The effect of aluminium on polypeptide pattern of cell wall proteins isolated from the roots of Al-sensitive and Al-resistant barley cultivars

Accumulation of some proteins isolated from the cell wall of roots of the A l-sensitive (Alfor) and the Al-resistant (Bavaria) barley cultivars were: f ollowed during treatment with different Al3+ concentrations, pH changes of the root medium, and several heavy metals (Cu2+, Cd2+, Co2+). SDS-PAGE anal ysis revealed an Al-induced accumulation of polypeptides with molecular mos s of 14, and 16 kDa and a group of polypeptides around 27 Iron. The accumul ation pattern of hi-induced polypeptides was very similar in both cultivars but in the Al-resistant Bavaria it was induced at lower Al concentration a nd earlier than it was in the Al-sensitive cultivar Alfor. Changes in pH va lues of root medium (pH 3.5-6.5) did not show any affect on the accumulatio n of Al-induced cell wall polypeptides either in Al-sensitive or in Al-tole rant barley cultivar. Heavy metals (Cu, Cd, and Co) at concentration of 10 muM resulted in similar accumulation of individual polypeptides as we found after Al treatment. In comparison to Al, quantitative differences in polyp eptides accumulation induced by Cu, Cd and Co were less expressed that of A l treatment. More pronounced accumulation and earlier induction of individu al cell wall polypeptides in roots of Al-resistant barley cultivar than in Al-sensitive, might indicate some possible role of these polypeptides in pl ant resistance to Al stress.