Plant Soil Environ., 2008, 54(3):117-122 | DOI: 10.17221/2688-PSE

Effects of copper on growth, antioxidant enzymes and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activities in Jatropha curcas L. seedling

S. Gao, R. Yan, M. Cao, W. Yang, S. Wang, F. Chen
Sichuan Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biopharmaceutical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Bio-resources and Eco-environment, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Sichuan, P.R. China

The effects of different concentrations of copper (0-800 μmol) on growth, protein contents, peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) in Jatropha curcas L. seedlings were assessed by means of pot experiments. Results suggested that increased copper concentrations lead to decreased shoot elongation and seedling biomass. Protein content in the leaves and roots reached their highest levels at the copper concentrations of 400 μmol, while the highest protein content in the stem was observed at 800 μmol copper. POD activity in leaves and stems was unaffected at low copper concentrations, but showed a considerable variation at high copper concentrations. In roots, the highest POD activity was observed at 200 μmol copper. Under copper stress, SOD activity in leaves increased concomitantly with increasing copper up to 400 μmol, and SOD activity in stems and roots showed a slight increase. Catalase activity significantly elevated in leaves and roots but showed no significant changes in stems of the seedlings exposed to copper. A gradual increase of PAL activity in leaves and roots at the copper concentration of 400 and 200 μmol was observed, while PAL activity remained unchanged in stems.

Keywords: toxic element; ROS-scavenging enzymes; defensive mechanism of plant; abioti

Published: March 31, 2008  Show citation

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Gao S, Yan R, Cao M, Yang W, Wang S, Chen F. Effects of copper on growth, antioxidant enzymes and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activities in Jatropha curcas L. seedling. Plant Soil Environ.. 2008;54(3):117-122. doi: 10.17221/2688-PSE.
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