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Toxicity of arsenate in Silene vulgaris , accumulation and degradation of arsenate‐induced phytochelatins
Author(s) -
SNELLER F. E. C.,
VAN HEERWAARDEN L. M.,
KRAAIJEVELDSMIT F. J. L.,
TEN BOOKUM W. M.,
KOEVOETS P. L. M.,
SCHAT H.,
VERKLEIJ J. A. C.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1469-8137.1999.00512.x
Subject(s) - arsenate , toxicity , arsenic , phosphate , chemistry , environmental chemistry , arsenic toxicity , biology , biochemistry , botany , organic chemistry
The results presented in this paper describe the short‐ and long‐term toxicity of arsenate in Silene vulgaris . Short‐term toxicity, measured as inhibition of root elongation, depended on phosphate nutrition, arsenate being much less toxic at high phosphate supply. At low phosphate levels more arsenic was taken up by the plants. Under chronic exposure, toxicity (measured as inhibition of biomass production) did not increase with time. In addition, the accumulation of phytochelatins (PCs) as a function of toxicity and duration of exposure was studied. Short‐term PC accumulation (over a 3 d period) was positively correlated with exposure. Isolation of peptide complexes from prolongedly exposed plants showed that PC 2 , PC 3 and PC 4 were present, although the latter not until at least 3 d exposure. Arsenic co‐eluted mainly with PC 2 and PC 3 . Fractions containing PC 4 were devoid of As, probably due to dissociation of the complexes during extraction or elution. The breakdown of PCs after arresting As exposure was very slow. This could explain the continuous accumulation of PCs throughout longer periods of As exposure.