FESPB Congress, Valencia, İspanya, 1 - 04 Temmuz 2010, ss.68
ROLE OF CD AND CU ON THE ANTIOXIDANT
BEHAVIOUR OF BRACHYCHITON POPULNEUS
(SCHOTT & ENDL.) R. BR. (STERCULIACEAE)
Baycu, G.1* - Bakacak, S.A.1 - Rognes, S.E.2
1 Istanbul University
2 Oslo University
*Corresponding author, e-mail: gbaycu@gmail.com
Brachychiton populneus (Bottle tree) occurs naturally in southern
Australia. Young seedlings distribute resources to form a large
tap-rooted tuber that has considerable starch and water reserves,
allowing the tree to survive in the dry and hot periods of Mediterranean
environment. Brachychiton is commonly cultivated and
is hardy in a range of climates and soils. Oxidative stress is induced
by a wide range of environmental factors including drought,
heat and trace metal stresses. The aim of this study was to examine
the antioxidant behaviour of this drought tolerant plant to
trace metal toxicity. Plant seeds were collected from Cyprus Island,
which has a typical Mediterranean climate. We had some
difficulties during the germination and plant growth in hydroponic
cultures was impossible. For this reason sand & perlite cultures
were set up and plants were grown for several months in
the phytotrone conditions. The seedlings were then treated with
50-150μM Cd and 500-1500μM Cu for 2-week to investigate the
role of Cd and Cu on the activity of catalase (CAT), glutathione
reductase (GR) and guaiacol peroxidase (GPOX) in the leaves
and roots. The activity of CAT was diminished both by Cd and
Cu toxicity in the plant organs. GR activities were reduced by
both metals in the leaves except a slight increase in the low Cd
treatment. No changes in GR activity were observed in the roots.
Conversely, both Cd and Cu produced a raise in GPOX activity
in the leaves. Whereas an increase was observed with low Cd and
low Cu treatments in the roots, high Cd and high Cu reduced the
activity. GPOX could be exerting a stronger antioxidant function.
These results suggest that antioxidant behaviours may change
with various trace metal concentrations in different plant organs.