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Cadmium inhibits the induction of high-affinity nitrate uptake in maize (Zea mays L.) roots

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Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) detoxification involves glutathione and phytochelatins biosynthesis: the higher need of nitrogen should require increased nitrate (NO3 −) uptake and metabolism. We investigated inducible high-affinity NO3 − uptake across the plasma membrane (PM) in maize seedlings roots upon short exposure (10 min to 24 h) to low Cd concentrations (0, 1 or 10 μM): the activity and gene transcript abundance of high-affinity NO3 − transporters, NO3 − reductases and PM H+-ATPases were analyzed. Exposure to 1 mM NO3 − led to a peak in high-affinity (0.2 mM) NO3 − uptake rate (induction), which was markedly lowered in Cd-treated roots. Plasma membrane H+-ATPase activity was also strongly limited, while internal NO3 − accumulation and NO3 − reductase activity in extracts of Cd treated roots were only slightly lowered. Kinetics of high- and low-affinity NO3 − uptake showed that Cd rapidly (10 min) blocked the inducible high-affinity transport system; the constitutive high-affinity transport system appeared not vulnerable to Cd and the low-affinity transport system appeared to be less affected and only after a prolonged exposure (12 h). Cd-treatment also modified transcript levels of genes encoding high-affinity NO3 − transporters (ZmNTR2.1, ZmNRT2.2), PM H+-ATPases (ZmMHA3, ZmMHA4) and NO3 − reductases (ZmNR1, ZmNADH:NR). Despite an expectable increase in NO3 − demand, a negative effect of Cd on NO3 − nutrition is reported. Cd effect results in alterations at the physiological and transcriptional levels of NO3 − uptake from the external solution and it is particularly severe on the inducible high-affinity anion transport system. Furthermore, Cd would limit the capacity of the plant to respond to changes in NO3 − availability.

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Abbreviations

Cd:

Cadmium

GDH:

Glutamate dehydrogenase

NO3 − :

Nitrate

NR:

Nitrate reductase

PM:

Plasma membrane

SO4 2− :

Sulfate

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Ministero Italiano dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca (MIUR-PRIN), Regione Friuli-Venezia Giulia (LR 26/05), Regione Lombardia (Fondo per la Promozione di Accordi Istituzionali, project BIOGESTECA 15083/RCC). The manuscript greatly benefited from the detailed and constructive criticism of two anonymous reviewers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, 20133, Milan, Italy

    Cecilia Rizzardo & Fabio F. Nocito

  2. Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Udine, Via delle Scienze 208, 33100, Udine, Italy

    Nicola Tomasi, Rossella Monte & Roberto Pinton

  3. Dipartimento di Biotecnologie, Università degli Studi di Verona, Villa Lebrecht, Via della Pieve 70, 37029, San Floriano, VR, Italy

    Zeno Varanini

  4. Facoltà di Scienze e Tecnologie, Libera Università di Bozen-Bolzano, Piazza Università 1, 39100, Bozen-Bolzano, Italy

    Stefano Cesco

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  1. Cecilia Rizzardo
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  2. Nicola Tomasi
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  3. Rossella Monte
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  4. Zeno Varanini
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  5. Fabio F. Nocito
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  6. Stefano Cesco
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  7. Roberto Pinton
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Correspondence to Roberto Pinton.

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Rizzardo, C., Tomasi, N., Monte, R. et al. Cadmium inhibits the induction of high-affinity nitrate uptake in maize (Zea mays L.) roots. Planta 236, 1701–1712 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-012-1729-4

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