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Heat shock-induced ascorbic acid accumulation in leaves increases cadmium tolerance of rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings

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Abstract

Ascorbic acid (AsA) is the most abundant antioxidant in plants and plays a role in responding to oxidative stress. It has been shown that AsA plays a role in protecting against abiotic stresses. Rice seedlings stressed with 5 μM CdCl2 showed typical Cd toxicity (chlorosis and increase in malondialdehyde content). Rice seedlings pretreated with heat shock at 45°C (HS) or H2O2 under non-HS conditions resulted in the increase in ascorbic acid (AsA) content and the AsA/dehydroascorbate ratio in rice leaves. Exogenous application of AsA or L-galactonone-1, 4-lactone (GalL), a biosynthetic precursor of AsA, under non-HS conditions, which resulted in an increase in AsA content in leaves, enhanced subsequent Cd tolerance of rice seedlings. Pretreatment with imidazole, an inhibitor of NADPH oxidase, under HS conditions significantly decreased H2O2 and AsA contents in leaves and reduced subsequent Cd tolerance of rice seedlings. We also observed that pretreatment with lycorine, which is known to inhibit the conversion of GalL to AsA, significantly inhibited HS-induced AsA accumulation in leaves and reduced HS-induced protection against subsequent Cd stress of rice stress. It appears that HS- or H2O2-induced protection against subsequent Cd stress of rice seedlings is mediated through AsA. The time-course analyses of HS in rice seedlings demonstrated that the accumulation of H2O2 preceded the increase in AsA. Based on the data obtained in this study, it could be concluded that the early accumulation of H2O2 during HS signals the increase in AsA content, which in turn protects rice seedlings from oxidative damage caused by Cd.

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Abbreviations

AsA:

Ascorbic acid

APX:

Ascorbate peroxidase

DHA:

Dehydroascorbate

FW:

Initial fresh weight

GalL:

L-Galactone-1, 4-lactone

GR:

Glutathione reductase

GSH:

Reduced glutathione

HS:

Heat shcok

IMD:

Imidazole

MDA:

Malondialdehyde

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Science Council of the Republic of China (NSC 97-2313-B002-021).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agronomy, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Yun-Yang Chao & Ching Huei Kao

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  1. Yun-Yang Chao
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  2. Ching Huei Kao
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Correspondence to Ching Huei Kao.

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Responsible Editor: Juan Barcelo.

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Chao, YY., Kao, C.H. Heat shock-induced ascorbic acid accumulation in leaves increases cadmium tolerance of rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings. Plant Soil 336, 39–48 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-010-0438-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-010-0438-7

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