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Glutathione and citric acid modulates lead- and arsenic-induced phytotoxicity and genotoxicity responses in two cultivars of Solanum lycopersicum L.

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Abstract

This study was conducted through the pot experiments to understand the mechanism of lead (Pb) and arsenic (As)-induced phytotoxicity and their possible alleviation by glutathione (GSH) and citric acid (CA) in two cultivars of Solanum lycopersicum L., i.e., Pusa ruby (PR) and Arka vikas (S22). Therefore, tomato seedlings were germinated in soil-rite supplemented with seven treatments, i.e., control, 10 µM Pb, 10 µM As, 10 µM Pb + 250 µM GSH, 10 µM As + 250 µM GSH, 10 µM Pb + 250 µM CA and 10 µM As + 250 µM CA for 7 days and examined for growth parameters, lipid peroxidation, photosynthetic pigments and antioxidative mechanism. Results of our study showed that Pb and As alone decrease seed germination, growth parameter, chlorophylls and increase anthocyanins and lipid peroxidation in both the cultivars. Pb- and As-induced oxidative stress resulted into significant changes in the plant responses that attributed by increased activity of antioxidative enzymes and non-enzymatic antioxidants. GSH and CA showed potential to alleviate Pb- or As-induced phytotoxicity and strengthen the plant antioxidative machinery and structural integrity. Cultivar PR showed better response than cv. S22. Pb and As treatment caused significant damages to the DNA molecules and structural integrity of the cv. PR roots. These findings can be useful for understanding the Pb- and As-induced phytotoxic biomarkers along with GSH- and CA-mediated alleviation mechanisms, which will provide new insight in developing better system for phytoremediation technology.

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Abbreviations

APX:

Ascorbate peroxidase

As:

Arsenic

CAT:

Catalase

cv.:

Cultivar

GR:

Glutathione reductase

GSSG:

Glutathione oxidized form

GSH:

Glutathione reduced form

HM:

Heavy metals

Pb:

Lead

PCs:

Phytochelatins

POD:

Peroxidase

PR:

Pusa ruby

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

SEM:

Scanning electron microscope

S22:

Arka vikas

TCA:

Tricarboxylic acid

TBA:

Thiobarbituric acid

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Acknowledgements

AK gratefully acknowledges Dr. D.S. Kothari Postdoctoral Fellowship [Grant No. F.4-2/2006 (BSR)/13-1058/2013 (BSR)] through University Grant Commission, New Delhi, India for financial assistance. This study is part of the M.Phil. thesis of LP.

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  1. Department of Botany, University of Delhi, North Campus, Delhi, 110007, India

    Abhay Kumar, Lalita Pal & Veena Agrawal

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  1. Abhay Kumar
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  2. Lalita Pal
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  3. Veena Agrawal
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Correspondence to Veena Agrawal.

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Communicated by N. A. Anjum.

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Kumar, A., Pal, L. & Agrawal, V. Glutathione and citric acid modulates lead- and arsenic-induced phytotoxicity and genotoxicity responses in two cultivars of Solanum lycopersicum L.. Acta Physiol Plant 39, 151 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-017-2448-z

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