Abstract
The aim of the present work is to evaluate the changes on the phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity, phenolic compounds accumulation and photochemical efficiency in leaves of P. glandulosa treated with Cd2+ (0.001 M) and Cu2+ (0.52 M) concentrations for 96 h under hydroponic conditions. The results showed that only leaves treated with copper had a decrease in photochemical efficiency and leaf epidermal polyphenols in P. glandulosa leaves after 96 h of exposure. On the other hand the reverse-phase HPLC analysis revealed higher levels of phenolic compound (gallic, vanillic and caffeic acids) and flavonoids (rutin and kaempferol-3-O-glucosides) in plant leaves from Cu and Cd-treatments with respect to control plants. Finally, highest increments in PAL activity was observed in extracts of leaves treated with Cu and Cd (about 205 and 284%), respectively, with respect to control plants after 96 h treatment. These suggest that activation of phenylpropanoid pathway represent a source of nonenzymatic antioxidants that protect at P. glandulosa against oxidative stress when exposed to cadmium and copper. Hence future studies are necessary to elucidate the participation of phenylpropanoid pathway in the reduction of metal toxicity in Prosopis species.
Highlights
IntroductionCadmium in the environment generate negative effects in human health due to its high potential to enter and accumulate in the food chain (Pena et al 2011,Tchounwouetal.2012)
As a result of a rapid industrialization and urbanization processes in the northwest of Mexico, the release of several contaminants like heavy metals in the ecosystem has increased and becameDANIEL GONZÁLEZ-MENDOZA et al.and cadmium in the environment generate negative effects in human health due to its high potential to enter and accumulate in the food chain (Pena et al 2011,Tchounwouetal.2012)
Recent studies have suggested that the epidermal polyphenols (EPhen) content in plants, mainly flavonoids, may act as chelate agents of metal ions reducing the presence of free radicals, and protect against oxidative stress (Mierziak et al 2014)
Summary
Cadmium in the environment generate negative effects in human health due to its high potential to enter and accumulate in the food chain (Pena et al 2011,Tchounwouetal.2012). Of both elements results in a variety of changes in plants like inactivation of photosynthesis, formation of free radical and reactive oxygen species, which result in an oxidative stress (Gonzalez-Mendoza et al 2013). Even though the physiological and biochemical mechanisms of heavy metal tolerance or inactivation in Prosopis species have been previously studied, the influence of copper and cadmium in the phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity and phenolic compounds accumulation in Prosopis glandulosa has been scarcely evaluated. The aim of the present work is to evaluate the changes on the phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity, phenolic compounds accumulation and photochemical efficiency in leaves of P. glandulosa exposed to cadmium and copper
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