title: Nickel tolerance, accumulation and subcellular distribution in the halophytes Sesuvium portulacastrum and Cakile maritima.
abstract: It has been shown that halophytes are able to successfully cope with heavy metal toxicity, suggesting their possible use for remediation of metal contaminated soils. In this work, Ni tolerance and accumulation in two halophytes, Sesuvium portulacastrum (L.) L. and Cakile maritima Scop. was investigated. Seedlings of both species were subjected hydroponically during 21 days to 0, 25, 50, and 100 μM of NiCl2. The growth and photosynthesis parameters revealed that S. portulacastrum tolerates Ni better than C. maritima. The photosynthesis activity, chlorophyll content and photosystem II integrity were less impacted in Ni-treated S. portulacastrum as compared to C. maritima, although, Ni accumulated in higher concentrations in the shoots of S. portulacastrum (1050 μg g-1DW) than in those of C. maritima (550 μg g-1DW). The subcellular fractionation of Ni in the shoots of both species showed that C. maritima accumulated about 65% of Ni in the soluble fraction, while 28% was associated with the cell walls. In S. portulacastrum 44% of the total cellular Ni was seen in the soluble fraction and 43% was bound to the cell walls. It can be concluded that S. portulacastrum tolerates Ni better than C. maritima, most probably due to a better ability to sequester Ni in the cell walls, restricting its accumulation in the soluble fraction.
authors.affiliation: Université de Tunis El Manar, BP 901, 2050 Hammam-Lif, Tunisia; Centre de Biotechnologie de Borj Cedria (LR15CBBC02), Laboratoire des Plantes Extrèmophiles, BP 901, 2050 Hammam-Lif, Tunisia; Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Emna
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fourati
authors.affiliation: Université de Tunis El Manar, BP 901, 2050 Hammam-Lif, Tunisia; Centre de Biotechnologie de Borj Cedria (LR15CBBC02), Laboratoire des Plantes Extrèmophiles, BP 901, 2050 Hammam-Lif, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mariem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wali
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vogel-Mikuš
authors.affiliation: Centre de Biotechnologie de Borj Cedria (LR15CBBC02), Laboratoire des Plantes Extrèmophiles, BP 901, 2050 Hammam-Lif, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Chedly
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Abdelly
authors.affiliation: Centre de Biotechnologie de Borj Cedria (LR15CBBC02), Laboratoire des Plantes Extrèmophiles, BP 901, 2050 Hammam-Lif, Tunisia. Electronic address: Tahar.ghnaya@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tahar
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ghnaya
mesh_terms: D035722:Aizoaceae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D019607:Brassicaceae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000378:metabolism; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism; D005453:Fluorescence; D009532:Nickel / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000633:toxicity*; D055051:Salt-Tolerant Plants / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D002734:Chlorophyll; D002338:Carotenoids; D009532:Nickel
keywords: Cellular compartmentalization; Ni-resistance; Photosynthesis; Phytoextraction