Skip to main content
Log in

Mycorrhizosphere bacteria inhibit chromium uptake and phytotoxicity by regulating proline metabolism, antioxidant defense system, and aquaporin gene expression in tomato

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

A Correction to this article was published on 18 March 2024

This article has been updated

Abstract

Chromium (Cr) contamination in soil–plant systems poses a pressing environmental challenge due to its detrimental impacts on plant growth and human health. Results exhibited that Cr stress decreased shoot biomass, root biomass, leaf relative water content, and plant height. However, single and co-application of Bacillus subtilis (BS) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) considerably enhanced shoot biomass (+ 21%), root biomass (+ 2%), leaf relative water content (+ 26%), and plant height (+ 13) under Cr stress. The frequency of mycorrhizal (F) association (+ 5%), mycorrhizal colonization (+ 13%), and abundance of arbuscules (+ 5%) in the non-stressed soil was enhanced when inoculated with combined BS and AMF as compared to Cr-stressed soil. The co-inoculation with BS and AMF considerably enhanced total chlorophyll, carotenoids, and proline content in Cr-stressed plants. Cr-stressed plants resulted in attenuated response in SOD, POD, CAT, and GR activities when inoculated with BS and AMF consortia by altering oxidative stress biomarkers (H2O2 and MDA). In Cr-stressed plants, the combined application of BS and AMF considerably enhanced proline metabolism, for instance, P5CR (+ 17%), P5CS (+ 28%), OAT (− 22%), and ProDH (− 113%) as compared to control. Sole inoculation with AMF downregulated the expression of SIPIP2;1, SIPIP2;5, and SIPIP2;7 in Cr-stressed plants. However, the expression of NCED1 was downregulated with the application of sole AMF. In contrast, the relative expression of Le4 was upregulated in the presence of AMF and BS combination in Cr-stressed plants. Therefore, it is concluded that co-application of BS and AMF enhanced Cr tolerance by enhancing proline metabolism, antioxidant enzymes, and aquaporin gene expression. Future study might concentrate on elucidating the molecular processes behind the synergistic benefits of BS and AMF, as well as affirming their effectiveness in field experiments under a variety of environmental situations. Long-term research on the effect of microbial inoculation on soil health and plant production might also help to design sustainable chromium remediation solutions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

Data Availability

The data will be avaliable upon request.

Change history

References

  • Aebi Hugo (1984) Catalase in vitro. In Methods in enzymology. Academic press. 105:121–126

  • Ahmad H, Hayat S, Ali M, Liu T, Cheng Z (2018) The combination of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation (Glomus versiforme) and 28‐homobrassinolide spraying intervals improves growth by enhancing photosynthesis, nutrient absorption, and antioxidant system in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) under salinity. Ecol Evol 8(11):5724–5740

    Google Scholar 

  • Allah Abd EF, Alqarawi AA, Hashem A, Radhakrishnan R, Al-Huqail AA, Al-Otibi FON, Malik JA, Alharbi RI, Egamberdieva D (2018) Endophytic bacterium Bacillus subtilis (BERA 71) improves salt tolerance in chickpea plants by regulating the plant defense mechanisms. J Plant Inter 13(1):37–44

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen MF (2007) Mycorrhizal fungi: highways for water and nutrients in arid soils. Vadose Zone J 6(2):291–297

    Google Scholar 

  • Apte AD, Verma S, Tare V, Bose P (2005) Oxidation of Cr (III) in tannery sludge to Cr (VI): field observations and theoretical assessment. J Hazard Mater 121(1–3):215–222

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arnon DI (1949) Copper enzymes in isolated chloroplasts. Polyphenoloxidase in Beta Vulgaris Plant Physiol 24(1):1

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Augé RM (2001) Water relations, drought and vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. Mycorrhiza 11(1):3–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Bárzana G, Aroca R, Bienert GP, Chaumont F, Ruiz-Lozano JM (2014) New insights into the regulation of aquaporins by the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis in maize plants under drought stress and possible implications for plant performance. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 27(4):349–363

