Low-Arsenic Accumulating Cabbage Possesses Higher Root Activities against Oxidative Stress of Arsenic
Hanhao Li,
Yongtao Li,
Xing Li,
Xun Wen Chen,
Aoyu Chen,
Li Wu,
Ming Hung Wong,
Hui Li
Affiliations
Hanhao Li
School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi’an 710021, China
Yongtao Li
School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi’an 710021, China
Xing Li
Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
Xun Wen Chen
Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
Aoyu Chen
Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
Li Wu
Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
Ming Hung Wong
Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
Hui Li
Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
Cabbage grown in contaminated soils can accumulate high levels of arsenic (As) in the edible parts, posing serious health risks. The efficiency of As uptake varies drastically among cabbage cultivars, but the underlying mechanisms are not clear. We screened out low (HY, Hangyun 49) and high As accumulating cultivars (GD, Guangdongyizhihua) to comparatively study whether the As accumulation is associated with variations in root physiological properties. Root biomass and length, reactive oxygen species (ROS), protein content, root activity, and ultrastructure of root cells of cabbage under different levels of As stress (0 (control), 1, 5, or 15 mg L−1) were measured As results, at low concentration (1 mg L−1), compared to GD, HY reduced As uptake and ROS content, and increased shoot biomass. At a high concentration (15 mg L−1), the thickened root cell wall and higher protein content in HY reduced arsenic damage to root cell structure and increased shoot biomass compared to GD. In conclusion, our results highlight that higher protein content, higher root activity, and thickened root cell walls result in lower As accumulation properties of HY compared to GD.
