate induced accumulation of glutathione and frost-tolerance of spinach leaf tissue. Physiol Plant 53: 435–438
Griffith OW and Meister A (1979) Potent and specific inhibition of glutathione synthesis by buthionine sulfoximine (S-n-butyl homocysteine sulfoximine). J Biol Chem 254: 7558–7560
Grill E, Loffler S, Winnaker E-L and Zenk MH (1989) Phytochelatins, the heavy-metal-binding peptides of plants, are synthesized from glutathione by a specific γ-glutamycysteine dipeptidyl transpeptidase (phytochelatin synthase). Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 86: 6838–6842
Jarvis SC and Jones LHP (1978) Uptake and transport of cadmium by perennial ryegrass from flowing solution culture with a constant concentration of cadmium. Plant Soil 49: 333–342
Jarvis SC, Jones LHP and Hopper MJ (1976) Cadmium uptake from solution by plants and its transport from roots to shoots. Plant Soil 44: 179–191
Mendum ML, Gupta SC and Goldsbrough PB (1990) Effect of glutathione on phytochelatin synthesis in tomato cells. Plant Physiol 93: 484–488.
Mrozek EJ (1980) Effect of mercury and cadmium on germination of Sprtina alterniflora Loisel seeds at various salinities. Environ Exp Bot 20: 367–377
Orzech KA and Burke JJ (1988) Heat shock and the protection against metal toxicity in wheat leaves. Plant Cell Environ 11: 711–714
Rauser WE (1990) Phytochelatins. Annu Rev Biochem 59: 61–86
Reese RN and Wagner GJ (1987) Effects of buthionine sulfoximine on Cd-binding peptide levels in suspension-cultured tobacco cells treated with Cd, Zn, or Cu. Plant physiol 84: 574–577
Rennenberg H (1982) Glutathione metabolism and possible biological roles in higher plants. Phytochemistry 21: 2771–2781
Scheller HV, Huang B, Hatch E and Glodsbrough PB (1987) Phytochelatin synthesis and glutathione levels in response to heavy metals in tomato cells. Plant Physiol 85: 1031–1035
Steffens JC (1990) The heavy metal-binding peptides of plants. Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 41: 553–575
Weigel JH and Jarger HJ (1980) Subcellular distribution and chemical form of cadmium in bean plants. Plant Physiol 65: 480–482
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chen, S.L., Kao, C.H. Glutathione reduces the inhibition of rice seedling root growth caused by cadmium. Plant Growth Regul 16, 249–252 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00024781
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00024781