    Google Scholar 

  • Branco S, Schauster A, Liao HL, Ruytinx J (2022) Mechanisms of stress tolerance and their effects on the ecology and evolution of mycorrhizal fungi. New Phytol 235(6):2158–2175

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Calvo-Polanco M, Molina S, Zamarreño AM, García-Mina JM, Aroca R (2014) The symbiosis with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis drives root water transport in flooded tomato plants. Plant Cell Physiol 55(5):1017–1029

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng HQ, Ding YE, Shu B, Zou YN, Wu QS, Kuča K (2020) Plant aquaporin responses to mycorrhizal symbiosis under abiotic stress. Intl J Agric Biol 23:786–794

  • Chilson OP, Kelly-Chilson AE, Siegel NR (1991) Pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase in soybean nodules: isolation/partial primary structure/evidence for isozymes. Arch Biochem Biophys 288(2):350–357

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ding Y-E, Fan Q-F, He J-D, Wu H-H, Zou Y-N, Wu Q-S, Kuča K (2020) Effects of mycorrhizas on physiological performance and root TIPs expression in trifoliate orange under salt stress. Arch Agronom Soil Sci 66(2):182–192

    Google Scholar 

  • Flores-Duarte NJ, Pajuelo E, Mateos-Naranjo E, Navarro-Torre S, Rodríguez-Llorente ID, Redondo-Gómez S, Carrasco López JA (2023) A culturomics-based bacterial synthetic community for improving resilience towards arsenic and heavy metals in the nutraceutical plant Mesembryanthemum crystallinum. Int J Mol Sci 24(8):7003

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fujita M, Fujita Y, Noutoshi Y, Takahashi F, Narusaka Y, Yamaguchi-Shinozaki K, Shinozaki K (2006) Crosstalk between abiotic and biotic stress responses: a current view from the points of convergence in the stress signaling networks. Curr Opin Plant Biol 9(4):436–442

    Google Scholar 

  • Gadd GM (2004) Microbial influence on metal mobility and application for bioremediation. Geoderma 122(2–4):109–119

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Giannopolitis CN, Ries SK (1977) Superoxide dismutases: I. Occurrence in Higher Plants Plant Physiol 59(2):309–314

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gill SS, Tuteja N (2010) Reactive oxygen species and antioxidant machinery in abiotic stress tolerance in crop plants. Plant Physiol Biochem 48(12):909–930

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harman G, Khadka R, Doni F, Uphoff N (2021) Benefits to plant health and productivity from enhancing plant microbial symbionts. Front Plant Sci 11:610065

    Google Scholar 

  • Hashem A, Tabassum B, Allah Abd EF (2019) Bacillus subtilis: a plant-growth promoting rhizobacterium that also impacts biotic stress. Saudi J Biol Sci 26(6):1291–1297

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hayat S, Hayat Q, Alyemeni MN, Wani AS, Pichtel J, Ahmad A (2012) Role of proline under changing environments: a review. Plant Signal Behav 7(11):1456–1466

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • He F, Zhang H, Tang M (2016) Aquaporin gene expression and physiological responses of Robinia pseudoacacia L. to the mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis and drought stress. Mycorrhiza 26:311–323

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heath RL, Packer L (1968) Photoperoxidation in isolated chloroplasts: I. Kinetics and stoichiometry of fatty acid peroxidation. Arch Biochem Biophys 125(1):189–198

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hossain MA, Hoque MA, Burritt DJ, Fujita M (2014) Proline protects plants against abiotic oxidative stress: biochemical and molecular mechanisms. In Oxidative damage to plants (pp. 477–522). Elsevier

  • Hu B, Jia X, Hu J, Xu D, Xia F, Li Y (2017) Assessment of heavy metal pollution and health risks in the soil-plant-human system in the Yangtze River Delta, China. Int J Environ Res Public Health 14(9):1042

