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Differential response of wheat roots to Cu, Ni and Cd treatment: oxidative stress and defense reactions

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Abstract

Wheat seedlings cv. Zyta were treated with Cu, Ni and Cd at the concentrations causing approximately 50 % root growth inhibition, i.e. 12.5, 50 and 60 μM, respectively. Tissue metal accumulation, membrane permeability, lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, concentration of thiol compounds as well as protease, glutathione S-transferase (GST) and peroxidase (POD) activities were studied in roots after 7 days of metal exposure. The metals showed different concentrations in root tissues with Cu and Cd being accumulated to the smallest and to the greatest extent, respectively. Membrane permeability was significantly enhanced by Cu and Ni but not by Cd treatment. All metals induced similar increase in protein oxidation, while significant enhancement of lipid peroxidation was observed only in the case of Cu treatment. The detected thiol compounds: cysteine (Cys), homocysteine (Hcy), γ-glutamylcysteine (γ-GluCys) and glutathione (GSH) were differently influenced by the metal treatment. Ni appeared to be the most effective inductor of GSH accumulation while both Cu and Ni similarly increased Cys content in the roots. Accumulation of γ-GluCys was found in response to Cu and Cd applications. Concentration of Hcy was enhanced by Cd treatment but exposure to Ni decreased its content below the level of detection. The activity of GST was considerably elevated by Cd and Ni treatments, while POD activity was increased only in response to Cu application. Our study showed that wheat roots differently responded to treatment with metals used at the concentrations having similar impact on growth.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by University of Łódź Grant No 506/819.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237, Łódź, Poland

    Ewa Gajewska & Maria Skłodowska

  2. Department of Environmental Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Łódź, Pomorska 163, 90-236, Łódź, Poland

    Rafał Głowacki

  3. Laboratory of Computer and Analytical Techniques, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237, Łódź, Poland

    Janusz Mazur

Authors
  1. Ewa Gajewska
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  2. Rafał Głowacki
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  3. Janusz Mazur
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  4. Maria Skłodowska
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Correspondence to Ewa Gajewska.

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Gajewska, E., Głowacki, R., Mazur, J. et al. Differential response of wheat roots to Cu, Ni and Cd treatment: oxidative stress and defense reactions. Plant Growth Regul 71, 13–20 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-013-9803-x

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