Tomato enzymatic rouPAGEm and the tolerance mechanisms to cadmium-induced stress

• Grant number: 21/06117-3
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: March 01, 2022
• End date: May 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Pant Physiology
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo Antunes de Azevedo
• Grantee: Ricardo Antunes de Azevedo
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Deyvid Novaes Marques ; Marcia Eugenia Amaral de Carvalho ; Salete Aparecida Gaziola

Abstract

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) is a technique that can be used to separate proteins according to their length, molecular weight and/or charge. From a practical point of view, this technique is able to provide valuable information about the presence, abundance, activity and isoforms of proteins. Among the functional classes of proteins, the enzymes are intensely modulated during stressful events, such as exposure to trace elements. Trace elements, such as cadmium (Cd), can be found naturally in the environment; but human activities have increased their disposal in superficial land and waters, causing a series of ecological, agronomic, economic and health problems. Cadmium is an extremely toxic metal to biological systems where it usually accumulates, aggravating its side effects. In plants, Cd can increase the production of reactive oxygen species that, directly and/or indirectly, modulate an activity and abundance of antioxidant enzymes. The effects of Cd on plant development have been widely investigated; in this context, the laboratory has used little employed approaches and/or focused on subjects that are generally neglected in this field of study in order to avoid "repetitive" information. Accordingly, we have published in important journals in the field of agriculture (for instance, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00299-021-02774-6, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121434 and https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147885). In this Project, the PAGE will be used to investigate how variations in the presence, abundance, activity, and isoforms of antioxidant enzymes may support the tolerance level of tomato to Cd. To this end, the surplus materials from two ongoing postdoctoral projects (one related to the transgenerational effects caused by Cd and the other related to the organ-specific changes in tomato grafted plants under exposure to Cd) will be used. The PAGE results will be compared to the enzyme total activity that will be obtained using a spectrophotometer. This research has academic-scientific relevance (our results may support other works in this research area) and practical relevance (our data may guide biotechnological and crop management programs). (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MARQUES, DEYVID NOVAES; NOGUEIRA, MARINA LIMA; GAZIOLA, SALETE APARECIDA; BATAGIN-PIOTTO, KATHERINE DERLENE; FREITAS, NATALIA CHAGAS; ALCANTARA, BERENICE KUSSUMOTO; PAIVA, LUCIANO VILELA; MASON, CHASE; PIOTTO, FERNANDO ANGELO; AZEVEDO, RICARDO ANTUNES. New insights into cadmium tolerance and accumulation in tomato: Dissecting root and shoot responses using cross-genotype grafting. Environmental Research, v. 216, p. 14-pg., 2023-01-01. (20/12666-7, 22/11018-7, 17/05544-0, 18/20706-9, 21/06117-3, 16/05788-3, 16/14349-3)

MARQUES, DEYVID NOVAES; MASON, CHASE; STOLZE, SARA CHRISTINA; HARZEN, ANNE; NAKAGAMI, HIROFUMI; SKIRYCZ, ALEKSANDRA; PIOTTO, FERNANDO ANGELO; AZEVEDO, RICARDO ANTUNES. Grafting systems for plant cadmium research: Insights for basic plant physiology and applied mitigation. Science of The Total Environment, v. 892, p. 18-pg., 2023-06-09. (22/11018-7, 21/06117-3, 20/12666-7, 17/05544-0, 18/22671-8, 18/20706-9)