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Abstract
Antibiotics are a new type of contaminants found in the environment. They are increasingly used in farm animal production systems and may accumulate in crops, limiting the plant growth rate and nutritive value. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of tetracycline (TC) on physiological and biochemical properties of pea seedlings. The presence of TC in the soil during 24 hours did not result in any distinct changes of the seedlings. However, after five days (120 h) of soil TC action, the seedling appearance and metabolic activities were significantly affected. Leaves lost their green coloration as a result of a 38% degradation of their chlorophyll. Total protein was isolated from shoots of pea grown for 120 h in TC-supplemented perlite (250 mg × L−1) or perlite with no TC (control plants). The 2D electrophoretic maps of proteins from non-TC shoots contained 326 spots, whereas maps of shoot proteins from TC-treated seedlings contained only 316 spots. The identity of 26 proteins was determined. The intensity of most proteins (62%) increased. This was particularly visible with diphosphate kinase, superoxide dismutase [Cu-Zn], peroxiredoxin, and glutathione S-transferase. A distinctly increased quantity of a protein involved in photosynthesis (photosystem II stability/assembly factor HCF136) was also noted. One protein was detected only in shoots of TC-treated plants (as opposed to controls); however, it could not be identified. Moreover, at the highest concentration of TC (250 mg × L−1 of perlite), a sharp increase in free-radical content was observed along with the amount of callose deposited in vascular bundles of leaves and roots and the occurrence of masses of dead cells in roots. It was found, therefore, that tetracycline which has been known for inhibiting predominantly the attachment of aminoacyl-tRNA to the ribosomal acceptor in bacteria can disturb diverse metabolic pathways in plants.
Highlights
Significant amounts of contaminants, including heavy metals, aromatic hydrocarbons, solvents, plant protection chemicals, and drugs are constantly dispersing from the technosphere into ecosystems and agrocenoses [1]
In 2014, within the EU member states, the most frequently used antibacterial drug was tetracycline [3], which is favoured for the low production costs, low toxicity, and a broad-spectrum of affected bacteria [4, 5]. e ribosomal acceptor of aminoacyl-tRNA is believed to be the main target of tetracycline-related antibiotics in bacteria [6]
Comparing pea seedlings growing for 120 h on a substrate containing 250 mg × L−1 TC with controls, differences in the length of the shoot and roots were noted, not significant, amounting to 1 cm (Figure 1)
Summary
Significant amounts of contaminants, including heavy metals, aromatic hydrocarbons, solvents, plant protection chemicals, and drugs (veterinary and human) are constantly dispersing from the technosphere into ecosystems and agrocenoses [1]. A report published by the European Medicines Agency [3] concluded that, in 2014, 8,935.5 tonnes of antibiotics were used in 29 EU member states, of which 581.3 tonnes were used in Poland. In 2014, within the EU member states, the most frequently used antibacterial drug was tetracycline [3], which is favoured for the low production costs, low toxicity, and a broad-spectrum of affected bacteria [4, 5]. E contents of chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, and tetracycline in manure amount to 46 mg × kg−1, 29 mg × kg−1, and Scientifica mg × kg−1, respectively [8]. The contents of chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, and tetracycline in swine slurry amount to as much as 139.4 mg × kg−1, 354.0 mg × kg−1, and 98.2 mg × kg−1, respectively [9]
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