Cadmium-Induced Transcriptional and Enzymatic Alterations Related to Oxidative Stress

• Published in: Environmental and experimental botany Vol. 62; no. 1; p. 1
• Main Authors: Smeets, Karen, Ruytinx, Joske, Semane, Brahim, Van Belleghem, Frank, Remans, Tony, Van Sanden, Suzy, Vangronsveld, Jaco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.05.2008
• ISSN: 0098-8472

Early antioxidative defense mechanisms in Arabidopsis thaliana by applying a range of realistic cadmium (Cd) concentrations are studied. The cellular redox status is affected already 24 h after the exposure of plants to environmentally realistic Cd concentrations. Findings indicate that a moderate Cd exposure triggers the antioxidative defense in different cellular compartments in the roots and shoots. Highly significant changes in the transcript level of several antioxidative genes are found, but not all genes show similar responses in the roots and leaves. Results indicate that the generation of superoxide and the lipoxygenase activity are the main causes of oxidative stress in the roots, whereas in the leaves hydrogen peroxide (H sub(2)O sub(2)) seems to be an important player.