Abstract
Methane (CH4) is emerging as a candidate of signal molecule recently. However, whether or how CH4 enhances plant adaptation to aluminum (Al)-contaminated environment is still unknown. In this report, the physiological roles and possible molecular mechanisms of CH4 in the modulation of Al toxicity in alfalfa seedlings were characterized. Our results showed that, CH4 pretreatment could alleviate Al-induced seedling growth inhibition and redox imbalance. The defensive effects of CH4 against Al toxicity including the remission of Al-induced root elongation inhibition, nutrient disorder, and relative electrolyte leakage. Moreover, contents of organic acids, including citrate, malate, and oxalate, were increased by CH4. These results were paralleled by the findings of CH4 regulated organic acids metabolism and transport genes, citrate synthase, malate dehydrogenase, aluminum-activated malate transporter, and aluminum activated citrate transporter. Consistently, Al accumulation in seedling roots was decreased after CH4 treatment. In addition, Al-induced oxidative stress was also alleviated by CH4, through the regulation of the activities of anti-oxidative enzymes, such as ascorbate peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and peroxidase, as well as their corresponding transcripts. Our data clearly suggested that CH4 alleviates Al toxicity by reducing Al accumulation in organic acid-dependent fashion, and reestablishing redox homeostasis.
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Abbreviations
- AACT:
-
Aluminum activated citrate transporter
- Al:
-
Aluminum
- ALMT:
-
Aluminum-activated malate transporter
- APX:
-
Ascorbic acid peroxidase
- CAT:
-
Catalase
- CH4 :
-
Methane
- CS:
-
Citrate synthase
- DAB:
-
Diaminobenzidine
- GR:
-
Glutathione reductase
- HPLC:
-
High performance liquid chromatography
- ICP-OES:
-
Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometer
- MDH:
-
Malate dehydrogenase
- NO:
-
Nitric oxide
- POD:
-
Guaiacol peroxidase
- ROS:
-
Reactive oxygen species
- SOD:
-
Superoxide dismutase
- TBARS:
-
Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (J1210056 and J1310015), the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20130683), and Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD). We also thank Dr. Evan Evans from the University of Tasmania, Australia for his kind help in editing the manuscript.
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Cui, W., Cao, H., Yao, P. et al. Methane enhances aluminum resistance in alfalfa seedlings by reducing aluminum accumulation and reestablishing redox homeostasis. Biometals 30, 719–732 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10534-017-0040-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10534-017-0040-z