Oxidative stress as a modulator in cellular responses during Cd and Zn toxicity in Arabidopsis thaliana

Abstract

Antropogenic activities can have a negative impact on the natural environment. Mainly industrial or agricultural areas have to cope with elevated levels of metals in the soil, air, (ground-) water and sediments. Although the overall response of plants to heavy metal exposure is quite similar and results in growth reduction and disruption of physiological processes such as photosynthesis and respiration, it is of great importance to expand our knowledge regarding the cellular and molecular processes influenced by metal toxicity. The main objectives of the present work were: (1) the investigation of transcriptional and enzymatic alterations related to oxidative stress during heavy metal toxicity and (2) the study of their underlying signalling cascades. For this purpose, (sub)cellular effects of metals with distinct characteristics, e.g. essential versus non-essential, redox-active versus not redox-active were studied during short-time exposure. ...