Mecanismo de defesa e recuperação da fotossintese em Centrolobium tomentosum sob condições de estresse induzido por SO2 / Mechanism of defense and recovery of photosynthesis in Centrolobium tomentosum under conditions of stress induced by SO2

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2008

RESUMO

Large quantities of gaseous pollutants emited by urban-industrial areas emit contribute to the degradation of ecosystems with subsequent declines in vegetation. The photosynthesis is one of the first processes altered by the action of these pollutants and sulphur dioxide (SO2), as one of the most common and harmful air pollutants, drastically affect the photosynthetic activity and cause serious injuries in the leaf tissue. The SO2 diffuses itself as promptly as the CO2 into the leaf through the stomata, and in the aqueous phase of the substomatal cavity it solubilizes forming bisulphite and sulphite, which are ionic species of highly aggressive oxidant action to the cell. Sulphites, if it is not quickly oxidized to sulphate in the presence of light, it competes with CO2 becoming an inhibitor of photosynthetic fixation, while the bisulphite can react with aldehydes and ketones, forming hidroxisulphonates, which are inhibitors of several enzymes. During the aerobics oxidation of sulphites and bisulphites there are increase in the concentration of free radicals that cause peroxidation of unsaturated fatty acids, lipid hydroperoxides and disruption of co-oxidation of chlorophylls in chloroplasts, if not quickly eliminated by enzymes of detoxification. The resistance of the plant to the toxic action of SO2 suggests several mechanisms, among which stand out: the reduction of SO2 absorption through the stomatal closure, the oxidation of sulphite to sulphate with the subsequent storage of sulphate inside the vacuole and the incorporation in the normal metabolism in organic way, and the scavenging by antioxidant system of peroxidases and superoxide dismutase. If an excess of sulphur is absorbed and the concentration of thiols increase, the sulphur may be accumulated in the form of glutathione, which is a tripeptide with sulphidric bindings, or the excesses of sulphidric groups and sulphites could be converted into sulfides or lost in the form of sulphidric acid, through gas exchange, removing the sulphur from the metabolism of the plant. The objective was to study the mechanisms of immediate protection and recovery of the photosynthetic rate in plants of Centrolobium tomentosum under conditions of stress induced by SO2, before some kind of leaf injury or phytotoxicity, like chlorosis or leaf necrosis, became visible. For this, an induction chamber has specially been constructed to allow collect of leaf samples in vivo, while the stress was happening. Inside the induction chamber it was put a native species, Centrolobium tomentosum, which had been kept under natural environmental conditions at a greenhouse of the Department of Plant Physiology (UNICAMP). The tests were conducted with SO2 in the chamber of induction, in a closed system, and this was maintained in a growth chamber, under controlled light, temperature and humidity conditions. Plants of C. tomentosum between eight months and one year old were submited to different concentrations of SO2 in order to determine the lowest concentration of SO2 capable to induce, in the photosynthetic rate, the succession of phases that are characteristics of a dynamics of stress. There were used five different plants for each concentration of SO2 applied, and the photosynthetic rate was recorded using a Portable System for Analysis of gases by Infrared (IRGA). In the same leaves, non-enzymatic antioxidants (photosynthetic pigments and ascorbic acid) and enzymatic antioxidant (superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase) were analysed. It was determined that the lowest concentration to induce the dynamics of stress in plants of C. tomentosum was 12.11 g SO2 m-3, which represents a very high concentration regarding the maximum concentrations recommended by governmental organizations to the air pollution control. The succession of phases in the photosynthetic rate was as follows: - Photosynthetic rate before the implementation of SO2: at this stage, the photosynthetic rate recorded an average of 4.4 mol CO2 m-2 s-1. Leaf samples were taken, whose analyses correponded to the control. - Phase of alarm: it has begun immediately after the injection of 12.11 g SO2 m-3 characterized by the sharp fall in the photosynthetic rate of 92%. Then the stress itself begun, with very low records in photosynthetic rate. - Phase of restitution: in which there was observed the gradual recovery of the photosynthetic rate. - Phase of resistance: in which, after 9 hours of exposure to SO2, the photosynthetic rate recorded recovery of 50%. After 24 hours of the beginning of the assay, the photosynthetic rate recorded the initial value corresponding to the control, that is, a complete recovery. In all stages, except in the stage of restitution, leaf samples were taken. There were no symptoms of chlorosis or necrosis in the leaves of C. tomentosum after exposure to SO2 and chemical analysis of photosynthetic pigments corroborate to this observation. However, in stages of stress and complete recovery, the levels of carotenoids increased in relation to the control. The increase of ascorbic acid had the same trend of that of carotenoids in stages of stress and complete recovery. The activity of superoxide dismutase increased significantly in the stage of stress, while the activity of glutathione reductase increased significantly during the complete recovery. The dynamics of stress and the immediate mechanism of detoxification in plants of C. tomentosum submitted to 12.11 g SO2 m-3 suggest that effectively there was actually an oxidative stress, which was overcame in the following way: during the alarm, the sulfite reacted with ribulose bisphosphate before the photo-oxidation to sulphate. This explains the inhibition of carboxylation, with a sharp decrease in the photosynthetic rate. The citotoxic free radicals generated in the chloroplasts, as a result of the photo-oxidation of sulphites, were quickly scavenged by the increase, in the phase of stress, of carotenoids and ascorbic acid and the increasing activity of superoxide dismutase. However, the sulphur from SO2 has not been immediately accumulated in the form of glutathione. It only occurred when the plant recovered completely the photosynthetic rate. Thus, it was found that C. tomentosum is a resistant species that could be used in areas where SO2 emissions are high, as in the chemical, petrochemical, steel and fertilizers factories, among others

ASSUNTO(S)

stress (fisiologia) superoxide dismutase especies de oxigenio reativas superoxido desmutase photosynthetic rate stress (physiology) dioxido de enxofre sulfur dioxide reactive oxygen species

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