title: Responses of antioxidative enzymes to accumulation of copper in a copper hyperaccumulator of Commoelina communis.
abstract: Discovery of a copper hyperaccumulator is very important for phytoremediation of copper-contaminated soil. In the present study a link was established between the copper accumulation in hyperaccumulator and that in nonaccumulator species of Commelina communis and its responses of antioxidative enzymes, including superoxide dismutase, guaiacol peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase. It was verified that copper exerted little physiological damage to copper hyperaccumulator species of Commelina communis at copper accumulation of >1,000 microg/g in dry leaf tissue. However, in nonaccumulator species of Commelina communis superoxide dismutase, guaiacol peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase were activated, and malondialdehyde content was increased, which were symptoms of physiological damage by copper intoxication. Therefore, antioxidative enzymes can be used as an indicator of copper toxicity before the visible symptoms can be observed.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 2871, Beijing 100085, China.
authors.forename: Haiou
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiao-quan
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.forename: Bei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Shuzheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zi-jian
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D060387:Ascorbate Peroxidases; D034822:Commelina / Q000201:enzymology*; D003300:Copper / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000633:toxicity*; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010544:Peroxidases / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000502:physiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000633:toxicity*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D003300:Copper; D010544:Peroxidases; C121048:guaiacol peroxidase; D060387:Ascorbate Peroxidases; D009195:Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase