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Cadmium Affects the Glutathione/Glutaredoxin System in Germinating Pea Seeds

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Abstract

The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of cadmium (Cd) on thiol and especially glutathione (GSH)-dependent reactions (glutathione content, glutaredoxin (Grx) content and activity, “glutathione” peroxidase (Gpx) activity, and glutathione reductase (GR) activity) in germinating pea seeds. Under Cd stress conditions, the overall activity as well as more specifically the expression of Grx C4 and Grx S12 increased. On the contrary, when incubated with Cd ions in vitro, the disulfide reductase activity of both isoforms was drastically inhibited. In the case of Grx C4, this correlated with the formation of protein dimers of 28 kDa as evidenced by electrophoresis analysis. Oxidative stress also affected the GSH status, since Cd treatment provoked (1) a pronounced stimulation in Gpx (a thioredoxin-dependent enzyme in plants) expression and (2) a drastic decrease in GR activity. These results are discussed in relation with the known contribution of Grx system to the thiol status during the germination of Cd-poisoned pea seeds.

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Abbreviations

Cd:

Cadmium

DTT:

Dithiothreitol

DW:

Dry weight

FW:

Fresh weight

GPX:

Glutathione peroxidase

GR:

Glutathione reductase

Grx:

Glutaredoxin

GSH:

Glutathione

HED:

Hydroxyethyl disulfide

β-MET:

β-Mercaptoethanol

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Acknowledgments

Financial support for this work was received from the Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Technology (99/UR/09-18) and INRA-Henri Poincaré University, French (grant to Moêz Smiri).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bio-Physiologie Cellulaires, Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, 7021, Zarzouna, Tunisia

    Moêz Smiri, Abdelilah Chaoui & Ezzedine El Ferjani

  2. Unité Mixte de Recherches, 1136 Interaction arbres-microorganismes INRA-Université Henri-Poincaré, IFR110, Faculté des Sciences, BP 239, 54506, Vandoeuvre, France

    Moêz Smiri, Nicolas Rouhier, Eric Gelhaye & Jean-Pierre Jacquot

Authors
  1. Moêz Smiri
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  2. Abdelilah Chaoui
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  3. Nicolas Rouhier
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  4. Eric Gelhaye
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  5. Jean-Pierre Jacquot
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  6. Ezzedine El Ferjani
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Correspondence to Ezzedine El Ferjani.

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Smiri, M., Chaoui, A., Rouhier, N. et al. Cadmium Affects the Glutathione/Glutaredoxin System in Germinating Pea Seeds. Biol Trace Elem Res 142, 93–105 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-010-8749-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-010-8749-3

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