Abstract
Bryophytes, due to their poikilohydric nature and peculiar traits, are useful and versatile organisms for studies on metal accumulation and detoxification in plants. Among bryophytes, the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha is an excellent candidate as a model organism, having a key role in plant evolutionary history. In particular, M. polymorpha axenic cultivation of gametophytes offers several advantages, such as fast growth, easy propagation and high efficiency of crossing. Thus, the main purpose of this work was to promote and validate experimental procedures useful in the establishment of a standardized set-up of M. polymorpha gametophytes, as well as to study cadmium detoxification processes in terms of thiol-peptide production, detection and characterisation by HPLC-mass spectrometry. The results show how variations in the composition of the Murashige and Skoog medium impact the growth rate or development of this liverwort, and what levels of glutathione and phytochelatins are produced by gametophytes to counteract cadmium stress.
Highlights
Heavy metals are ubiquitous chemical elements present in all environmental matrices, derived from both natural sources and anthropogenic emissions [1,2]
The results show how variations in the composition of the Murashige and Skoog medium impact the growth rate or development of this liverwort, and what levels of glutathione and phytochelatins are produced by gametophytes to counteract cadmium stress
The in vitro growth and cultivation in axenic conditions of model plants such as the liverwort M. polymorpha can represent an important basis for the development of effective protocols useful for investigating the functional and molecular responses of early diverging streptophytes to toxic heavy metals, such as Cd
Summary
Heavy metals are ubiquitous chemical elements present in all environmental matrices (soil, water, atmosphere), derived from both natural sources (e.g., pedogenetic processes) and anthropogenic emissions (e.g., as a byproduct of industrial activities, vehicle traffic, heating systems, etc.) [1,2]. The polluting capacity of heavy metals is due to their intrinsic toxicity combined with their long persistence, high solubility and ability to accumulate in organisms in higher concentrations than in the surrounding environment [2,4]. The heavy metals which are toxic for plants, animals and the vast majority of organisms are cadmium (Cd), hexavalent chromium (CrVI), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb) and thallium (Tl), among others. Certain heavy metals, such as iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo) and manganese (Mn), below a specific toxicity threshold, are essential nutrients. For this reason, plants have evolved specific mechanisms for regulating essential metal uptake while avoiding deficiencies and toxicity effects [6]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
