The endogenous nitric oxide mediates selenium-induced phytotoxicity by promoting ROS generation in Brassica rapa

PLoS One. 2014 Oct 21;9(10):e110901. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110901. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Selenium (Se) is suggested as an emerging pollutant in agricultural environment because of the increasing anthropogenic release of Se, which in turn results in phytotoxicity. The most common consequence of Se-induced toxicity in plants is oxidative injury, but how Se induces reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst remains unclear. In this work, histofluorescent staining was applied to monitor the dynamics of ROS and nitric oxide (NO) in the root of Brassica rapa under Se(IV) stress. Se(IV)-induced faster accumulation of NO than ROS. Both NO and ROS accumulation were positively correlated with Se(IV)-induced inhibition of root growth. The NO accumulation was nitrate reductase (NR)- and nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-dependent while ROS accumulation was NADPH oxidase-dependent. The removal of NO by NR inhibitor, NOS inhibitor, and NO scavenger could alleviate Se(IV)-induced expression of Br_Rbohs coding for NADPH oxidase and the following ROS accumulation in roots, which further resulted in the amelioration of Se(IV)-induced oxidative injury and growth inhibition. Thus, we proposed that the endogenous NO played a toxic role in B. rapa under Se(IV) stress by triggering ROS burst. Such findings can be used to evaluate the toxic effects of Se contamination on crop plants.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Brassica rapa / drug effects
  • Brassica rapa / enzymology
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • NADPH Oxidases / metabolism
  • Nitrate Reductase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Nitrate Reductase / metabolism
  • Nitric Oxide / metabolism*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase / metabolism
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects*
  • Plant Roots / drug effects
  • Plant Roots / growth & development
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism*
  • Selenium / toxicity*

Substances

  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase
  • NADPH Oxidases
  • Nitrate Reductase
  • Selenium

Grants and funding

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant No. 31101537). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.