Metabolic Responses of <i>Amaranthus caudatus</i> Roots and Leaves to Zinc Stress
In recent decades, heavy metal pollution has become a significant environmental stress factor. Plants are characterized by high biochemical plasticity and can adjust their metabolism to ensure survival under a changing environment. Here we report, to our knowledge, the first gas chromatography-mass...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Plants |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/14/2119 |
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| Summary: | In recent decades, heavy metal pollution has become a significant environmental stress factor. Plants are characterized by high biochemical plasticity and can adjust their metabolism to ensure survival under a changing environment. Here we report, to our knowledge, the first gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)-based metabolomics study of Zn-induced stress responses in <i>Amaranthus caudatus</i> plants. The study was performed with root and leaf aqueous methanolic extracts after their lyophilization and sequential derivatization with methoxylamine hydrochloride and <i>N</i>-methyl-<i>N</i>-(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide. In total, 419 derivatives were detected in the samples, and 144 of them could be putatively annotated. The metabolic shifts in seven-week-old <i>A. caudatus</i> plants in response to a seven-day treatment with 300 µmol/L ZnSO<sub>4</sub>·7H<sub>2</sub>O in nutrient solution were organ-specific and more pronounced in roots. Most of the responsive metabolites were up-regulated and dominated by sugars and sugar acids. The revealed effects could be attributed to the involvement of these metabolites in osmotic regulation, antioxidant protection and Zn<sup>2+</sup> complexation. A 59-fold up-regulation of gluconic acid in roots distinctly indicated enhanced glucose oxidation due to oxidative stress upon the Zn treatment. Gluconic acid might be further employed in Zn<sup>2+</sup> complexation. Pronounced Zn-induced up-regulation of salicylic acid in roots and shoots suggested a key role of this hormone in stress signaling and activation of Zn stress tolerance mechanisms. Overall, our study provides the first insight into the general trends of Zn-induced biochemical rearrangements and main adaptive metabolic shifts in <i>A. caudatus</i>. |
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| ISSN: | 2223-7747 |