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Toxicity of arsenate in Silene vulgaris, accumulation and degradation of arsenate-induced phytochelatins

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 November 1999

F. E. C. SNELLER ,
L. M. VAN HEERWAARDEN ,
F. J. L. KRAAIJEVELD-SMIT ,
W. M. TEN BOOKUM ,
P. L. M. KOEVOETS ,
H. SCHAT  and
J. A. C. VERKLEIJ
F. E. C. SNELLER
Affiliation:
Department of Ecology and Ecotoxicology of Plants, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
L. M. VAN HEERWAARDEN
Affiliation:
Department of Ecology and Ecotoxicology of Plants, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
F. J. L. KRAAIJEVELD-SMIT
Affiliation:
Department of Ecology and Ecotoxicology of Plants, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
W. M. TEN BOOKUM
Affiliation:
Department of Ecology and Ecotoxicology of Plants, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
P. L. M. KOEVOETS
Affiliation:
Department of Ecology and Ecotoxicology of Plants, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
H. SCHAT
Affiliation:
Department of Ecology and Ecotoxicology of Plants, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
J. A. C. VERKLEIJ
Affiliation:
Department of Ecology and Ecotoxicology of Plants, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Abstract

The results presented in this paper describe the short- and long-term toxicity of arsenate in Silene vulgaris. Short-term toxicity, measured as inhibition of root elongation, depended on phosphate nutrition, arsenate being much less toxic at high phosphate supply. At low phosphate levels more arsenic was taken up by the plants. Under chronic exposure, toxicity (measured as inhibition of biomass production) did not increase with time. In addition, the accumulation of phytochelatins (PCs) as a function of toxicity and duration of exposure was studied. Short-term PC accumulation (over a 3 d period) was positively correlated with exposure. Isolation of peptide complexes from prolongedly exposed plants showed that PC2, PC3 and PC4 were present, although the latter not until at least 3 d exposure. Arsenic co-eluted mainly with PC2 and PC3. Fractions containing PC4 were devoid of As, probably due to dissociation of the complexes during extraction or elution. The breakdown of PCs after arresting As exposure was very slow. This could explain the continuous accumulation of PCs throughout longer periods of As exposure.

Keywords

Silene vulgarisarsenic toxicityarsenic detoxificationphytochelatins
Type
Research Article
Information
The New Phytologist , Volume 144 , Issue 2 , November 1999 , pp. 223 - 232
Copyright
© Trustees of the New Phytologist 1999

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