N-acetyl-cysteine alleviates Cd toxicity and reduces Cd uptake in the two barley genotypes differing in Cd tolerance

A hydroponic experiment was carried out to study the physiological mechanisms of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) in mitigating cadmium (Cd) toxicity in two barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) genotypes, Dong 17 (Cd-sensitive) and Weisuobuzhi (Cd-tolerant). Addition of 200 μM NAC to a culture medium containing 5 μM Cd (Cd + NAC) markedly alleviated Cd-induced growth inhibition and toxicity, maintained root cell viability, and dramatically depressed O ₂ ^·? and ·OH, and malondialdehyde accumulation, significantly reduced Cd concentration in leaves and roots, especially in the sensitive genotype Dong 17. External NAC counteracted Cd-induced alterations of certain antioxidant enzymes, e.g., brought root superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase, leaf/root peroxidase and glutathione peroxidase activities of the both genotypes down towards the control level, but elevated Cd-stress-depressed leaf catalase in Dong 17 and root ascorbate peroxidase activities in both genotypes. NAC counteracted Cd-induced alterations in amino acids and microelement contents. Furthermore, NAC significantly reduced Cd-induced damage to leaf/root ultrastructure, e.g. the shape of chloroplasts in plants treated with Cd + NAC was relatively normal with well-structured thylakoid membranes and parallel pattern of lamellae but less osmiophilic plastoglobuli compared with Cd alone treatment; nuclei of root cells were better formed and chromatin distributed more uniformly in both genotypes. These results suggested that under Cd stress, NAC may protects barley seedlings against Cd-induced damage by directly and indirectly scavenging reactive oxygen species and by maintaining stability and integrity of the subcellular structure.     

Responses of non-protein thiols to Cd exposure in Cd hyperaccumulator Arabis paniculata Franch

We investigated the responses of phytochelatins (PCs), glutathione (GSH) and other non-protein thiols in Cd hyperaccumulator Arabis paniculata after Cd exposure. Applying γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γ-ECS) inhibitor, l-buthionine-sulfoximine (BSO), the roles of PCs in Cd tolerance and Cd accumulation in A. paniculata were evaluated. Plants were exposed to four Cd concentrations (0, 50, 100 and 250 μM) for different times (2w or 3w) with and without BSO. Overall, Cd exposure had little impact on plant biomass after 2w or 3w of growth except at the highest Cd level. A. paniculata tolerated ≤100 μM Cd with up to 1127 mg kg^?1 Cd in the shoots and 5624 mg kg^?1 Cd in the roots after 3w of Cd exposure. Cd exposure induced formation of PCs and three unknown thiols in the roots, but none were detected in the shoots. BSO had no significant effect on Cd sensitivity in plants though it reduced Cd accumulation in the roots. In addition, the molar ratio of PCs:Cd, which ranged from 0.7 to 1.3 after exposing to 50–100 μM Cd without BSO in the roots, was close to the value expected for PC-mediated Cd sequestration in plants. Those data indicate that GSH and PCs did not contribute to Cd tolerance in the shoots and Cd transport from the root to shoot in A. paniculata, but they may play an important role in Cd accumulation and Cd complexation in the roots of A. paniculata.     

Physiological responses to Cd and Zn in two Cd/Zn hyperaccumulating Thlaspi species

In a model hyperaccumulation study a Cd/Zn hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens accession Ganges and a recently reported Cd/Zn hyperaccumulator Thlaspi praecox grown in increasing Cd and Zn concentrations in the substrate and in field collected polluted soil were compared. Plant biomass, concentrations of Cd and Zn, total chlorophylls and anthocyanins, antioxidative stress parameters and activities of selected antioxidative enzymes were compared. Increasing Cd, but not Zn in the substrate resulted in the increase of biomass of roots and shoots of T. praecox and T. caerulescens. The two species hyperaccumulated Cd in the shoots to a similar extent, whereas T. caerulescens accumulated more Zn in the shoots than T. praecox. Cadmium amendment decreased total chlorophyll concentration and glutathione reductase activity, and increased non-protein thiols concentration only in T. praecox, suggesting that it is less tolerant to Cd than T. caerulescens. In the field-contaminated soil, T. caerulescens accumulated higher Cd concentrations; but as T. praecox produced higher biomass, both species have similar ability to extract Cd.     

