Biochemical responses of the aquatic moss Fontinalis antipyretica to Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn determined by chlorophyll fluorescence and protein levels

Bryophytes and heavy metals: a review

“…Though there are studies about the effects of heavy metals on bryophyte physiological parameters, there are only a few examining the consequences of these changes to doseresponse relations (Wolterbeek 2002). Additionally, detection of the heavy metal dosedependent effects and physiological responses in bryophytes at a cellular level could result in the establishment of markers, which could be used for bioindication or biomonitoring of heavy metal pollution in the environment (Rau et al 2007, Sun et al 2010. The significance of exploring the heavy metal effects in bryophytes goes beyond their use in environmental studies, since it could also give the insights into the evolution of plant defence mechanisms to this type of pollution (Degola et al 2014).…”

“…The alternations in 7 different cell processes could also be a result of the displacement and thus deficiency of an essential element by a specific heavy metal (Zengin and Munzuroglu 2005). The chlorophyll content is an often-used parameter for assessment of the physiological status and biological activity (photosynthetic capacity) of plants (Tremper et al 2004, Zengin and Munzuroglu 2005, Rau et al 2007). However, there have not been many studies investigating the relationship between the presence of different heavy metals in bryophytes and the chlorophyll concentration.…”

Moss as a Model System for Plant Stress Responses

“…One such example is adaptation to heavy metal ions deposited at industrially polluted sites. Physcomitrella is generally susceptible to the toxic effects of heavy metal ions [78], unlike other mosses such as Fontinalis antipyretica [79], Scopelophila cataractae [80,81], or Taxithelium nepalense [82]. As well as being of academic interest, an insight into the way in which nonmodel bryophytes adapt to such adverse conditions may provide novel approaches to engineering stress tolerance in crop species, through the identification of novel genes, and for strategies for the phytoremediation of polluted environments [83].…”

Study of the Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn dynamics in soil, plants and bee pollen from the region of Teresina (PI), Brazil

“…The modest Cu diet (while useful), the inevitable physiological disorders originated from an accidental luxurious diet (Epstein 1975) and the zero lack regarding Pb may induce some plant's defense mechanism, like retention in the roots (Xu et al 2007). For that matter, in case of Cu, an initial imprisonment of the metal in the form of metallothionein is suggested, followed by a precipitation as phosphate that is deposited in the cellular vacuoles (Rau et al 2007). As for Pb, especially in the status of oxidation (2+)-the most available form in the soil and the greatest affinity for thiolic groups-, it is reasonable to credit their known toxicity to the competition with other divalent metals, especially Zn, substituting it in their respective metallothioneins (Magyar et al 2005):…”