title: Effects of cadmium-resistant fungi Aspergillus aculeatus on metabolic profiles of bermudagrass [Cynodondactylon (L.)Pers.] under Cd stress.
abstract: Plants' tolerance to heavy metal stress may be induced by the exploitation of microbes. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effect of cadmium (Cd)-resistant fungus, Aspergillus aculeatus, on tolerance to Cd and alteration of metabolites in bermudagrass under Cd stress, and identify the predominant metabolites associated with Cd tolerance. Two genotypes of bermudagrass with contrasting Cd tolerance (Cd-sensitive 'WB92' and Cd-tolerant 'WB242') were exposed to 0, 50, 150 and 250 mg kg-1Cd for 21 days. Physiological responses of bermudagrass to Cd stress were evaluated based on the relative growth rate (RGR) and normalized relative transpiration rate (NRT). Plants inoculated with A. aculeatus exhibited higher RGR and NRT under Cd stress than those of non-inoculated plants, regardless of genotypes. A total of 32 Cd-responsive metabolites in leaves and 21 in roots were identified in the two genotypes, including organic acids, amino acids, sugars, and fatty acids and others. Interestingly, under Cd stress, the leaves of inoculated 'WB92' accumulated less citric acid, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, sucrose, galactose, but more sorbose and glucose, while inoculated 'WB242' leaves had less citric acid, malic acid, sucrose, sorbose, but more fructose and glucose, compared to non-inoculated plants. In 'WB92' roots, the A. aculeatus reduced mannose content, but increased trehalose and citric acid content, while in 'WB242', it decreased sucrose, but enhanced citric acid content, compared to Cd regime. The results of this study suggest that A. aculeatus may induce accumulation of different metabolites associated with Cd tolerance in bermudagrass.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty Agriculture, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Science, Wuhan 430074, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoning
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty Agriculture, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Science, Wuhan 430074, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Margaret Mukami
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Gitau
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty Agriculture, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Science, Wuhan 430074, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Shijuan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty Agriculture, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Science, Wuhan 430074, China. Electronic address: jfu@wbgcas.cn.
authors.forename: Jinmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty Agriculture, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Science, Wuhan 430074, China. Electronic address: xieyan@wbgcas.cn.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xie
mesh_terms: D001230:Aspergillus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002104:Cadmium / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D031744:Cynodon / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D008658:Inactivation, Metabolic; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D002104:Cadmium
keywords: Aspergillus aculeatus; Bermudagrass; Cadmium; Metabolites