Acta Botanica Croatica, Vol. 45 No. 1, 1986.
Original scientific paper
Cadmium Cytotoxicity and Resistance in Euglena gracilis
Elena Marčenko
; Hrvatska
Abstract
By monitoring the fate of individual Euglena cells on agar plates, extreme sensitivity to low concentrations of cadmium ions during cell division was detected. Toxic effects of cadmium were somewhat more pronounced in the light. The antagonistic role of zinc was confirmed.
In etiolated Euglena cadmium inhibited chlorophyll and carotenoid synthesis. The protective role of the resting medium in comparison to the rich Euglena medium is attributed to differences in susceptibility to cadmium in different physiological states of the cells.
The properties of a cadmium resistant clone were investigated. This clone contained half the amount of chlorophyll normally present in Euglena, and the normal amount of carotenoids. On the submicroscopie level, most changes occurred in the chloroplasts. All stages from severely disorganized chloroplasts characterized by dilated and swollen thylakoids, to normal cells, were observed. Similarities with changes occurring during adaptation to the herbicide DCMU are discussed.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
159203
URI
Publication date:
31.12.1986.
Visits: 1.267 *