1. Chemical form and distribution of selenium and sulfur in the selenium hyperaccumulator Astragalus bisulcatus.
- Author
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Pickering IJ, Wright C, Bubner B, Ellis D, Persans MW, Yu EY, George GN, Prince RC, and Salt DE
- Subjects
- Astragalus Plant genetics, Biological Transport, Biotransformation, Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic, Gene Expression Regulation, Plant, Methyltransferases genetics, Methyltransferases metabolism, Plant Leaves metabolism, Plant Roots metabolism, Selenium chemistry, Sulfur chemistry, Time Factors, Astragalus Plant metabolism, Selenium metabolism, Sulfur metabolism
- Abstract
In its natural habitat, Astragalus bisulcatus can accumulate up to 0.65% (w/w) selenium (Se) in its shoot dry weight. X-ray absorption spectroscopy has been used to examine the selenium biochemistry of A. bisulcatus. High concentrations of the nonprotein amino acid Se-methylseleno-cysteine (Cys) are present in young leaves of A. bisulcatus, but in more mature leaves, the Se-methylseleno-Cys concentration is lower, and selenate predominates. Seleno-Cys methyltransferase is the enzyme responsible for the biosynthesis of Se-methylseleno-Cys from seleno-Cys and S-methyl-methionine. Seleno-Cys methyltransferase is found to be expressed in A. bisulcatus leaves of all ages, and thus the biosynthesis of Se-methylseleno-Cys in older leaves is limited earlier in the metabolic pathway, probably by an inability to chemically reduce selenate. A comparative study of sulfur (S) and Se in A. bisulcatus using x-ray absorption spectroscopy indicates similar trends for oxidized and reduced Se and S species, but also indicates that the proportions of these differ significantly. These results also indicate that sulfate and selenate reduction are developmentally correlated, and they suggest important differences between S and Se biochemistries.
- Published
- 2003
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