title: Growth inhibition by selenium is associated with changes in primary metabolism and nutrient levels in Arabidopsis thaliana.
abstract: Although Selenium (Se) stress is relatively well known for causing growth inhibition, its effects on primary metabolism remain rather unclear. Here, we characterized both the modulation of the expression of specific genes and the metabolic adjustments in Arabidopsis thaliana in response to changes in Se level in the soil. Se treatment culminated with strong inhibition of both shoot and root growth. Notably, growth inhibition in Se-treated plants was associated with an incomplete mobilization of starch during the night. Minor changes in amino acids levels were observed in shoots and roots of plants treated with Se whereas the pool size of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates in root was not altered in response to Se. By contrast, decreased levels of organic acids involved in the first part of the TCA cycle were observed in shoots of Se-treated plants. Furthermore, decreased expression levels of expansins and endotransglucosylases/endohydrolases (XHTs) genes were observed after Se treatment, coupled with a significant decrease in the levels of essential elements. Collectively, our results revealed an exquisite interaction between energy metabolism and Se-mediated control of growth in Arabidopsis thaliana to coordinate cell wall extension, starch turnover and the levels of a few essential nutrients.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Dimas M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Dalton D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Silva Júnior
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flávio Barcellos
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.|Max-Planck Partner Group, Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Auxiliadora O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.|Max-Planck Partner Group, Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Welder A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.|Max-Planck Partner Group, Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vitor L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. wlaraujo@ufv.br.|Max-Planck Partner Group, Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. wlaraujo@ufv.br.
authors.forename: Wagner L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Araújo
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism; D002952:Citric Acid Cycle; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D012643:Selenium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D002244:Carbon; D012643:Selenium
keywords: TCA cycle; carbon metabolism; cell wall; photosynthesis; plant growth; starch turnover