title: Cross-adaptation to cadmium stress in Plantago ovata by pre-exposure to low dose of gamma rays: Effects on metallothionein and metal content.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of gamma pre-exposure on cadmium accumulation in Plantago ovata seedlings. Metallothionein (MT) localization was also studied following Cadmium (Cd) treatment in P. ovata.
  
  
  METHODS
  DNA damage was determined by alkaline comet assay. MT gene and protein expression were studied by real-time polymerase chain reaction and flow cytometry, respectively, in root and shoot tissues. Metal accumulation (Cd, zinc [Zn], iron [Fe]) was evaluated by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cd treatment decreased seed germination rate, biomass and free radical scavenging activity and increased DNA damage in a dose-dependent manner. When P. ovata seeds were pre- exposed to 5 Gy gamma dose (prior to Cd treatment) seed germination rate, biomass and free radical scavenging activity increased significantly. MT genes (PoMT1, PoMT2 and PoMT3) and MT protein expression enhanced when 5 Gy gamma-irradiated seeds were grown in Cd containing medium and Cd accumulation also increased in a dose-dependent manner.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher Cd accumulation in P. ovata seedlings may be attributed to the upregulation of PoMT genes in gamma pretreated seedlings. Localization of metallothionein in cytosol and nucleus indicated its positive role against Cd-mediated cytotoxic and genotoxic effects.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biophysics , Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Calcutta , Kolkata , India.
authors.forename: Nirmalya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ghoshal
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biophysics , Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Calcutta , Kolkata , India.
authors.forename: Shonima
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Talapatra
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biophysics , Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Calcutta , Kolkata , India.
authors.forename: Pratik
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Talukder
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biophysics , Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Calcutta , Kolkata , India.
authors.forename: Mandar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sengupta
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biophysics , Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Calcutta , Kolkata , India.
authors.forename: Suman Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.affiliation: b UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, Kolkata Centre, Radiation Biology Division , Salt Lake, Kolkata , India.
authors.forename: Anindita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chakraborty
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biophysics , Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Calcutta , Kolkata , India.
authors.forename: Sarmistha Sen
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Raychaudhuri
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D002104:Cadmium / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005720:Gamma Rays; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000378:metabolism*; D008670:Metals / Q000378:metabolism; D010943:Plantago / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D036226:Seedlings / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D002104:Cadmium; D008668:Metallothionein
keywords: DNA damage; Metallothionein; cadmium accumulation; gamma rays; metallothionein localization; real-time PCR