Mercury toxicity in barley roots

The effects of mercury (HgCl2) on barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) growth, physiological traits and gene expression profiles were studied. The shoot to root ratio was decreased in the two levels of HgCl2 (500 and 1000 μM) assayed, which was related primarily with decreases in shoot dry weight. Moreover stomatal conductance was limited and leaf carbon isotope discrimination decreased. Therefore water uptake limitations seem to be an important component of barley responses to HgCl2. Evidences for decreased stomatal conductance and water uptake limitations were further confirmed by the over expression of ABA related transcripts and down regulation of an aquaporin in roots. Root dry weight was only affected at 1000 μM HgCl2 and root browning was observed, while several transcripts for lignin biosynthesis were up regulated in HgCl2. Microarray analysis further revealed that growth inhibition in HgCl2 was related to increased expression of genes participating in ethylene biosynthesis and down regulation of several genes participating in DNA synthesis, chromatin structure and cell division, cell wall degradation and modification, oxidative pentose phosphate cycle and nitrogen metabolism pathway. Genes involved in detoxification and defence mechanisms were up regulated including several cytochrome P450s, glucosyltransferases and glutathione-s-transferases and amino acid metabolism participatory genes. It is concluded that barley plants survive in the presence of HgCl2 through several mechanisms that include water uptake limitations, shoot and root growth regulation, increased expression of genes involved in the biosynthesis of several plant protection secondary metabolites and finally through detoxification. Six samples were analysed including 3 biological replicates of mercury exposed roots and 3 controls (no mercury added to the growing solution)