title: Uptake of a cyanotoxin, β-N-methylamino-L-alanine, by wheat (Triticum aestivum).
abstract: In order to study the uptake of the cyanobacterial neurotoxin β-N-methylamino-l-alanine (BMAA) into the crop plant Triticum aestivum during germination and primary growth imbibed grains and 7-day-old seedlings were irrigated with 100 and 1000µg l(-1) BMAA for 4 days and 100µg l(-1) BMAA for 28 days. Content of derivatized free and protein-associated BMAA in seedlings, root and shoot tissue, respectively, were analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Free BMAA was only detected in seedlings exposed to 1000µg l(-1) BMAA, whereas protein-associated BMAA was found at both exposure concentrations. Irrigation with 100µgl(-1) BMAA led to an uptake of the neurotoxin into roots and shoots and to immediate protein-association. In roots, protein-associated BMAA was detectable after 5 days with peaking amounts after 14 days. Longer exposure did not cause further accumulation in roots. In contrast, protein-associated BMAA was detected in shoot samples after only 1 day. In shoots the highest amounts of protein-associated BMAA were found after 28 days. In turn, in both plant compartments free BMAA was below the measurable concentration.
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität Berlin, Institute of Ecology, Department Ecological Impact Research and Ecotoxicology, Ernst-Reuter-Platz 1, 10587 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: v.contardojara@tu-berlin.de.
authors.forename: Valeska
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Contardo-Jara
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität Berlin, Institute of Ecology, Department Ecological Impact Research and Ecotoxicology, Ernst-Reuter-Platz 1, 10587 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: Torsten@Schwanemann.de.
authors.forename: Torsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schwanemann
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität Berlin, Institute of Ecology, Department Ecological Impact Research and Ecotoxicology, Ernst-Reuter-Platz 1, 10587 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: stephan.pflugmacher@tu-berlin.de.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pflugmacher
mesh_terms: D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D000087522:Cyanobacteria Toxins; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000737:chemistry; D036226:Seedlings / Q000737:chemistry; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D014908:Triticum / Q000378:metabolism*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino; D000087522:Cyanobacteria Toxins; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C001824:beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine
keywords: Cyanobacterial neurotoxin; Protein-association; Triticum aestivum; Up-take; β-N-methylamino-l-alanine