ORGANOSPECIFIC REACTIONS OF YELLOW LUPIN SEEDLINGS TO LEAD

Changes caused by lead, supplied in the form of Pb(NO3)(2), in roots a nd hypocotyls of 4 day old yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus L. cv. ventus) seedlings have been analyzed using a transmission electron microscope and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). The cells of all exami ned parts of the roots growing in the presence of Pb2+ contained many lead deposits (mainly in the cell walls and vacuoles) and the increase d amount of polypeptides of molecular weight close to 16 kDa have been observed. Similar changes were detected in the area of hypocotyl adjo ining the root. However, in upper regions of the hypocotyl only a slig ht amount of lead deposits was visible and the 16 kDa polypeptide cont ent was comparable to the control cells. The obtained results indicate a relationship between the presence of lead deposits in cells and acc umulation of polypeptides of similar to 16 kDa. The results seem also to indicate that in the analyzed parts of the seedlings, both the amou nt of accumulated polypeptides of MW similar to 16 kDa and the amount of lead decreased from root tip to hypocotyl.