The metabolic significance of Se in plants is not well documented, though the presence of many selenoenzymes in bacteria and the essentiality of Se in higher animals is established. Since germination is an active process in plant growth and metabolism, the effect of Se was investigated in germinating Vigna radiata L, a nonaccumulating Sedeficient legume. Growth and protein were enhanced in seedlings supplemented with selenium (Se) as sodium selenite in the medium up to 1 μg/mL. The pattern of uptake of75Se in the differentiating tissues and the subcellular distribution were investigated. The percentage of incorporation of75Se was greater in the mitochondria at the lowest level (0.5 μg/mL) of Se supplementation compared to higher levels of Se exposure. Proteins precipitated from the postmitochondrial supernatant fractions, when separated by means of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), indicated a major selenoprotein in the seedlings germinated at 2.0 μg/mL Se. In seedlings grown with supplemented Se, enhanced respiratory control ratio and succinate dehydrogenase activity were observed in the mitochondria of tissues, indicative of a role for Se in mitochondrial membrane functions. © 1995 Humana Press Inc.

Kalyanaraman Lalitha

SELENIUM 75

SODIUM SELENITE

Succinate dehydrogenase

VEGETABLE PROTEIN

article

BEAN

cellular distribution

GERMINATION

MITOCHONDRIAL RESPIRATION

nonhuman

PLANT GROWTH

plant seed

polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

COTYLEDON

Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel

Fabaceae

Membrane Proteins

Mitochondria

Oxidation-Reduction

Oxygen

PLANT ROOTS

Plants, Medicinal

Proteins

selenium

Selenium compounds

SELENIUM RADIOISOTOPES

SUBCELLULAR FRACTIONS

IIT Madras is a public technical and research university located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Founded in 1959, it is recognised as an Institute of National Importance.

IIT Madras has been ranked as the top engineering institute in India for four years in a row by the National Institutional Ranking Framework of the MHRD

It currently offers undergraduate, postgraduate and research degrees across 16 disciplines in Engineering, Sciences, Humanities and Management. About 596 faculty belonging to science and engineering departments and centres of the Institute are engaged in teaching, research and industrial consultancy.

IIT Madras

Subcellular distribution of selenium during uptake and its influence on mitochondrial oxidations in germinating Vigna radiata L.

Biological Trace Element Research

Adaptive alterations in glutathione (GSH) metabolism were studied during oxidative stress induced by selenium (Se) deficiency in germinating seedlings of Trigonella foenum-graecum grown for 72 h and the response to supplementation individually of Se or mimosine was explored. Growth enhancement with improved mitochondrial efficiency was elicited by supplementation of Se at 0.5-0.75 ppm or mimosine at 0.1-0.2 mM. Total thiol and protein levels of mitochondrial and soluble fractions, in general, did not vary significantly with supplementation of either Se or mimosine except that the mitochondrial protein levels in mimosine groups (0.1-0.2 mM) decreased by 20-30%. Mitochondrial glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) increased by twofold in activity toward H2O2, cumene hydroperoxide (CHP), and t-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP) in Se groups, and by 50-60% increase toward H2O2 and CHP but by a twofold enhancement in enzyme activity with tBHP in mimosine groups. Soluble GSH-Px activity increased by 30-40% only in mimosine groups and remained unaltered in Se groups. Glutathione S-transferase activity (GST) in the soluble fraction of both Se and mimosine groups increased dramatically by fivefold to sixfold. Distinct differences were noted in the response of the stressed seedlings toward exposure to Se or mimosine and included a decline in glutathione reductase (GR) activity by 50-60% in both mitochondria and soluble fractions of Se groups and an increase in GR activity of the mitochondria by twofold and of the soluble enzyme activity by 30% in the mimosine groups. Mimosine exposure resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in the γ-glutamy transpeptidase levels, but, in contrast, a significant enhancement by 50% was noted in the Se group at 0.75 ppm. The results including the differential response of GR activity to Se or mimosine supplementation are reflective of an effective reductive environment in Se group, and increased turnover of GSH in the presence of mimosine.

Oxidative stress during selenium deficiency in seedlings of Trigonella foenum-graecum and mitigation by mimosine: Part II. Glutathione metabolism

Oxidative stress during selenium (Se) deficiency in the seedlings of Trigonella foenum-graecum grown for 72 h was investigated and the response to supplemented levels of Se (0.5-1 ppm) and mimosine (0.05-1 mM) was evaluated. Beneficial effects of Se was maximal at 0.75 ppm. Mimosine, a toxic amino acid, was also found to be beneficial to the growth of the seedlings exposed up to 0.2 mM. When compared to the stressed seedlings, mitochondrial oxygen uptake from seedlings of Se (0.75 ppm) group and mimosine (0.2 mM) group exhibited threefold enhancement in state 3 respiration rate and a controlled state 4 rate, with respiratory control ratios of 5-8. Upon supplementation at the optimal levels, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were enhanced fourfold with Se and eightfold with mimosine in the mitochondria. The soluble activity in mimosine groups increased twofold, but only by 75% in Se groups. Peroxidase activity registered a significant increase by threefold in mitochondria and fourfold in soluble fraction in both Se and mimosine groups. Exposure to Se or mimosine exhibited a differential response in the mitochondrial catalase and ascorbate peroxidase (Asc-Px) activities. In the Se groups, both catalase and Asc-Px in mitochondria decreased by 50-60%, which was contrasted by 60%, increase in Asc-Px activity and 40% in catalase activity in mimosine groups. Supplementation with either Se or mimosine evoked similar responses of increases with respect to soluble catalase by twofold to threefold and Asc-Px by 90%. The results of the present study reveal (1) the prevalence of oxidative stress in T. foenum-graecum during Se deficiency, (2) enhanced mitochondrial functional efficiency mediated by Se and mimosine independently, and (3) an antioxidative role for mimosine during Se deficiency. The study demonstrates for the first time that mimosine, a naturally occurring toxic amino acid, could be a beneficial growth factor in concentrations between 0.1 and 0.2 mM.

