›› 2012, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (5): 816-819.

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Response of Nostoc sp. to UV-B Radiation and the Protective Effect of Exogenous Antioxidants to Nostoc sp.

 DENG  Song-Qiang1, YANG  Cui-Kun2, AN  Xiao-Liang3, HU  Chao-Zhen1, CHEN  Lan-Zhou1   

  1. 1. College of Resources & Environmental Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China;
    2. Baituliang State Farm, Dalat Banner 014300, Inner Mongolia, China;
    3. Inner Mongolia Academy of Forestry, Hohhot 010020, China
  • Received:2011-11-09 Revised:2012-02-15 Online:2012-09-15 Published:2012-10-09

Abstract: In this paper, the effects of UV-B radiation on the physiological and biochemical processes of [WTBX]Nostoc[WTBZ] sp., one of cyanobacteria isolated from desert algal crust, were investigated, and the protective effects of ascorbic acid and N-acetyl-L-cysteine were researched. The results show that the PSII activity [WTBX](Fv/Fm)[WTBZ] of stressed cells was significantly decreased with the increase of irradiance time and intensity, the chlorophyll fluorescence transits and photosynthetic parameters (ET0/ABSET0/TR0 and RC/CS0)] were also decreased significantly, but the ROS generation was increased. Exogenous 0.5 mM ascorbic acid or N-acetyl-L-cysteine could significantly decrease the production of ROS (reactive oxygen evolution), and the protective effect of ascorbic acid was better than that of N-acetyl-L-cysteine. The results suggested that Nostoc sp. adapted to the detrimental UV environment in desert, and exogenous antioxidant could effectively protect cells from UV-B damage.

Key words: UV-B radiation, desert, biological crusts, cyanobacterium, photosynthesis efficiency, reactive oxygen species (ROS)