The Effect of Cadmium on Tobacco Cell Culture and the Selection of Potentially Cd-Resistant Cell lines

The effect of different concentrations of cadmium on the viability, cell division, and the total increase in the biomass of the VBI-O cell strain of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacumL., Virginia Bright Italia) was followed. The concentration of 10^-6 mol 1^-1 Cd²⁺ was fully tolerated by this strain, a nearly total inhibition of cell division and high cell mortality rate ocsicurred at the concentration of 10^-4 mol1{si-1} Cd²⁺. Following a long-term exposure of the culture to gradually increasing cadmium concentrations, seven cell lines able to grow on media containing 10^-4 mol 1^-1 Cd²⁺ were derived. Phenotype diversity of the isolated cell lines likely causes of the disappearance of the resistance character are discussed.