Impact of short-term cadmium treatment on catalase and ascorbate peroxidase activities in barley root tips
Year: 2012
Type: article
Abstract: The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between root growth inhibition and alterations in catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) contents and activities in barley root tips during the recovery after short-term Cd stress. Significant root growth inhibition was observed after a relatively short-term (30 min) exposure of barley roots to low 15 μM Cd concentration. In seedlings treated with 30 μM Cd root growth was renewed 8-9 h after Cd treatment. By contrast, seedlings exposed to 60 μM Cd failed to restore root growth. The CAT activity increased after 15 μM Cd treatment, whereas, higher Cd concentrations inhibited CAT activity. However, APX activity was not affected by Cd treatment. The content of APX1 transcript increased while content of APX2 decreased 3 h after short-term treatment in a concentration dependent manner. While the expression of CAT1 was upregulated after 15 and 30 μM Cd treatment, it was strongly downregulated by 60 μM Cd. By contrast, CAT2 was upregulated in a concentration dependent manner. These results suggest that increased CAT activity is crucial for restoration of root growth after moderate Cd stress while at severe Cd stress its inhibition may lead to the irreversible damages.
Source: Biologia Plantarum
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2082053053