    Google Scholar 

  • Jia-Dong H, Tao D, Hui-Hui W, Ying-Ning Z, Qiang-Sheng W, Kamil K (2019) Mycorrhizas induce diverse responses of root TIP aquaporin gene expression to drought stress in trifoliate orange. Sci Hortic 243:64–69

    Google Scholar 

  • Jiang C, Song X, He H, Chu L, Zhou H, Zhao Y, Xu Y, Zeng W, Lin X, Lu M-Z (2020) Genome-wide identification of plasma membrane aquaporin gene family in Populus and functional identification of PIP1;1 involved in osmotic stress. Environ Exp Bot 179:104200

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jung JH, Domijan M, Klose C, Biswas S, Ezer D, Gao M, Wigge PA (2016) Phytochromes function as thermosensors in Arabidopsis. Science, 354(6314):886–889

  • Kapilan R, Vaziri M, Zwiazek JJ (2018) Regulation of aquaporins in plants under stress. Biol Res 51(1):1–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Kapoor R, Evelin H, Mathur P, Giri B (2012) Arbuscular mycorrhiza: approaches for abiotic stress tolerance in crop plants for sustainable agriculture. In Plant acclimation to environmental stress (pp. 359–401). Springer.

  • Karimi N, Ghasempour H-R (2019) Salicylic acid and jasmonic acid restrains nickel toxicity by ameliorating antioxidant defense system in shoots of metallicolous and non-metallicolous Alyssum inflatum Náyr. Populat Plant Physiol Biochem 135:450–459

    Google Scholar 

  • Koza NA, Adedayo AA, Babalola OO, Kappo AP (2022) Microorganisms in plant growth and development: roles in abiotic stress tolerance and secondary metabolites secretion. Microorganisms 10(8):1528

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar A, Dames JF, Gupta A, Sharma S, Gilbert JA, Ahmad P (2015) Current developments in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi research and its role in salinity stress alleviation: a biotechnological perspective. Crit Rev Biotechnol 35(4):461–474

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liang W-H, Li L, Zhang F, Liu Y-X, Li M-M, Shi H-H, Li H, Shang F, Lou C, Lin Q-T (2013) Effects of abiotic stress, light, phytochromes and phytohormones on the expression of OsAQP, a rice aquaporin gene. Plant Growth Regul 69(1):21–27

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lingua G, Bona E, Manassero P, Marsano F, Todeschini V, Cantamessa S, Copetta A, D’Agostino G, Gamalero E, Berta G (2013) Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and plant growth-promoting pseudomonads increases anthocyanin concentration in strawberry fruits (Fragaria x ananassa var. Selva) in conditions of reduced fertilization. Intl J Mol Sci 14(8):16207–16225

    Google Scholar 

  • Livak KJ, Schmittgen TD (2001) Analysis of relative gene expression data using real-time quantitative PCR and the 2− ΔΔCT method. Methods 25(4):402–408

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maurel C, Verdoucq L, Luu D-T, Santoni V (2008) Plant aquaporins: membrane channels with multiple integrated functions. Annu Rev Plant Biol 59:595–624

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mittler R (2002) Oxidative stress, antioxidants and stress tolerance. Trends Plant Sci 7(9):405–410

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moreira H, Pereira SI, Vega A, Castro PM, Marques AP (2020) Synergistic effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and plant growth-promoting bacteria benefit maize growth under increasing soil salinity. J Environ Manage 257:109982

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Noctor G, Foyer CH (1998) Ascorbate and glutathione: keeping active oxygen under control. Annu Rev Plant Biol 49(1):249–279

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pacioni G (1992) 16 wet-sieving and decanting techniques for the extraction of spores of vesicular-arbuscular fungi. Methods Microbiol 24:317–322

    Google Scholar 

  • Porcel R, Barea JM, Ruiz-Lozano JM (2003) Antioxidant activities in mycorrhizal soybean plants under drought stress and their possible relationship to the process of nodule senescence. New Phytol 157(1):135–143

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Quiroga G, Erice G, Ding L, Chaumont F, Aroca R, Ruiz-Lozano JM (2019) The arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis regulates aquaporins activity and improves root cell water permeability in maize plants subjected to water stress. Plant, Cell Environ 42(7):2274–2290