Cd、Cr（Ⅵ）单一及复合污染对菹草叶绿素含量和抗气体酶系统的影响

主要研究了Cd、Cr(Ⅵ）单一及复合污染对菹草叶绿素含量和抗氧化酶系统的影响,研究结果表明：随Cd、Cr(Ⅵ）腔迫浓度的增加,菹草总叶绿素含量下降,单一Cd处理SOD活性下降,POD和CAT活性表现出先升后降的趋势,Cd、Cr(Ⅵ）复合污染的效应明显大于单一污染的效应。     

Estimation of Dietary Pb and Cd Intake from Pb and Cd in Blood or Urine

Successful trials were made to estimate the dietary daily intake of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) via foods from the levels of the metals in blood or urine. In practice, 14 and 15 reports were available for Pb and Cd in blood (Pb-B and Cd-B), urine (Pb-U and Cd-U) and 24-h diet duplicates (Pb-D and Cd-D), respectively, from which 68 pairs each of Pb or Cd in blood and food duplicates [each being geometric mean (GM) values for the survey sites] were obtained. Regression analysis revealed that there was a significant correlation between Pb-B and Pb-D, and also between Cd-B and Cd-D, suggesting that it should be possible to estimate both Pb-D and Cd-D from Pb-B and Cd-B, respectively. For Cd-U, the number of available cases was limited (20 pairs), but a significant correlation was detected between Cd-U (as Cd-U_cr, or Cd levels in urine as corrected for creatinine concentration) and Cd-D. Care should be taken in estimating Pb-D from Pb-B, as the ratio of Pb-D over Pb-B may decrease as a function of increasing Pb-B levels. The Pb-D (μg/day) for typical Japanese women with Pb-B of 15 μg/l was best estimated to be 13.5 μg/day. No Cd-B- or Cd-U_cr-dependent change was detected in case of Cd. The best estimate of Cd-D for Cd-B at 1.5 μg/l should be about 19.4 μg/day.     

不同镉水平下小麦对镉及矿质养分吸收和积累的品种间差异

土壤Cd污染不仅影响作物的生长发育和产量形成,也对食物安全产生了潜在威胁,本试验以苗期生长特性有明显差异的2个小麦品种为供试材料,设置0、0．03、0．1、0．3和1．0mg.kg^-1Cd等5种处理水平,研究不同Cd水平下两品种的生长和Cd及矿质养分吸收,结果表明,低浓度Cd（0.03mg.kg^-1)对两品种的生长和干物质积累有明显的促进作用,而高浓度Cd（＞0.3mg.kg^-1)则显著抑制生长,且受抑制程度与品种有关,甘谷534的耐性相对较强;地上部和根系的Cd含量,Cd处理水平与品种之间存在着显著的互作,低Cd水平下（＜0.1mg.kg^-1),甘谷534的Cd含量较高,而高Cd水平下,则以鄂81513的Cd含量较高;Cd处理显著影响矿质养分的吸收,鄂81513在0.1mg.kg^-1Cd水平下5种大量元素含量明显低于对照,而甘谷534变化相对较小,这与两品种生长和分蘖对Cd处理的反应表现一致。     

基于转移方程的蔬菜镉累积预测和土壤风险阈值推导

重金属镉(Cd)在土壤-蔬菜系统中转移方程的建立是农田Cd污染控制和风险评估的关键.本研究通过调查湖南省攸县745个土壤-蔬菜样品Cd含量,应用转移方程、敏感性分布曲线(SSD)和多元回归方法分析不同类别蔬菜Cd累积特征和影响因素,预测不同土壤条件下蔬菜Cd含量并推导相应土壤Cd风险阈值.结果表明: 叶菜对Cd胁迫较根菜敏感;土壤pH、土壤总Cd和土壤有机质(SOM)是影响蔬菜Cd富集的3个主要因子;转移方程对叶菜和根菜的解释程度分别为54.2%和69.1%.土壤Cd风险阈值随土壤pH和SOM的增加而增加,根菜在严重酸化土壤区Cd累积风险较高.当前国家土壤环境质量标准对于严重酸化、有机质含量较低的土壤过于宽泛.     

