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Modulation of Exogenous Glutathione in Ultrastructure and Photosynthetic Performance Against Cd Stress in the Two Barley Genotypes Differing in Cd Tolerance

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Abstract

Greenhouse hydroponic experiments were conducted using Cd-sensitive (Dong 17) and tolerant (Weisuobuzhi) barley genotypes to evaluate genotypic differences in response of photosynthesis and ultrastructure to Cd toxicity in the presence of exogenous glutathione (GSH). Addition of 20 mg L−1 GSH in 5 μM Cd culture medium (Cd + GSH) significantly alleviated Cd-induced growth inhibition and reduced Cd concentration in leaves and roots especially in the sensitive genotype Dong 17. Exogenous GSH greatly ameliorated Cd-induced damages on leaf/root ultrastructure, e.g., compared with Cd alone treatment, chloroplasts in plants treated with Cd + GSH become better or in relatively normal shape with well-structured thylakoid membranes and parallel pattern of lamellae and unfolded more starch grains but less osmiophilic plastoglobuli; nuclei of root cells were better formed and chromatin distributed more uniformly in both genotypes, and number of plastids and mitochondria cristae in Dong 17 resumed to control level. The examination of photosynthetic performance revealed GSH dramatically increased net photosynthetic rate (P n), stomatal conductance (G s), and transpiration rate (T r) in the both genotypes and strongly stimulated Cd-induced decrease in the maximal photochemical efficiency (F v/F m) especially in the sensitive genotype.

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Abbreviations

Cd:

Cadmium

CW:

Cell wall

E:

Endoplasmic reticulum

GL:

Granum lamellae

G s :

Stomatal conductance

GSH:

Glutathione

M:

Mitochondrion

N:

Nucleus

NL:

Nucleolus

Os:

Osmiophilic plastolobuli

P:

Plastid

PC:

Phytochelatin

P n :

Net photosynthetic rate

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

SG:

Starch grain

SL:

Stroma lamellae

T r :

Transpiration rate

V:

Vacuole

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (30571097, 31071365) and the Special Foundation for the Author of National Excellent Doctoral Dissertation of PR China (200556).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, People’s Republic of China

    Fang Wang, Fei Chen, Yue Cai, Guoping Zhang & Feibo Wu

  2. Institute of Crop Science and Nuclear Technique Application, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, People’s Republic of China

    Fei Chen

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  1. Fang Wang
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  2. Fei Chen
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  4. Guoping Zhang
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  5. Feibo Wu
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Correspondence to Feibo Wu.

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Wang, F., Chen, F., Cai, Y. et al. Modulation of Exogenous Glutathione in Ultrastructure and Photosynthetic Performance Against Cd Stress in the Two Barley Genotypes Differing in Cd Tolerance. Biol Trace Elem Res 144, 1275–1288 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-011-9121-y

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