Influence of acute cadmium exposure on the liver proteome of a teleost fish,ayu (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Plecoglossus altivelis</Emphasis>)

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal that causes the disruption of a variety of physiological processes. In this study, the effect of Cd on liver proteome of ayu, Plecoglossus altivelis, was investigated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF–MS/MS). Twenty-three altered protein spots were successfully identified. They were involved in oxidative stress response, metal metabolism, methylation, and so on. The mRNA expression of 60S acidic ribosomal protein P0, heat shock protein 70, apolipoprotein A-I, betaine-homocysteine S-methyltransferase, parahox cluster neighbor, and transferrin was subsequently determined by real-time PCR. The mRNA expression of these genes was consistent with proteomic results. These findings enrich our knowledge on the influence of Cd toxicity to teleost fish, and may be worthy of further investigation to develop biomarkers.     

Mutants impaired in vacuolar metal mobilization identify chloroplasts as a target for cadmium hypersensitivity in Arabidopsis thaliana

Cadmium (Cd) is highly toxic to plants causing growth reduction and chlorosis. It binds thiols and competes with essential transition metals. It affects major biochemical processes such as photosynthesis and the redox balance, but the connection between cadmium effects at the biochemical level and its deleterious effect on growth has seldom been established. In this study, two Cd hypersensitive mutants, cad1‐3 impaired in phytochelatin synthase (PCS1), and nramp3nramp4 impaired in release of vacuolar metal stores, have been compared. The analysis combines genetics with measurements of photosynthetic and antioxidant functions. Loss of AtNRAMP3 and AtNRAMP4 function or of PCS1 function leads to comparable Cd sensitivity. Root Cd hypersensitivities conferred by cad1‐3 and nramp3nramp4 are cumulative. The two mutants contrast in their tolerance to oxidative stress. In nramp3nramp4, the photosynthetic apparatus is severely affected by Cd, whereas it is much less affected in cad1‐3. In agreement with chloroplast being a prime target for Cd toxicity in nramp3nramp4, the Cd hypersensitivity of this mutant is alleviated in the dark. The Cd hypersensitivity of nramp3nramp4 mutant highlights the critical role of vacuolar metal stores to supply essential metals to plastids and maintain photosynthetic function under Cd and oxidative stresses.     

Effects of nitrogen on the activity of antioxidant enzymes and gene expression in leaves of Populus plants subjected to cadmium stress

The research aimed to verify the important physiological effect of nitrogen (N) on plants exposed to cadmium (Cd). The poplar plants were grown in a Hoagland nutrient solution and treated with extra N, Cd, and N + Cd. After treatment, plant growth and chlorophyll content were recorded. The oxidative stress, the activity of antioxidant enzymes, and the expression of related genes were also examined. The results indicated the plants treated with sole Cd presented obvious toxicity symptoms, i.e. growth inhibition, reactive oxygen species accumulation, and chlorophyll content decrement. However, when N was added to the plants under Cd stress, plant growth was enhanced, chlorophyll synthesis was promoted, and the oxidative stress was alleviated. Further, the expression of antioxidant enzymes genes was upregulated by N. The results indicated that N partially reversed the toxic effect of Cd on poplar plants, which can provide new methodology to enhance the phytoremediation technology for heavy metal pollution soil.     

Expression of aluminum-induced genes in transgenic arabidopsis plants can ameliorate aluminum stress and/or oxidative stress

To examine the biological role of Al-stress-induced genes, nine genes derived from Arabidopsis, tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) were expressed in Arabidopsis ecotype Landsberg. Lines containing eight of these genes were phenotypically normal and were tested in root elongation assays for their sensitivity to Al, Cd, Cu, Na, Zn, and to oxidative stresses. An Arabidopsis blue-copper-binding protein gene (AtBCB), a tobacco glutathione S-transferase gene (parB), a tobacco peroxidase gene (NtPox), and a tobacco GDP-dissociation inhibitor gene (NtGDI1) conferred a degree of resistance to Al. Two of these genes, AtBCB and parB, and a peroxidase gene from Arabidopsis (AtPox) also showed increased resistance to oxidative stress induced by diamide, while parB conferred resistance to Cu and Na. Al content of Al-treated root tips was reduced in the four Al-resistant plant lines compared with wild-type Ler-0, as judged by morin staining. All four Al-resistant lines also showed reduced staining of roots with 2',7'-dichloro fluorescein diacetate (H(2)DCFDA), an indicator of oxidative stress. We conclude that Al-induced genes can serve to protect against Al toxicity, and also provide genetic evidence for a link between Al stress and oxidative stress in plants.     