Tissue cadmium (Cd) concentrations of people living in a Cd polluted area, Japan

There are more than 50 cadmium (Cd) polluted areas in Japan. The severest general environmental Cd polluted area in Japan was the Jinzu River basin in Toyama Prefecture where Itai-itai disease had been endemic. The present study aimed to compare organ Cd concentrations of inhabitants who had been exposed to different levels of environmental Cd and to clarify the health effects of the environmental Cd exposure in Japan. Since 1960 we have measured tissue Cd concentrations of inhabitants with a history of living in a different Cd polluted areas. Study population living in Cd polluted areas were 36 (1 male, 35 females) patients with Itai-itai disease, 20 (7 males, 13 females) subjects suspected of having Itai-itai disease, 8 (2 males, 6 females) inhabitants in Cd polluted areas other than the Jinzu River basin. Subjects who had lived in Cd non-polluted area were 72 inhabitants. Cd concentrations in liver, pancreas and thyroid of those living in Cd polluted areas were as high as those of patients with Itai-itai disease, and their Cd concentrations in renal cortex were as low as those of patients with Itai-itai disease. The present study demonstrated that tissue Cd concentrations of some inhabitants in Cd polluted areas other than Jinzu River basin are equal to those of the patients with Itai-itai disease and that patients with Itai-itai disease were present even in these areas.     

113Cd nuclear magnetic resonance of Cd(II) alkaline phosphatases

113Cd NMR spectra of 113Cd(II)-substituted Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase have been recorded over a range of pH values, levels of metal site occupancy, and states of phosphorylation. Under all conditions resonances attributable to cadmium specifically bound at one or more of the three pairs of metal-binding sites (A, B, and C sites) are detected. By following changes in both the 113Cd and 31P NMR spectra of 113Cd(II)2 alkaline phosphatase during and after phosphorylation, it has been possible to assign the cadmium resonance that occurs between 140 and 170 ppm to Cd(II) bound to the A or catalytic site of the enzyme and the resonance occurring between 51 and 76 ppm to Cd(II) bound to B site, which from x-ray data is located 3.9 A from the A site. The kinetics of phosphorylation show that cadmium migration from the A site of one subunit to the B site of the second subunit follows and is a consequence of phosphate binding, thus precluding the migration as a sufficient explanation for half-of-the-sites reactivity. Rather, there is evidence for subunit-subunit interaction rendering the phosphate binding sites inequivalent. Although one metal ion, at A site, is sufficient for phosphate binding and phosphorylation, the presence of a second metal ion at B site greatly enhances the rate of phosphorylation. In the absence of phosphate, occupation of the lower affinity B and C sites produces exchange broadening of the cadmium resonances. Phosphorylation abolishes this exchange modulation. Magnesium at high concentration broadens the resonances to the point of undetectability. The chemical shift of 113Cd(II) in both A and B sites (but not C site) is different depending on the state of the bound phosphate (whether covalently or noncovalently bound) and gives separate resonances for each form. Care must be taken in attributing the initial distribution of cadmium or phosphate in the reconstituted enzyme to that of the equilibrium species in samples reconstituted from apoenzyme. Both 113Cd NMR and 31P NMR show that some conformational changes consequent to metal ion or phosphate binding require several days before the final equilibrium species is formed.     

Physiological responses to Cd and Zn in two Cd/Zn hyperaccumulating Thlaspi species

In a model hyperaccumulation study a Cd/Zn hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens accession Ganges and a recently reported Cd/Zn hyperaccumulator Thlaspi praecox grown in increasing Cd and Zn concentrations in the substrate and in field collected polluted soil were compared. Plant biomass, concentrations of Cd and Zn, total chlorophylls and anthocyanins, antioxidative stress parameters and activities of selected antioxidative enzymes were compared. Increasing Cd, but not Zn in the substrate resulted in the increase of biomass of roots and shoots of T. praecox and T. caerulescens. The two species hyperaccumulated Cd in the shoots to a similar extent, whereas T. caerulescens accumulated more Zn in the shoots than T. praecox. Cadmium amendment decreased total chlorophyll concentration and glutathione reductase activity, and increased non-protein thiols concentration only in T. praecox, suggesting that it is less tolerant to Cd than T. caerulescens. In the field-contaminated soil, T. caerulescens accumulated higher Cd concentrations; but as T. praecox produced higher biomass, both species have similar ability to extract Cd.     

