Phosphate and methionine affect cadmium uptake in valerian (Valeriana officinalis L.).

This study investigated the effects of exogenous methionine (Met) and different phosphate (PO4) concentrations on Cd uptake and translocation in Valeriana officinalis L. Seedlings were grown in nutrient solutions with three different concentrations of phosphate (900, 1200, and 1500 µM) for two weeks, then exposed for 4 days to 10 µM Cd, either in presence or absence of 400 µM methionine. The Met treatment decreased root Cd accumulation by up to 40%, while it enhanced Cd uptake into the shoots by 50%. In absence of Met, shoot Cd uptake was not affected by the level of phosphate application, although root Cd contents increased. The latter effect was entirely due to increased apoplastic Cd binding. In presence of Met, the Cd accumulation of both plant parts showed trends to increase with increasing phosphate level. In contrast to the treatments without Met, however, the phosphate effect on root Cd was due to increased symplastic root Cd allocation. The results suggest that the effects of Met on Cd uptake were due to the formation of mobile Cd-Met complexes, reducing phosphate-promoted Cd-retention in the apoplast and enhancing Cd transfer into the root symplast. Irrespective of the treatment, shoot Cd accumulation showed a close linear relationship to shoot mass, suggesting that convective transport with the transpirational water stream was the rate-governing uptake process. The results indicate that methionine supplementation could reduce Cd accumulation in valerian roots, which are the parts of this plant harvested for medicinal purposes, in Cd-contaminated soil, while phosphate would enhance it.

Root uptake and translocation of nickel in wheat as affected by histidine.

The role of histidine (His) on root uptake, xylem loading and root to shoot transport of nickel (Ni) was investigated in a winter (Triticum aestivum cv. Back Cross) and a durum wheat (Triticum durum cv. Durum) cultivar. Seedlings were grown in a modified Johnson nutrient solution and exposed to 10 µM of Ni and 100 µM of histidine (His) as no His, Ni (10) + His (100) and Ni(His) in a 1:1 mole ratio (1:1) complex. In our study, the presence of vanadate (a metabolic inhibitor) resulted in a significant decrease of root Ni uptake, indicating that a part of Ni uptake by the plant root is energy-dependent. Addition of His significantly increased the Ni content in shoots and roots of both wheat cultivars. The data suggest that the Ni(His) is most likely to be taken up as a complex or receptors at the membrane are able to enhance Ni uptake from Ni(His) complex. This result was indirectly supported by using EDTA as a strong chelating reagent to reduce the uptake of Ni(His) complexes. By using this ligand, the xylem loading of Ni and His was disproportionately reduced. Cycloheximide (a translation inhibitor) strongly decreased the release of His and Ni from the root into the xylem of wheat, suggesting the significance of a symplastic pathway for Ni loading into the xylem.

Symplastic and apoplastic uptake and root to shoot translocation of nickel in wheat as affected by exogenous amino acids.

This study investigated the effect of exogenous amino acids on apoplastic and symplastic uptake and root to shoot translocation of nickel (Ni) in two wheat cultivars. Seedlings of a bread (Triticum aestivum cv. Back Cross) and a durum wheat cultivar (T. durum cv. Durum) were grown in a modified Johnson nutrient solution and exposed to two levels (50 and 100 µM) of histidine, glycine, and glutamine. Application of amino acids resulted in increasing symplastic to apoplastic Ni ratio in roots of both wheat cultivars, although glutamine and glycine were more effective than histidine under our experimental conditions. The amino acid used in the present study generally increased the relative transport of Ni from the roots to shoots in both wheat cultivars. Higher amounts of Ni were translocated to wheat shoots in the presence of histidine than the other amino acids studied, which indicated that histidine was more effective in translocation of Ni from roots to shoots. Amino acids used in the present study largely increased root symplastic Ni, but shoot Ni accumulation was much lower than the total Ni accumulation in roots, indicating a large proportion of Ni was retained or immobilized in wheat roots (either in the apoplastic or symplastic space), with only a very small fraction of Ni being translocated from the root to the shoot. According to the results, glutamine and glycine were more effective than histidine in enhancing the symplastic to apoplastic Ni ratio in the roots, while more Ni was translocated from the roots to the shoots in the presence of histidine.