Proteomics reveals new insights into the role of light in cadmium response in Arabidopsis cell suspension cultures

Light plays an important role in plant growth, development, and response to environmental stresses. To investigate the effects of light on the plant responses to cadmium (Cd) stress, we performed a comparative physiological and proteomic analysis of light‐ and dark‐grown Arabidopsis cells after exposure to Cd. Treatment with different concentrations of Cd resulted in stress‐related phenotypes such as cell growth inhibition and decline of cell viability. Notably, light‐grown cells were more sensitive to heavy metal toxicity than dark‐grown cells, and the basis for this appears to be the elevated Cd accumulation, which is twice as much under light than dark growth conditions. Protein profiles analyzed by 2D DIGE revealed a total of 162 protein spots significantly changing in abundance in response to Cd under at least one of these two growing conditions. One hundred and ten of these differentially expressed protein spots were positively identified by MS/MS and they are involved in multiple cellular responses and metabolic pathways. Sulfur metabolism‐related proteins increased in relative abundance both in light‐ and dark‐grown cells after exposure to Cd. Proteins involved in carbohydrate metabolism, redox homeostasis, and anti‐oxidative processes were decreased both in light‐ and dark‐grown cells, with the decrease being lower in the latter case. Remarkably, proteins associated with cell wall biosynthesis, protein folding, and degradation showed a light‐dependent response to Cd stress, with the expression level increased in darkness but suppressed in light. The possible biological importance of these changes is discussed.     

镉（Cd）胁迫下蓖麻蛋白质组学筛查及RcBSK7抗性功能研究

为揭示蓖麻(Ricinus communis)植株响应重金属镉(Cd)胁迫相关机制,筛选出蓖麻中参与Cd胁迫的抗性基因。本研究通过观察种子发芽及植株生长状态,最终确定以水处理的蓖麻植株为对照,研究其在3种剂量(300、700、1 000 mg·L^-1)Cd胁迫处理下的反应机制,以期为揭示蓖麻响应Cd胁迫的防御和解毒机制提供新思路。利用差异蛋白质组学分析蓖麻在Cd胁迫下的网络调控机制,即随着Cd胁迫浓度的增加,蓖麻植株分别通过阻隔根系对重金属Cd的吸收、提高自身抗氧化能力、抑制Cd²⁺运转以及诱导细胞程序性死亡等防御解毒过程以抵抗Cd胁迫损伤。根据组学分析结果筛选出差异显著基因RcBSK7,通过在拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)中进行功能验证可知,该基因对提高蓖麻对Cd耐受性具有重要的作用。本研究增强了对蓖麻植株在3种Cd胁迫下多样性和复杂性的认识,为耐Cd基因鉴定和土壤中重金属污染修复提供了有价值的理论依据。     

Effect of mycorrhizal inoculations on heavy metal uptake and stress alleviation of Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. genotypes grown in cadmium and lead contaminated soils