美人蕉对镉的胁迫反应及积累特性

美人蕉(Canna indica)是我国城区普遍栽植兼具绿化、观赏和净化环境等重要价值的地被植物。为研究美人蕉对Cd的胁迫反应及积累特性, 使用盆栽方法对美人蕉进行不同含量水平Cd处理, 测定其生长过程中部分形态、生态、生理指标的变化和收获后体内Cd含量。结果表明, Cd含量小于1 mg·kg^-1时对美人蕉生长影响不大, 大于5 mg·kg^-1时抑制美人蕉生长。Cd含量小于5 mg·kg^-1时延长了美人蕉的花期。随着Cd含量的增大, 美人蕉根系活力、叶绿素含量和含水量逐渐降低, 可溶性糖含量先升高后降低, 游离脯氨酸含量和细胞膜透性逐渐升高。Cd在美人蕉体内的分布为根系>地上部分, 随着Cd含量的增大, 美人蕉根系和地上部分Cd含量逐渐升高、富集系数和转运系数逐渐降低; Cd含量为20 mg·kg^-1时美人蕉对Cd的积累量最大, 为5.89 mg·株^-1。综合分析美人蕉的生长、生理生态变化及富集Cd的能力, 美人蕉适于土壤Cd含量小于1 mg·kg^-1条件下的园林应用。     

四种抗寒花卉对镉的生理响应和富集特征

以矮型四季菊、羽扇豆、欧报春和虞美人等冬春季常见花卉为试验材料,通过盆栽试验,研究了不同浓度Cd处理下4种花卉对Cd的生理响应和富集特征,探讨利用这4种花卉在冬春季寒冷时期修复Cd污染土壤的可行性,为提高植物修复技术的效率提供参考.结果 表明:(1)在所有Cd处理下,羽扇豆各部位生物量与对照均无差异;欧报春仅根系生物量...     

Cadmium-Resistance Plasmid Affected Cd+2 Uptake More Than Cd+2 Adsorption in Klebsiella oxytoca

A bacterial strain was isolated from Petra City Wastewater Treatment Plant. This isolate was identified as Klebsiella oxytoca based on 16S rDNA analysis. A single plasmid (> 23 kb) was detected in this strain and transformed into Esherichia coli JM83. The transformed E. coli cells exhibited elevated resistance to cadmium as compared to parental plasmid-free cells. The sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-treated cells showed higher efficiency in plasmid curing than the ethidium bromide–treated cells. The ethidium bromide–cured cells grew only in a 10 μ g/ml Cd^{+ 2} minimal tolerable concentration, whereas the SDS-treated cells had no growth in any of the Cd concentrations tested (2, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 ppm). Contrary to the Freundlich model, the Langmuir model gave a good fit to the Cd biosorption data by K. oxytoca cells. Plasmid curing caused 80%, 82%, and 70% inhibition in the Cd biosorption, adsorption, and uptake, respectively. Furthermore, the absence of lysine decarboxylase (LDC) activity in the cured strain strongly implies that the structural gene-encoding LDC in this bacterium is plasmid encoded. After curing of the plasmid, 100% of the antibiotic-resistant loci were observed as chromosomal encoded. All of the results shown above indicated that the Cd resistance is plasmid mediated.     

水稻糙米重金属Cd含量的QTL分析

镉(Cd²⁺)是一种分布较广泛、毒性较强的一种重金属, 文章利用韭菜青×IR26杂交衍生的一个重组自交系群体(Recombinant inbred lines, RIL)及构建的SSR分子遗传图谱, 对控制糙米中Cd²⁺含量的QTL进行分析, 为选育籽粒中Cd²⁺低吸收或低积累的水稻品种提供参考。结果表明, 在Cd²⁺胁迫(5 mg/kg)处理条件下, 共检测到2个与糙米Cd²⁺含量有关的QTLs, 分别位于水稻第11染色体上的标记RM6288-RM6544和RM167-RM5704之间, 其中qCCBR-11a对表型贡献率为11.17%, 加性效应0.089; qCCBR-11b对表型变异贡献率为7.66%, 加性效应0.075。相关分析显示, 糙米Cd²⁺含量与株高、每穗总粒数、每穗实粒数、结实率和千粒重等产量性状的相关性均不显著, 糙米中Cd²⁺含量是一个相对独立、由基因控制的遗传性状。     

