Molybdenum Sequestration in Brassica Species. A Role for Anthocyanins?

• Published in: Plant physiology (Bethesda) Vol. 126; no. 4; pp. 1391 - 1402
• Main Authors: Kerry L. Hale, McGrath, Steve P., Lombi, Enzo, Stack, Stephen M., Terry, Norman, Pickering, Ingrid J., George, Graham N., Elizabeth A. H. Pilon-Smits
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Rockville, MD American Society of Plant Biologists 01-08-2001; American Society of Plant Physiologists
• Subjects: Absorption. Translocation of ions and substances. Permeability; Adaptation, Physiological; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; anthocyanin; Anthocyanins - chemistry; Anthocyanins - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Brassica - drug effects; Brassica - growth & development; Brassica - metabolism; Brassica juncea; Brassica rapa; Crystals; Economic plant physiology; Environment and pollution; Environmental Stress and Adaptation; Epidermal cells; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Miscellaneous; Molybdates; Molybdenum; Molybdenum - chemistry; Molybdenum - metabolism; Molybdenum - pharmacology; Molybdenum - toxicity; Mustards; Mutation; Nutrition. Photosynthesis. Respiration. Metabolism; Plant Epidermis - cytology; Plant Epidermis - drug effects; Plant Epidermis - physiology; Plant physiology; Plant physiology and development; Plant roots; Plant Stems - cytology; Plant Stems - drug effects; Plant Stems - physiology; Plants; Quaternary ammonium compounds; Seedlings; Vacuoles; Vacuoles - metabolism; Water and solutes. Absorption, translocation and permeability; Plant juvenile growth stage; Functional deficit; Vacuole; Cruciferae; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Pigments; Bioremediation; Intraspecific comparison; Localization; Mechanism of action; Brassica juncea; Anthocyanin; Complexation; Genetic variant; Crystallization; Tissue specificity; Tolerance; Epidermis; Molybdenum; Oil plant(vegetal); Sensitivity resistance; Morphology; Spermatophyta; Biological accumulation
• ISSN: 0032-0889; 1532-2548
• DOI: 10.1104/pp.126.4.1391

To elucidate plant mechanisms involved in molybdenum (Mo) sequestration and tolerance, Brassica spp. seedlings were supplied with molybdate, and the effects on plant physiology, morphology, and biochemistry were analyzed. When supplied with (colorless) molybdate Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) seedlings accumulated water-soluble blue crystals in their peripheral cell layers. Energy dispersive x-ray analysis showed that Mo accumulated predominantly in the vacuoles of the epidermal cells. Therefore, the blue crystals are likely to be a Mo compound. The x-ray absorption spectrum of the plant-accumulated Mo was different than that for molybdate, indicating complexation with a plant molecule. Because the blue compound was water soluble and showed a pH-dependent color change, possible involvement of anthocyanins was investigated. An anthocyanin-less mutant of Brassica rapa ("fast plants") was compared with varieties containing normal or high anthocyanin levels. The anthocyanin-less mutant did not show accumulation of a blue compound when supplied with molybdate. In the anthocyanin-containing varieties, the blue compound colocalized with anthocyanins in the peripheral cell layers. Mo accumulation by the three B. rapa varieties was positively correlated with anthocyanin content. Addition of molybdate to purified B. rapa anthocyanin resulted in an in vitro color change from pink to blue. Therefore, Mo appears to be sequestered in vacuoles of the peripheral cell layers of Brassica spp. as a blue compound, probably a Mo-anthocyanin complex.