Abstract
The influence of nickel (Ni) and/or selenium (Se) on phospholipid composition was studied in shoots and roots of wheat seedlings. Phospholipid differences between samples were analysed using liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization–MS coupled. A total of 39 lipid species were identified. Individual phospholipids were then quantified using a multiple reaction monitoring method. In the roots, Ni toxicity was associated with an elevated level of phosphatidic acid species. In the shoots, the phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylethanolamine ratio was about fivefold higher than in roots and decreased in Ni-treated samples. Additionally, the concentrations of phospholipid species containing C 18:3 fatty acid were reduced. Lipidome data were then analyzed using principal component analysis, which confirmed the compositional changes in phospholipids in response to Ni and Ni + Se. In contrast, the phospholipid profiles of wheat seedlings exposed to Se alone showed more similarities with the control. Together, our results suggested that the presence of Se, despite a considerable improvement of growth of Ni-treated wheat, did not counterbalance negative effect of Ni on the phospholipid composition in wheat roots and shoots.
Highlights
Nickel (Ni) is a common co-contaminant in soils and sediments due to anthropogenic pollution and natural emissions (van Nostrand et al 2008)
The influence of nickel (Ni) and/or selenium (Se) on phospholipid composition was studied in shoots and roots of wheat seedlings
In our previous papers we documented that exposure of wheat seedlings to Ni resulted in oxidative stress and changes in nitrogen and carbon metabolism (Gajewska and Skłodowska 2007, 2009; Gajewska et al 2013)
Summary
Nickel (Ni) is a common co-contaminant in soils and sediments due to anthropogenic pollution (e.g. mining, refining, metal plating) and natural emissions (van Nostrand et al 2008). Very low concentrations of Ni are essential for plants, there are reports presenting toxic effects of high concentrations of this heavy metal on plants (Chen et al 2009). To expand our knowledge on Ni toxicity to the cell membrane, in the present work we examined the influence of the metal on wheat phospholipids. There is some evidence that Se may increase tolerance of plants to different abiotic stress factors including heavy metals (Filek et al 2008; Hasanuzzaman et al 2012). The aim of our work was to check the ability of Se to alleviate Ni stress in wheat seedlings with special attention to the effect of both elements on phospholipid composition
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