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Influence of long-term exposure to copper on the lichen photobiont Trebouxia erici and the free-living algae Scenedesmus quadricauda

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Abstract

In the present work, the long-term effect (14 days) of copper on the levels of intracellular and total copper accumulation, growth, assimilation pigment composition, chlorophyll a fluorescence, soluble protein content and oxidative status (production of hydrogen peroxide and superoxide) in two algal species (Scenedesmus quadricauda and Trebouxia erici) was assessed. Scenedesmus quadricauda is a free-living alga while Trebouxia erici is the photobiont of a lichen. The presence of copper negatively affected growth, assimilation pigments, chlorophyll a fluorescence, soluble protein content and oxidative status in both the algae. However, Scenedesmus was much more sensitive compared to Trebouxia.

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Abbreviations

Chl:

Chlorophyll.

Fw:

Fresh weight

Perox:

Hydrogen peroxide

Prot:

Soluble proteins

Superox:

Superoxide

Tot Car:

Total carotenoids

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by Slovak Grant Agency (VEGA 1/0521/10). Thanks are expressed to Prof. Dianne Fahselt (UWO, Canada) for comments on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, P. J. Šafárik University, Mánesova 23, 041 67, Kosice, Slovak Republic

    Juraj Piovár, Eliza Stavrou & Martin Bačkor

  2. Department of Non-Ferrous Metals and Waste Treatment, Faculty of Metallurgy, Technical University, Letná 9, 042 00, Kosice, Slovak Republic

    Jana Kaduková

  3. Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Hygiene, Šafárik University, Šrobárova 2, 041 80, Kosice, Slovak Republic

    Tatiana Kimáková

Authors
  1. Juraj Piovár
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  2. Eliza Stavrou
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  3. Jana Kaduková
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  4. Tatiana Kimáková
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  5. Martin Bačkor
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Martin Bačkor.

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Piovár, J., Stavrou, E., Kaduková, J. et al. Influence of long-term exposure to copper on the lichen photobiont Trebouxia erici and the free-living algae Scenedesmus quadricauda . Plant Growth Regul 63, 81–88 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-010-9515-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-010-9515-4

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