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Nitric oxide acts as a signal molecule in microwave pretreatment induced cadmium tolerance in wheat seedlings

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Abstract

The microwave has been widely used in the field of biology with the development of microwave technology. Previous studies suggest that suitable doses of microwave irradiation improved plant metabolism and enzymatic activities under cadmium stress and enhanced cadmium tolerance in wheat seedlings. The objective of this study was to test whether nitric oxide is involved in microwave pretreatment induced cadmium tolerance in wheat seedlings due to its nature as a second messenger in stress responses. Plant were treated with 10 s microwave pretreatment, microwave pretreatment in combination with NO scavenger, 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4, 4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (cPTIO) and their effects on the lipid peroxidation, the activities of antioxidant enzymes, the concentration of antioxidant compounds and wheat seedlings growth and development were compared. The results showed that 10 s microwave pretreatment dramatically alleviated growth suppression induced by cadmium stress, reflected by decreased malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide and superoxide radical production. Furthermore, the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase) and the concentration of antioxidant metabolites (ascorbate, reduced glutathione, carotenoids and nitric oxide) were increased in wheat seedlings pretreated with microwave under cadmium stress. Nevertheless, the promotive effect of microwave pretreatment induced cadmium tolerance in wheat seedlings was effectively reversed by the addition of 0.5 % (w/v) cPTIO (NO scavenger), suggesting that NO was involved in microwave pretreatment induced cadmium tolerance in wheat seedlings.

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Abbreviations

APX:

Ascorbate peroxidase

AsA:

Ascorbic acid

CAR:

Carotenoids

CAT:

Catalase

Cd:

Cadmium

cPTIO:

2-(4-Carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl

DTNB:

5,5′-Dithiobis (2-nitrobenzoic acid)

EDTA:

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

GR:

Glutathione reductase

GSH:

Reduced glutathione

GSSG:

Oxidized glutathione

H2O2 :

Hydrogen peroxide

MDA:

Malondialdehyde

NBT:

Nitroblue tetrazolium

NO:

Nitric oxide

O −2 :

Superoxide radical

POD:

Peroxidase

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

SNP:

Sodium nitroprusside

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

TBA:

Thiobarbituric acid

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Cultivation Project of the Youth Backbone Teacher of Henan Normal University and Key Subject of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Henan Province.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest in regard to this research or its funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, 46 Jianshe Road, Xinxiang, 453007, People’s Republic of China

    Zong-Bo Qiu, Jun-Li Guo, Man-Man Zhang, Meng-Yun Lei & Zhen-Lin Li

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  1. Zong-Bo Qiu
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  2. Jun-Li Guo
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  3. Man-Man Zhang
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  4. Meng-Yun Lei
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Correspondence to Zong-Bo Qiu.

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Communicated by H. Li.

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Qiu, ZB., Guo, JL., Zhang, MM. et al. Nitric oxide acts as a signal molecule in microwave pretreatment induced cadmium tolerance in wheat seedlings. Acta Physiol Plant 35, 65–73 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-012-1048-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-012-1048-1

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