Assessment of the effects of zinc on the growth and antioxidant enzymes in Scenedesmus ellipsoideus Chodat

Abstract

This study explores the activity of total superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione reductase (GR), biomass accumulation and chlorophyll a content in Scenedesmus ellipsoideus Chodat grown under conditions of varying zinc (Zn) concentrations. In addition, the activity of different SOD isozymes (MnSOD, FeSOD and CuZnSOD) was measured separately to determine the intracellular extent of oxidative stress resulting from Zn toxicity. We found that the activity of FeSOD and MnSOD was induced by lower Zn concentration (2 mu g ml(-1) and 4 mu g ml(-1), respectively), whereas CuZnSOD activity was not affected, which indicates that chloroplasts are the first location in S. ellipsoideus cells where superoxide accumulation is accelerated by Zn toxicity. The activity of total SOD and APX was significantly increased by moderate Zn concentrations, probably due to some oxidative stress caused by Zn toxicity. The higher level of Zn application, however, led not only to the inhibition of total SOD and APX activity, but also to the reduction of biomass accumulation and chlorophyll a content. As a result, it can be concluded that the accumulation of superoxide radicals and H2O2 in S. ellipsoideus cells induced by Zn toxicity may be responsible for the reduced growth rate and the impairment of photosynthetic pigments.