Two plant growth-promoting bacterial Bacillus strains possess different mechanisms in affecting cadmium uptake and detoxification of Solanum nigrum L

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) 2022-10, Vol.305, p.135488-135488, Article 135488
• Main Authors: Chi, Yaowei, You, Yimin, Wang, Juncai, Chen, Xunfeng, Chu, Shaohua, Wang, Renyuan, Zhang, Xia, Yin, Shan, Zhang, Dan, Zhou, Pei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bacillus megaterium; Bacillus paranthracis; Heavy metal; Hyperaccumulator; Phytohormone; Phytoremediation
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135488

Microorganisms affect cadmium (Cd) extraction by hyperaccumulators to varying degrees, but the potential mechanism has not been completely studied. Here, two plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB, Bacillus paranthracis NT1 and Bacillus megaterium NCT-2) were assessed for their influence on Cd uptake by Solanum nigrum L. and their influence mechanisms. The results showed that both two strains could regulate phytohormones secretion, alleviate oxidative stress and promote S. nigrum growth when exposed to Cd (dry weight was significantly increased by 21.51% (strain NCT-2) and 21.23% (strain NT1) compared with the control, respectively). Additionally, strain NCT-2 significantly elevated the translocation factor (TF) and bioconcentration factor (BCF), and thus significantly facilitated total Cd uptake by 41.80% of S. nigrum, whereas strain NT1 significantly reduced the BCF and TF, resulting in insignificant effect on total Cd uptake of S. nigrum compared with the control. Results of qPCR illustrated that the two strains influenced the detoxification of Cd in S. nigrum by affecting the expression of antioxidant enzyme genes and gene PDR2. Moreover, the differential expression of heavy metal transport genes IRT1 and HMA may lead to the difference of Cd accumulation in S. nigrum. Principal component analysis and Pearson correlation coefficient analysis further verified the positive roles of salicylic acid and indole-3-acetic acid on Cd detoxification of S. nigrum, and the positive correlation relationship between transportation of Cd from underground to shoot, plant biomass and Cd uptake. Altogether, our results demonstrated that these two PGPB have great potential in helping plants detoxify Cd and could provide insights into the mechanism of PGPB-assisted phytoremediation of Cd-contaminated soil. [Display omitted] •Both strains NT1 and NCT-2 could significantly promote the growth of S. nigrum.•Strain NT1 reduced the Cd concentration in shoot and had limited effect on Cd uptake.•Strain NCT-2 increased the Cd concentration in shoot and Cd uptake in S. nigrum.•SA, IAA, and PDR2 may be related to PGPB alleviating the Cd toxicity to S. nigrum.•Cd uptake is positively correlated with the transportation of Cd from root to shoot.