Oxidative stress during selenium deficiency in seedlings of Trigonella foenum-graecum and mitigation by mimosine: Part I. Hydroperoxide metabolism

β-Glucosidase and β-galactosidase activity profile tested in different seeds during 24 h germination revealed reasonably high levels of activity in Vigna radiata, Cicer arietinum, and Trigonella foenum-graecum. In all seeds tested, β-galactosidase activity was, in general, higher than that of β- glucosidase. T. foenum-graecum seedlings exhibited maximal total and specific activities for both the enzymes during 72 h germination. Se supplementation as Na2SeO3 up to 0.75 ppm was found to be beneficial to growth and revealed selective enhancement of β-galactosidase activity by 40% at 0.5 ppm Se. The activities of both the enzymes drastically decreased at 1.0 ppm level of Se supplementation. On the contrary, addition of Na2SeO3 in vitro up to 1 ppm to the enzyme extracts did not influence these activities. Hydrolytic rates of β-glucosidase in both control and Se-supplemented groups were enhanced by 20% with 0.05 M glycerol in the medium and 30% at 0.1 M glycerol. The rates were marginally higher in Se-supplemented seedlings than the controls, irrespective of added glycerol in the medium. In contrast, hydrolysis by β- galactosidase showed a trend of decrease in Se-supplemented seedlings compared to the control, when glycerol was present in the medium. Addition of Se in vitro in the assay medium showed no difference in the hydrolytic rate by β-galactosidase when compared to control, while the activity of β- glucosidase declined by 50%. Se-grown seedlings showed an enhancement of transglucosidation rate by 40% in the presence of 0.1 M glycerol. The study reveals a differential response to Se among the β-galactosidase and β- glucosidase of T. foenum-graecum with increase in the levels of β- galactosidase activity.

Selenium-mediated differential response of β-glucosidase and β- galactosidase of germinating Trigonella foenum-graecum

Earlier studies in our laboratory demonstrated the beneficial role of Se in Vigna radiata, a Se-deficient legume, during germination, as reflected in growth-related parameters and specific uptake of75Se. Uptake of Na275SeO3, added in vitro by mitochondria isolated from seedlings germinated in control (without Se), and Se-supplemented groups (0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 ppm Se) indicated a proportional increase in the uptake with added Na275SeO3, in concentrations up to 25 γM. The uptake of75Se, increased linearly with time up to 15 min and a definite efflux followed at 30 min. The results were indicative of cooperative effects during Se transport. Kinetic analyses of the uptake of75Se during time intervals of 15 and 30 min were carried out both in the whole mitochondria and the mitochondrial protein fractions. Graphical analyses using Lineweaver-Burk plot, Hill plot, log [v] vs log [A] and Scatchard plot confirmed the existence of negative cooperativity during75Se uptake. Hill coefficient (nH) values were estimated to be around 0.7-0.8. Scatchard plots for75Se uptake were biphasic, suggesting the probable presence of two classes of binding sites. The number of high and low affinity binding sites were estimated to be around 4-7 and 26-30 nmol/mg protein, respectively. Studies with mitochondrial respiratory inhibitors indicated about 10-20% of the total75Se uptake to be energy dependent. Inhibition of75Se uptake by about 60-70% by sulfate and sulfite (5-25 γM) implies the involvement of dicarboxylate port in Se transport. A decrease in the uptake of75Se by 40-60% effected by CdCl2, HgCl2, mersalyl, and NEM confirmed the interaction of thiols in the process. Evidence for the regulatory nature of75Se uptake by mitochondria of V. radiata emerges from the present study. © 1995 Humana Press Inc.

Kinetic analysis of75selenium uptake by mitochondria of germinating vigna radiata of different selenium status

Subcellular distribution of selenium during uptake and its influence on mitochondrial oxidations in germinating Vigna radiata L

Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry

Erratum for: Cell Physiol Biochem. 2015;36(6):2327-39.

Selenium in Agriculture and the Environment SSSA Special Publications

Factors Affecting Selenium Accumulation by Agricultural Crops

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology

Cadmium and selenium absorption by swiss chard grown in potted composted materials

Plant and Soil

Soil boron and selenium removal by three plant species

Journal	Biological Trace Element Research
Publisher	Humana Press
ISSN	01634984
Open Access	No