Physiological and Molecular Alterations of Phycobionts of Genus Trebouxia and Coccomyxa Exposed to Cadmium
- 15 January 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Microbial Ecology
- Vol. 82 (2), 334-343
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-021-01685-z
Abstract
Several studies on aeroterrestrial microalgae are unravelling their resistance mechanisms to different abiotic stressors, including hazardous metals, pointing to their future role as bioremediation microorganisms. In the present study, physiological and molecular alterations of four phycobionts of genus Trebouxia (T. TR1 and T. TR9) and Coccomyxa (C. subellipsoidea and C. simplex) exposed to Cd were studied. Cd accumulation and subcellular distribution, cell wall structure, production of biothiols (GSH and phytochelatins), reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, expression of key antioxidant genes and ROS-related enzymes were evaluated to determine the physiological differences among the four microalgae, with the aim to identify the most suitable microorganism for further biotechnological applications. After 7 days of Cd exposure, Coccomyxa algae showed higher capacity of Cd intake than Trebouxia species, with C. subellipsoidea being the highest Cd accumulator at both intracellular and, especially, cell wall level. Cd induced ROS formation in the four microalgae, but to a greater extent in both Coccomyxa algae. Trebouxia TR9 showed the lowest Cd-dependent oxidative stress probably due to glutathione reductase induction. All microalgae synthetized phytochelatins in response to Cd but in a species-specific and a dose-dependent manner. Results from this study agree with the notion that each microalga has evolved a distinct strategy to detoxify hazardous metals like Cd and to cope with oxidative stress associated with them. Coccomyxa subellipsoidea and Trebouxia TR9 appear as the most interesting candidates for further applications.Keywords
Funding Information
- Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (CGL2016- 80259-P, AGL2014-53771-R, AGL2017-87591-R)
This publication has 59 references indexed in Scilit:
- Two Trebouxia algae with different physiological performances are ever‐present in lichen thalli of Ramalina farinacea. Coexistence versus Competition?Environmental Microbiology, 2010
- Oxidative stress induces distinct physiological responses in the two Trebouxia phycobionts of the lichen Ramalina farinaceaAnnals of Botany, 2010
- Cadmium toxicity on the freshwater microalga Chlamydomonas moewusii Gerloff: Biosynthesis of thiol compoundsEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 2010
- Cadmium stress: an oxidative challengeBioMetals, 2010
- Interactions of lichens with heavy metalsBiologia plantarum, 2009
- First and second line mechanisms of cadmium detoxification in the lichen photobiont Trebouxia impressa (Chlorophyta)Environmental Pollution, 2008
- Cellular damage induced by cadmium and mercury in Medicago sativaJournal of Experimental Botany, 2005
- PHYTOCHELATINS AND METALLOTHIONEINS: Roles in Heavy Metal Detoxification and HomeostasisAnnual Review of Plant Biology, 2002
- The Lichen SymbiosisMycologia, 1994
- Cysteine, γ-Glutamylcysteine, and Glutathione Levels in Maize SeedlingsPlant Physiology, 1991