title: Accumulation efficiency, genotoxicity and antioxidant defense mechanisms in medicinal plant Acalypha indica L. under lead stress.
abstract: The present study was designed to assess the physiological and biochemical changes in roots and shoots of the herb Acalypha indica grown under hydroponic conditions during exposure to lead (Pb) (100-500 mg L-1) for 1-12 d. The accumulation of Pb by A. indica plants was found to be 121.6 and 17.5 mg g-1dry weight (DW) in roots and shoots, respectively, when exposed to a Pb concentration of 500 mg L-1. The presence of Pb ions in stem, root and leaf tissues was confirmed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analyses. Concerning the activity of antioxidant enzymes, viz., peroxidase (POX) catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), they were induced at various regimes during 5, 8 and 12 d of Pb exposure in both the leaves and roots than untreated controls. Lead treatment increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in both the leaf and root tissues over control, irrespective of the duration of exposure. Anew, it was observed that Pb treatments induced variations in the number and intensity of protein bands. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) results show that the Pb treatment caused genotoxicity on DNA molecules as evidenced by the amplification of new bands and the absence of normal DNA amplicons in treated plants. Results confirm that A. indica is a Pb accumulator species, and the antioxidants might play a crucial role in the detoxification of Pb-induced toxic effects.
authors.affiliation: Periyar University, Department of Biotechnology, Plant Genetic Engineering and Molecular Biology Lab, Periyar Palkalai Nagar, Salem, 636 011, Tamil Nadu, India. Electronic address: pvenkat67@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Perumal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Venkatachalam
authors.affiliation: Periyar University, Department of Biotechnology, Plant Genetic Engineering and Molecular Biology Lab, Periyar Palkalai Nagar, Salem, 636 011, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Narayanan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jayalakshmi
authors.affiliation: Bharathiar University, Department of Botany, Coimbatore, 641 046, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Natesan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Geetha
authors.affiliation: Western Kentucky University, Department of Biology, Bowling Green, KY, 42101, USA.
authors.forename: Shivendra V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Sahi
authors.affiliation: Western Kentucky University, Department of Biology, Bowling Green, KY, 42101, USA.
authors.forename: Nilesh C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, Department of Environmental Engineering & Water Technology, PO Box 3015, 2601 DA, Delft, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Eldon R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Rene
authors.affiliation: University of Calcutta, Department of Marine Science, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Calcutta, 700019, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Santosh K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Sarkar
authors.affiliation: University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, UTAD, School of Life Sciences and the Environment, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801, Vila Real, Portugal; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, 3004-517, Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: pjcf@utad.pt.
authors.forename: Paulo J C
authors.initials: PJC
authors.lastname: Favas
mesh_terms: D065815:Acalypha / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D060387:Ascorbate Peroxidases / Q000378:metabolism; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D018527:Hydroponics; D007854:Lead / Q000633:toxicity*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019105:Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018744:DNA, Plant; D010940:Plant Proteins; D007854:Lead; D060387:Ascorbate Peroxidases; D002374:Catalase; D009195:Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase
keywords: Antioxidant enzymes; Hydroponic test; Oxidative stress; Protein electrophoresis; RAPD-PCR; Toxicity