Exploring the response of Marchantia polymorpha: Growth, morphology and chlorophyll content in the presence of anthracene

SPINEDI, NAHUEL; ROJAS, NADIA; STORB, ROMINA; CABRERA, JUAN; ARANDA, ELISABET; SALIERNO, MARCELO; SVRIZ, MAYA; SCERVINO, JOSÉ MARTÍN

PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY

ELSEVIER FRANCE-EDITIONS SCIENTIFIQUES MEDICALES ELSEVIER

Lugar: Paris; Año: 2018

0981-9428

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were identified as hazardous contaminants that are ubiquitous and persistentin aquatic environments, where bryophytes sensu lato (mosses, liverworts and hornworts) are frequentlypresent. Marchantia polymorpha (Class Hepaticae; thalloid liverwort) is known to respond fast to changes in theenvironment; it accumulates toxic substances in its tissues due to the lack of vascular and radicular systems anda reduced or absent cuticle. The objective of the present study was to quantify the effects of increasing concentrationsof anthracene (0, 50100, 280μM) on the germination of propagules, plant morphology and chlorophyllcontent index (CCI) in M. polymorpha under in vitro cultures. The results show that anthracene had no statisticaleffect on germination or propagula formation. However, plants exposed to anthracene for 30 days showed significantlylowered the content of chlorophyll (measured as CCI), irregular growth patterns and the induction ofthalli asexual reproduction as evidenced by the production of multicellular viable propagules in gemmae cups.Results of epifluorescence microscopy also showed concomitant accumulation of anthracene in the cell walls. Allof these distinctive morphological and physiological adaptive responses indicators, clearly suggest that M. polymorphaare capable of resisting high (coal tar) anthracene concentrations.