biologia plantarum

Biologia plantarum 50:653-659, 2006 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-006-0102-5

Effect of nickel on antioxidative enzyme activities, proline and chlorophyll contents in wheat shoots

E. Gajewska^1,*, M. Skłodowska¹, M. Słaba², J. Mazur³

¹ Department of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland

² Department of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland

³ Laboratory of Computer and Analytical Techniques, University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland

Effect of two Ni concentrations (10 and 200 μM) on growth, Ni accumulation, chlorophyll and proline contents, relative water content (RWC) as well as the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) were studied in shoots of wheat plants. Treatments caused a considerable accumulation of Ni in the shoots. However, exposure of plants to 10 μM Ni did not lead to significant alterations in shoot growth except for a slight increase in fresh mass. The other parameters studied were not affected by treatment of plants with 10 μM Ni. In contrast, 200 μM Ni caused inhibition of shoot growth, a decline in RWC and chlorophyll content, accumulation of proline and occurrence of visible symptoms of Ni toxicity. The activities of SOD and CAT decreased in response to 200 μM Ni. Conversely, several-fold enhancements of POD and GST activities were observed following the 3^rd day of 200 μM Ni treatment.

Keywords: catalase; glutathione S-transferase; heavy metal; peroxidase; superoxide dismutase; Triticum aestivum L

Subjects: antioxidants, antioxidative enzymes; catalase; chlorophyll a,b; glutathione transferase; heavy metals; nickel; peroxidase; proline; reactive oxygen species (ROS); relative water content (RWC); salt, salinity stress; superoxide dismutase (SOD); Triticum aestivum; wheat

Received: February 17, 2005; Accepted: July 22, 2005; Published: December 1, 2006  Show citation