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Ozone effects on soluble protein content of Acer negundo, Quercus robur and Platanus spp. pollen

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Abstract

In this study, the effect of three different ozone (O3) levels on soluble protein content of Acer negundo, Quercus robur and Platanus spp. pollen was investigated. Pollen was directly collected from each plant and exposed to O3 values below, equal and four times the limit for human health protection in an environmental chamber system. With this chamber, it was possible to control and reproduce the O3 levels between different experiments. Total protein content was determined colorimetrically with Coomassie protein assay reagent (Pierce) by the Bradford method. Results showed that O3 has significant effects on pollen causing a decrease in soluble proteins that seem to be dependent on species and gas concentration. Also, the existence of reproducibility in the effects of O3, within the same concentration, on the protein content of pollen was verified.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by FEDER funds through the operational program competitiveness factors (COMPETE) and National funds through FCT—Foundation for Science and Technology in the project “Effects of atmospheric non-biological pollutants on pollen grains” (Refª PTDC/AAC-AMB/102796/2008) and PEst-OE/CTE/UI0039/2011- UI 39. Ribeiro, H. benefits from a scholarship (SFRH/BDP/43604/2008) financed by QREN-POPH and FCT.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Grupo do Ambiente do Centro de Geologia, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal

    H. Ribeiro, L. Duque, R. Sousa & I. Abreu

  2. Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal

    I. Abreu

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  1. H. Ribeiro
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  2. L. Duque
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  3. R. Sousa
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  4. I. Abreu
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Correspondence to H. Ribeiro.

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Ribeiro, H., Duque, L., Sousa, R. et al. Ozone effects on soluble protein content of Acer negundo, Quercus robur and Platanus spp. pollen. Aerobiologia 29, 443–447 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-013-9291-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-013-9291-5

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