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi on metal uptake, oxidative effects and antioxidant defence mechanisms under cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) stresses in Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (pigeonpea). Treatments consisted of two concentrations each of Cd (25 and 50 mg/kg of soil) and Pb (500 and 800 mg/kg of soil) singly as well as in combination. Both metals induced oxidative damage through increased lipid peroxidation, electrolyte leakage and hydrogen peroxide levels, but Cd was found to be more toxic than Pb. Compared with the effects of Cd or Pb alone, the combination of Cd and Pb acted synergistically; however, Pb immobilisation in soil controlled the uptake of Cd in plants. There was a direct correlation between the type of genotype, heavy metal content and oxidative damage in concentration dependent manner. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POX) increased under stress. The toxicity symptoms of the metal stress were significantly higher in Sel-141-97 genotype when compared with Sel-85 N. The high ratio of glutathione to its oxidised form, glutathione disulfide (GSH/GSSG), could be restored by means of higher glutathione reductase (GR) activity and increased GSH synthesis in mycorrhizal stressed plants. AM inoculations with Glomus mosseae significantly arrested uptake of Cd and Pb into the root system and further translocation into the above ground parts and led to decreased lipid peroxidation and electrolyte leakage. Increased activities of SOD, CAT, POX as well as GR were observed in all mycorrhizal stressed plants.     

植物镉忍耐的分子机理

Cd是植物非必需的微量元素,对植物有很强的毒性.Cd抑制植物细胞生长,抑制氧化磷酸化,引发氧化胁迫,影响光合作用,损伤核仁和影响质膜ATP酶的活力.一些耐Cd植物通过诱导形成螯合肽、金属硫蛋白、植物应激蛋白等抵御Cd毒,也有的耐Cd植物则通过细胞壁固定、液泡分隔、腺体分泌等途径来抵御Cd毒.植物螯合肽合成酶(PCS)相关的一些基因已得到克隆.金属硫蛋白(MT)的克隆基因导入植物,使植物对Cd毒的抗性增加;植物胁迫蛋白可提高植物对Cd毒的抗性,Zn转运蛋白可运转Cd.修饰基因则通过影响主要基因提高植物对Cd的忍耐能力.野生型植物耐Cd毒是多基因控制的,而植物短期的Cd忍耐,则仅受一个或少数基因控制.     

Cadmium lets increase the glutathione pool in bryophytes

Glutathione (GSH) plays an important role in protecting plants from environmental stresses like oxidative stress and xenobiotics. Glutathione-derived peptides are involved in heavy metal detoxification in plants and fungi. Terrestrial and aquatic bryophytes were investigated for their biochemical response to heavy metals. The GSH pool increased significantly in the first two days after supply of 100 μmol/L Cd(II). PCs were not detected. Cd(II) also induced the enhancement of the GSH pool in the water moss Fontinalis antipyretica. Cysteine and γ-glutamyl-cysteine also increased during Cd(II) treatment, but remained on a lower level. Uptake experiments with Cd(II) showed a fast regulation of equilibrium between the Cd(II) content of the medium and the plant surface, followed by a slow migration of Cd(II) to intracellular sites. The main storage compartment of heavy metals in Fontinalis are the vacuoles, where they are precipitated as phosphates. In the cytoplasm, the S-content increased during Cd(II) exposition. EEL-spectra indicate that in the cytoplasm, Cd(II) is chelated by SH-groups. All findings support the idea that in the investigated moss species, GSH plays an essential role in heavy metal detoxification during the transport of the metals through the cytoplasm.     

Aluminum Induces Oxidative Stress Genes in Arabidopsis thaliana

Changes in gene expression induced by toxic levels of Al were characterized to investigate the nature of Al stress. A cDNA library was constructed from Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings treated with Al for 2 h. We identified five cDNA clones that showed a transient induction of their mRNA levels, four cDNA clones that showed a longer induction period, and two down-regulated genes. Expression of the four long-term-induced genes remained at elevated levels for at least 48 h. The genes encoded peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase, blue copper-binding protein, and a protein homologous to the reticuline:oxygen oxidoreductase enzyme. Three of these genes are known to be induced by oxidative stresses and the fourth is induced by pathogen treatment. Another oxidative stress gene, superoxide dismutase, and a gene for Bowman-Birk protease inhibitor were also induced by Al in A. thaliana. These results suggested that Al treatment of Arabidopsis induces oxidative stress. In confirmation of this hypothesis, three of four genes induced by Al stress in A. thaliana were also shown to be induced by ozone. Our results demonstrate that oxidative stress is an important component of the plant's reaction to toxic levels of Al.