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Team R (2021) RStudio: integrated development for R. RStudio, PBC, Boston, MA. 2020

  • Reinhardt H, Hachez C, Bienert MD, Beebo A, Swarup K, Voß U, Bouhidel K, Frigerio L, Schjoerring JK, Bennett MJ (2016) Tonoplast aquaporins facilitate lateral root emergence. Plant Physiol 170(3):1640–1654

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Riaz M, Kamran M, Fang Y, Wang Q, Cao H, Yang G, Deng L, Wang Y, Zhou Y, Anastopoulos I (2021) Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi-induced mitigation of heavy metal phytotoxicity in metal contaminated soils: a critical review. J Hazard Mater 402:123919

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ruiz-Lozano JM, Aroca R (2017) Plant aquaporins and mycorrhizae: their regulation and involvement in plant physiology and performance. Plant Aquaporins: From Transport to Signaling, 333–353

  • Sachdev S, Ansari SA, Ansari MI, Fujita M, Hasanuzzaman M (2021) Abiotic stress and reactive oxygen species: generation, signaling, and defense mechanisms. Antioxidants 10(2):277

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Scoccianti V, Crinelli R, Tirillini B, Mancinelli V, Speranza A (2006) Uptake and toxicity of Cr(III) in celery seedlings. Chemosphere 64(10):1695–1703

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shahid M, Shamshad S, Rafiq M, Khalid S, Bibi I, Niazi NK, Dumat C, Rashid MI (2017) Chromium speciation, bioavailability, uptake, toxicity and detoxification in soil-plant system: a review. Chemosphere 178:513–533

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma A, Kapoor D, Wang J, Shahzad B, Kumar V, Bali AS, Jasrotia S, Zheng B, Yuan H, Yan D (2020) Chromium bioaccumulation and its impacts on plants: an overview. Plants 9(1):100

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shi Z, Zhang J, Wang F, Li K, Yuan W, Liu J (2018) Arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation increases molybdenum accumulation but decreases molybdenum toxicity in maize plants grown in polluted soil. RSC Adv 8(65):37069–37076

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Signorelli S, Tarkowski ŁP, O’Leary B, Tabares-da Rosa S, Borsani O, Monza J (2021) GABA and proline metabolism in response to stress. Hormones and Plant Response, 291–314.

  • Smith SE, Read DJ (2010) Mycorrhizal symbiosis. Academic press.

  • Tuteja N (2007) Abscisic acid and abiotic stress signaling. Plant Signal Behav 2(3):135–138

    Google Scholar 

  • Ukhurebor KE, Aigbe UO, Onyancha RB, Nwankwo W, Osibote OA, Paumo HK, Siloko IU (2021) Effect of hexavalent chromium on the environment and removal techniques: a review. J Environ Manag 280:111809

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ulhassan Z, Khan I, Hussain M, Khan AR, Hamid Y, Hussain S, Zhou W (2022) Efficacy of metallic nanoparticles in attenuating the accumulation and toxicity of chromium in plants: Current knowledge and future perspectives. Environ Pollut, 120390

  • Vázquez MD, Poschenrieder C, Barcelo J (1987) Chromium VI induced structural and ultrastructural changes in bush bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L). Annals Botany 59(4):427–438

    Google Scholar 

  • Vierheilig H, Coughlan AP, Wyss U, Piché Y (1998) Ink and vinegar, a simple staining technique for arbuscular-mycorrhizal fungi. Appl Environ Microbiol 64(12):5004–5007

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wadhwa N, Mathew BB, Jatawa S, Tiwari A (2012) Lipid peroxidation: mechanism, models and significance. Int J Curr Sci 3(1):29–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu Q, Zou Y (2009) Mycorrhizal influence on nutrient uptake of citrus exposed to drought stress. Phil Agri Sci 92(1):33–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu Q-S, Zou Y-N, He X-H (2010) Contributions of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to growth, photosynthesis, root morphology and ionic balance of citrus seedlings under salt stress. Acta Physiol Plant 32:297–304

