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UV-B radiation and cadmium induced changes in growth, photosynthesis, and antioxidant enzymes of cyanobacterium Plectonema boryanum

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Biologia Plantarum

Abstract

UV-B (0.4 W m−2) irradiation and cadmium (2 and 8 μM) treatments separately inhibited the survival, growth, pigment content, and photosynthetic electron transport in Plectonema boryanum. Phycocyanin was the main target to UV-B and Cd and it was followed by chlorophyll a and carotenoids. UV-B and Cd caused strong inhibition on activities of photosystem 2 (PS2) and the whole electron transport chain, whereas photosystem 1 (PS1) was the least affected. UV-B and Cd treatment accelerated respiration, lipid peroxidation, and the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase. However, enhancement in catalase activity was considerably less (5 − 50 %) as compared to SOD activity. As compared to individual treatment, the effect of their combination (UV-B + Cd) was more detrimental to the above parameters. A synergistic interaction of UV-B and Cd is probably due to increased cadmium uptake as a result of increased membrane permeability caused by lipid peroxidation in P. boryanum after UV-B exposure.

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Abbreviations

ASC:

ascorbate

Car:

carotenoids

Chl:

chlorophyll

DCMU:

3-(3′-4′-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethyl urea

DCPIP:

2,6-dichlorophenol indophenol

MDA:

malondialdehyde

MV:

methyl viologen

pBQ:

p-benzoquinone

PC:

phycocyanin

PS:

photosystem

UV-B:

ultraviolet radiation (280–315 nm)

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  1. Ranjan Physiology and Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Allahabad, 211002, Allahabad, India

    S. M. Prasad & M. Zeeshan

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  1. S. M. Prasad
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  2. M. Zeeshan
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Correspondence to S. M. Prasad.

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Prasad, S.M., Zeeshan, M. UV-B radiation and cadmium induced changes in growth, photosynthesis, and antioxidant enzymes of cyanobacterium Plectonema boryanum . Biol Plant 49, 229–236 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-005-0236-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10535-005-0236-x

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