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Root adaptations to cadmium-induced oxidative stress contribute to Cd tolerance in the hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii

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Biologia Plantarum

Abstract

Short-term responses of Sedum alfredii roots to Cd exposure was compared in Cd hyperaccumulator (HE) and nonhyperaccumulating ecotype (NHE). Cadmium exposure significantly inhibited root elongation and induced loss of plasma membrane integrity and lipid peroxidation of roots tips in the NHE, whereas these effects were much less pronounced in the HE plants. A strong accumulation of reactive oxygen species with increasing Cd concentration was noted in the NHE root tips, but not in HE. After Cd exposure, a dose-dependent decrease in oxidized glutathione and marked increase in reduced glutathione and non-protein thiols were observed in root tips of HE, but were not seen in the NHE plants. These results suggest that the HE tolerates high Cd in the environment through the differential adaptations against Cd-induced oxidative stress.

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Abbreviations

CAT:

catalase

DHE:

dihydroethidium

DTNB:

5,5′-dithiobis-2-nitrobenzoic acid

GSH:

reduced glutathione

GSSG:

oxidized glutathione

MDA:

malondialdehyde

NPT:

non-protein thiols

ROS:

reactive oxygen species

TBARS:

thiobarbituric acid reactive substances

TCA:

trichloroacetic acid

TMP:

2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-(methylsulfonyloxy)-1-piperidinooxy

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Project from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31000935), Key Project from Ministry of Environmental Protection of China (2011467057), “863” Target Goal Project from Ministry of Science of China (2009AA06Z316), and Project from Department of Education of Zhejiang Province (Y200909812). We thank Mr. Jianguo Zhao, Le Zhang and Huijuan Yang for their great assistance in our experiments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MOE Key Laboratory of Environment Remediation and Ecosystem Health, Zhejiang University T]Huajiachi Campus, Hangzhou, 310029, China

    S. K. Tian, L. L. Lu, X. E. Yang, H. G. Huang & K. Wang

  2. Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA

    P. H. Brown

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  1. S. K. Tian
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  2. L. L. Lu
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  3. X. E. Yang
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  4. H. G. Huang
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  5. K. Wang
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Correspondence to L. L. Lu or X. E. Yang.

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Tian, S.K., Lu, L.L., Yang, X.E. et al. Root adaptations to cadmium-induced oxidative stress contribute to Cd tolerance in the hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii . Biol Plant 56, 344–350 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-012-0096-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-012-0096-0

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