Copper-induced stress in Solanum nigrum L. and antioxidant defense system responses

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2013

Authors

Fernanda Fidalgo (Author) FCUP; Manuel Azenha (Author) FCUP; António F Silva (Author) FCUP; Alexandra de Sousa (Author) Other; Ana Santiago (Author) Other; Pedro Ferraz (Author) Other; Jorge Teixeira (Author) FCUP

Journal

Title: Food and Energy Security

Vol. 2 No. 2

Pages: 70-80

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 86 Citations

Scopus - 118 Citations

Scientific classification

CORDIS: Natural sciences > Biological sciences > Botany > Plant physiology

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00G-YHG

DOI: 10.1002/fes3.20

Abstract (EN): Solanum nigrum L. plants were exposed for 28 days to 100 and 200 mu mol/L copper (Cu) in a hydroponic system to analyze the antioxidant defense response. A dose-dependent reduction in growth (fresh mass of root and shoot, shoot height, and root elongation) with increasing concentration of Cu was observed, whereas Cu treatments did funt affect total chlorophyll and carotefunids content. An enhanced lipid peroxidation, in terms of malondialdehyde (MDA) content, was quantified in shoots when the plants were subjected to the highest Cu level, while in roots MDA levels showed a dose-dependent increase along the increasing Cu concentrations applied. An increase of proline in roots of plants exposed to 200 mu mol/L Cu was found. Antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) did funt show significant changes with respect to control, in both roots and shoots, despite mRNA-specific accumulations varied between Cu levels and organs. Ascorbate peroxidase (APX) was negatively affected in shoots by the highest Cu level. Gene expression of the subtype 2d metallothioneins (MT) revealed to be Cu-enhanced throughout the plant body and correlated with Cu tissue levels, with the other MT1 and MT2 gene members downregulated in roots and upregulated in shoots, contributing more as antioxidants in the latter organs than in Cu homeostasis. MT3s are not involved in Cu homeostasis and phytochelatin (PC) production was enhanced in roots of plants exposed to 200 mu mol/L Cu, contributing to a higher Cu accumulation in these organs.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 11