Abstract
An investigation of the cellular response of the freshwater microalga Chlorella zofingiensis to exogenous selenium showed that Chlorella cells can tolerate sodium selenite up to a concentration of 100 mg l−1. Cells grown in such a selenium-supplemented medium accumulated boiling-stable proteins in a concentration-dependant manner. Western blot analysis revealed that three of these boiling-stable proteins cross-reacted with anti-dehydrin antibody. Selenium was also found to exert an effect on antioxidative enzymes: superoxide dismutase (Fe-SOD and Mn-SOD isoforms) accumulated in response to selenium stress of 100 mg l−1 sodium selenite, as did a new form of selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase. Upon transfer of the cells to a selenium-free medium, the boiling-stable proteins, the superoxide dismutase isoforms and the selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase were all down regulated. The accumulation of boiling-stable proteins and the increased activities of the antioxidant enzymes in selenium-treated Chlorella cells suggest that these compounds are probably involved in the mechanism(s) of selenium tolerance of this alga.
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