Lead disturbs microtubule organization in the root meristem of Zea mays

Abstract

effects of lead on microtubules in the root meristem. LeadLead is an environmental pollutant that interferes with plant growth. Unfortunately, the mechanisms of lead toxicity in treatment perturbed the alignment of microtubules in a concentration-dependent manner beginning at 10 mM. Microtubules of plants are still poorly understood. In this study, we have investigated both the deposition sites and sources of cellular different regions of the root meristem and in different stages of the cell cycle showed differential susceptibility to lead. These toxicity of lead in maize seedlings (Zea mays L. cv. Golden Cross Bantam). Using atomic absorption spectroscopy and effects do not appear to be general phenomena common to toxic metals, since aluminum and copper, at concentrations that X-ray fluorescence microprobing, we show that lead accumulation is highest in the root meristem, and that the accumulation decreased root growth to a comparable level, did not have the same detrimental effects on microtubules. Based on these occurs both in the apoplast and symplast. Since cells are results, we suggest that the damage to microtubules is partly dividing vigorously in this region and because microtubules play responsible for lead-associated toxicity in plants. an important role in cell division, we have further examined the various pollutants, including heavy metals (Ma et al. 1995, Panda et al. 1997, Kovalchuk et al. 1998, Steinkellner et al. 1998. Because formation of multiple micronuclei results from improper nuclear separation and cytokinetic disorder, we suspect that the components of the processes may be directly susceptible to toxic metals. Microtubules play key roles in both nuclear division and cytokinesis in plants. Thus, in the present work, we examined lead deposition sites in seedlings of maize and the effects of lead on the microtubule organization in the region of root where lead deposition was the highest. Materials and methods Plant materialMaize (Zea mays L. cv. Golden Cross Bantam) seeds were sterilized for 15 min with 0.5% calcium hypochlorite, washed several times with tap water and soaked overnight in

Expression of the Novel Wheat Gene TM20 Confers Enhanced Cadmium Tolerance to Bakers' Yeast

“…Shoot 109 Cd(II) contents did not differ between the pretreated and control groups of plants and were less than 8% of those in the root (data not shown). This result is consistent with previous findings that reported that only a small portion of heavy metals in the root is translocated to the shoot (36,37). In the root, 109 Cd(II) content of Cd(II)-pretreated wheat was 75% that in control without pretreatment (Fig.…”

Low concentration of exogenous abscisic acid increases lead tolerance in rice seedlings

“…Not only disturbs the growth of plant and causes sharp decrease in crop productivity (Hall 2002), Pb accumulation in the human body damages the brain, kidney, the reproductive and nervous systems (Body et al 1991, Rensing et al 1998, Eun et al 2000.…”

Lead tolerance and accumulation in the gametophytes of the fern Athyrium yokoscense

“…Thus, these results indicate that the early prothallial growth of Athyrium gametophytes can tolerate lead toxicity. In general, however, the target of lead toxicity in higher plants is the root (Wierzbicka 1999;Eun et al 2000). Therefore, we further examined the effect of Pb 2+ on rhizoid development, since the function of rhizoids seems to be analogous to that of roots in higher plants (Racusen 2002).…”