Pb and Cd uptake in rice roots

Pb and Cd are heavy metal pollutants that inhibit plant growth. Using a cultivated rice variety (Dongjin, Oryza sativa L.), we studied how the transport and toxicity of Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺ are affected by the presence of K⁺, Ca²⁺ or Mg²⁺. K⁺ had a little effect on uptake or toxicity of Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺. Ca²⁺ or Mg²⁺ blocked both Cd²⁺ transport into rice roots and Cd²⁺ toxicity on root growth, which suggested that their detoxification effect is directly related to their blocking of entry of the heavy metals. Similarly, Ca²⁺ blocked both Pb²⁺ transport into the root and Pb²⁺ toxicity on root growth. The protective effect of Ca²⁺ on Pb²⁺ toxicity may be related to its inhibition of the heavy metal accumulation in the root tip, a potential target site of Pb²⁺ toxicity. Mg²⁺ did not ameliorate the Pb²⁺ toxicity on root growth as much as Ca²⁺ did, although it decreased Pb²⁺ uptake into roots similarly as Ca²⁺ did. These results suggest that the protective effect of Ca²⁺ on Pb²⁺ toxicity may involve multiple mechanisms including competition at the entry level, and that Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺ may compete with divalent cations for transport into roots of rice plants.     

Tolerance of Ricinus communis L. to Cd and screening of high Cd accumulation varieties for remediation of Cd contaminated soils

Response of castor (Ricinus communis L.) to cadmium (Cd) was assessed by a seed-suspending seedbed approach. Length of total radicle was the most sensitive indicator of Cd tolerance among the tested germination and growth characters. The ED₅₀ value for Cd was 11.87 mg L^?1, indicating high Cd tolerance in castor. A pot experiment was conducted by growing 46 varieties of castor under CK (without Cd) and Cd1 (10 mg kg^?1 of Cd) and Cd2 (50 mg kg^?1 of Cd) treatments to investigate genotype variations in growth response and Cd accumulation of castor under different Cd exposures. Castor possessed high Cd accumulation ability; average shoot and root Cd concentrations of the 46 tested varieties were 21.83 and 185.43 mg kg^?1, and 174.99 and 1181.96 mg kg^?1 under Cd1 and Cd2, respectively. Great variation in Cd accumulation was observed among varieties, and Cd concentration of castor was genotype dependent. The correlation between biomass and Cd accumulation was significantly positive, while no significant correlation was observed between Cd concentration and Cd accumulation, which indicated that biomass performance is the dominant factor in determining Cd accumulation ability.     

Calcium deficiency increases Cd toxicity and Ca is required for heat-shock induced Cd tolerance in rice seedlings

While growing in the field, plants may encounter several different forms of abiotic stress simultaneously, rather than a single stress. In this study, we investigated the effects of calcium (Ca) deficiency on cadmium (Cd) toxicity in rice seedlings. Calcium deficiency alone decreased the length, fresh and dry weight, and the Ca concentration in shoots and roots. Also, the content of glutathione (GSH), the ratio of GSH/oxidized glutathione, and the activity of catalase were lower in Ca-deficient leaves compared to control leaves. Exogenous Cd caused a decrease in the contents of chlorophyll and protein, and induced oxidative stress. Based on these stress indicators, we found that Ca deficiency enhanced Cd toxicity in rice seedlings. Under exogenous Cd application, internal Cd concentrations were higher in Ca-deficient shoots and roots than in the respective controls. Moreover, we observed that Ca deficiency decreased heat-shock (HS) induced expression of HS protein genes Oshsp17.3, Oshsp17.7, and Oshsp18.0 in leaves thereby weakening the protection system and increasing Cd stress. In conclusion, Ca deficiency enhances Cd toxicity, and Ca may be required for HS response in rice seedlings.     

Increase of Cd accumulation in five poplar (Populus L.) with different supply levels of Cd

The present investigation reports the results of the Cd accumulated by five Populus at six Cd supply levels (0, 0.5, 2, 6, 25, 60 mg/kg) in soils. For all tested Populus species, Cd accumulated by the leaves, stems, and roots linearly increased with increasing Cd supply levels, the higher concentration Cd treatments significantly promoted the Cd accumulation. P. hopeiensis, and P. tomentosa always performed the stronger ability of Cd accumulation than other three Populus species under different Cd supply treatments, and P. nira var. thevestina and P. leucoides had the poorer accumulation ability. Cd in soil was more intensively absorbed in the leaves and stems for all 5 Populus species, was not retained in roots and was transferred to aboveground plant tissues.