Effects of exogenous sulfur on alleviating cadmium stress in tartary buckwheat

Sci Rep. 2019 May 14;9(1):7397. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-43901-4.

Abstract

Supplying exogenous sulfur-rich compounds increases the content of glutathione(GSH) and phytochelatins(PCs) in plant tissues, enabling plants to enhance their cellular defense capacity and/or compartmentalize Cadmium(Cd) into vacuoles. However, the mechanism by which surplus S modulates tolerance to Cd stress in different tissues need further investigation. In the present study, we found that supplementing the tartary buckwheat(Fagopyrum tararicum) exposed to Cd with surplus S reversed Cd induced adverse effects, and increased Cd concentrations in roots, but decreased in leaves. Further analysis revealed that exogenous S significantly mitigated Cd-induced oxidative stress with the aids of antioxidant enzymes and agents both in leaves and roots, including peroxidase(POD), ascorbate peroxidase(APX), glutathione peroxidase(GPX), glutathione S-transferase(GST), ascorbic acid(AsA), and GSH, but not superoxide dismutase(SOD) and catalase(CAT). The increased Cd uptake in root vacuoles and decreased translocation in leaves of exogenous S treated plants could be ascribed to the increasing Cd binding on cell walls, chelation and vacuolar sequestration with helps of non-protein thiols(NPT), PCs and heavy metal ATPase 3(FtHMA3) in roots, and inhibiting expression of FtHMA2, a transporter that helps Cd translocation from roots to shoots. Results provide the fundamental information for the application of exogenous S in reversal of heavy metal stress.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cadmium / analysis
  • Cadmium / metabolism*
  • Cadmium / toxicity
  • Fagopyrum / chemistry
  • Fagopyrum / drug effects*
  • Fagopyrum / physiology
  • Fertilizers*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / drug effects
  • Glutathione / metabolism
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Peroxidases / metabolism
  • Phytochelatins / metabolism
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry
  • Plant Leaves / metabolism
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Plant Roots / chemistry
  • Plant Roots / metabolism
  • Plant Shoots / chemistry
  • Plant Shoots / metabolism
  • Soil Pollutants / metabolism*
  • Soil Pollutants / toxicity
  • Sulfur / pharmacology*
  • Vacuoles / chemistry
  • Vacuoles / metabolism

Substances

  • Fertilizers
  • Plant Proteins
  • Soil Pollutants
  • Cadmium
  • Sulfur
  • Phytochelatins
  • Peroxidases
  • Glutathione