Full Length Research Paper

Chromium-induced accumulation of peroxide content, stimulation of antioxidative enzymes and lipid peroxidation in green gram (Vigna radiata L. cv. Wilczek) leaves

Karuppanapandian T^1*, Pritam Bala Sinha¹, Kamarul Haniya A² and Manoharan K¹

¹Department of Plant Sciences, Centre of Potential in Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai 625 021, India.

²Department of Biotechnology, Srimad Andavan Arts and Science College, Thiruvanaikoil, Tiruchirappalli 620 005, India.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: tkpandian78@rediffmail.com.

Abbreviations: CAT, Catalase; Cr, chromium; GR, glutathione reductase; MDA, malondialdehyde; POX, peroxidase; ROS, reactive oxygen species; SOD, superoxide dismutase.

Accepted 15 November, 2007

Chromium (Cr)-induced oxidative damage and changes in contents of chlorophyll, protein, peroxide and malondialdehyde (MDA) and activities of enzymatic antioxidants were investigated in 4-day-old green gram (Vigna radiata L. cv. Wilczek) seedlings. Cr increased the contents of peroxide and MDA but decreased the contents of chlorophyll and proteins. Cr reduced the activities of catalase (CAT) and glutathione reductase (GR), but increased the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in green gram leaves. Lipid peroxidation is considered to be an important mechanism of Cr-induced oxidative damage in green gram leaves. The peroxidation of lipids can be initiated by free radicals. The effects of Cr-induced oxidative damage and increase in the contents of peroxide and MDA in green gram leaves can be minimized by pretreatment with ascorbic acid (AA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) or both.

Key words: antioxidative enzymes, Cr-toxicity, green gram, oxidative damage, lipid peroxidation.