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu Q-S, Srivastava AK, Zou Y-N (2013a) AMF-induced tolerance to drought stress in citrus: a review. Sci Hortic 164:77–87

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wu Q-S, Zou Y-N, Huang Y-M (2013b) The arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Diversispora spurca ameliorates effects of waterlogging on growth, root system architecture and antioxidant enzyme activities of citrus seedlings. Fungal Ecol 6(1):37–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu H-H, Zou Y-N, Rahman MM, Ni Q-D, Wu Q-S (2017) Mycorrhizas alter sucrose and proline metabolism in trifoliate orange exposed to drought stress. Sci Rep 7(1):42389

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wu Q-S, He J-D, Srivastava A, Zou Y-N, Kuča K (2019) Mycorrhizas enhance drought tolerance of citrus by altering root fatty acid compositions and their saturation levels. Tree Physiol 39(7):1149–1158

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xie M-M, Zou Y-N, Wu Q-S, Zhang Z-Z, Kuča K (2020) Single or dual inoculation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobia regulates plant growth and nitrogen acquisition in white clover. Plant Soil Environ 66(6):287–294

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang F, Wang P, Zou Y-N, Wu Q-S, Kuča K (2019) Effects of mycorrhizal fungi on root-hair growth and hormone levels of taproot and lateral roots in trifoliate orange under drought stress. Arch Agro Soil Sci 65(9):1316–1330

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zou Y-N, Liang Y-C, Wu Q-S (2013a) Mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal responses to salt stress in trifoliate orange: plant growth, root architecture and soluble sugar accumulation. Int J Agric Biol 15(3):565–569

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zou Y-N, Wu Q-S, Huang Y-M, Ni Q-D, He X-H (2013b) Mycorrhizal-mediated lower proline accumulation in Poncirus trifoliata under water deficit derives from the integration of inhibition of proline synthesis with increase of proline degradation. PLoS ONE 8(11):e80568

    Google Scholar 

  • Zou Y-N, Wu H-H, Giri B, Wu Q-S, Kuča K (2019) Mycorrhizal symbiosis down-regulates or does not change root aquaporin expression in trifoliate orange under drought stress. Plant Physiol Biochem 144:292–299

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zou Y-N, Zhang F, Srivastava AK, Wu Q-S, Kuča K (2021a) Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi regulate polyamine homeostasis in roots of trifoliate orange for improved adaptation to soil moisture deficit stress. Front Plant Sci 11:600792

    Google Scholar 

  • Zou YN, Wu QS, Kuča K (2021b) Unravelling the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in mitigating the oxidative burst of plants under drought stress. Plant Biol 23:50–57

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zulfiqar U, Haider FU, Ahmad M, Hussain S, Maqsood MF, Ishfaq M, Eldin SM (2023) Chromium toxicity, speciation, and remediation strategies in soil-plant interface: a critical review. Front Plant Sci 13:1081624

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This project was supported by Researchers Supporting Project number (RSP2024R230) King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Tariq Shah conceived and designed the experiment; Tariq Shah prepared the materials and data collection; M. Asad assisted in software and statistical analysis of the data; Zeeshan Khan wrote the first draft of the manuscript; Ayesha Imran assisted in the software used for graphical representation of data; S. Khan assisted in materials and reagents preparation; Tahani AA. assisted in review of manuscript and funding; Mohammad Javed Ansari assisted in review, editing, and approval of final version. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tariq Shah.

Ethics declarations

Ethical approval

Not applicable.

Consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Diane Purchase

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (DOCX 13 KB)

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Shah, T., Khan, Z., Alahmadi, T.A. et al. Mycorrhizosphere bacteria inhibit chromium uptake and phytotoxicity by regulating proline metabolism, antioxidant defense system, and aquaporin gene expression in tomato. Environ Sci Pollut Res 31, 24836–24850 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-024-32755-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-024-32755-7

Keywords

Navigation