Enrofloxacin perturbs nitrogen transformation and assimilation in rice seedlings (Oryza sativa L.)

Linglin Xu; Zhiheng Li; Biyan Zhuang; Fumin Zhou; Zejun Li; Xiaoru Pan; Hao Xi; Wenlu Zhao; Huijun Liu

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149900

Enrofloxacin perturbs nitrogen transformation and assimilation in rice seedlings (Oryza sativa L.)

Sci Total Environ. 2022 Jan 1:802:149900. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149900. Epub 2021 Aug 26.

Authors

Linglin Xu¹, Zhiheng Li¹, Biyan Zhuang¹, Fumin Zhou¹, Zejun Li¹, Xiaoru Pan¹, Hao Xi¹, Wenlu Zhao¹, Huijun Liu²

Affiliations

¹ School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang Province, China.
² School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang Province, China; Instrumental Analysis Center of Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang Province, China. Electronic address: lhj@zjgsu.edu.cn.

PMID: 34525725
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149900

Abstract

The extensive use of antibiotics worldwide has led to phytotoxicity and high risks to humans. Although research on the physiological toxicity of antibiotics is extensive, its influence on plant nitrogen uptake and assimilation remains unclear. The effect of enrofloxacin on nitrogen transformation and assimilation in rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings was investigated in this study. Enrofloxacin had no significant effect on rice growth, nitrogen assimilation and metabolism at low concentration, while significant changes were observed in high concentration. The growth of rice seedlings was inhibited, nitrate uptake was enhanced and nitrogen content increased significantly in both shoots and roots in enrofloxacin (800 μg L^-1) treatment. Furthermore, enrofloxacin promoted the activity of enzymes related to nitrogen assimilation, including nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase, glutamine synthetase, glutamate synthase, and glutamate dehydrogenase. High enzyme activity resulted in an increase in intermediate products and protein content, suggesting that rice seedlings may detoxify enrofloxacin stress through amino acid binding and nitro-oxidative stress might be one of the reasons of phenotype change. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry results revealed that different types of metabolites in both shoots and roots increased with enrofloxacin stress. Specifically, glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism; aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis; alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism; butanoate metabolism; glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism in shoot; and tyrosine metabolism and citrate cycle in root were affected. Moreover, a significant correlation between nitrogen content, nitrogen assimilation enzyme activity, and metabolite content was observed. Collectively, these findings reveal the potential risks of using reclaimed wastewater irrigation and/or antibiotic-containing animal fertilizers on crops.

Keywords: Enrofloxacin; Growth inhibition; Metabolic pathway; Nitrate uptake; Nitrogen assimilation.

MeSH terms

Enrofloxacin
Humans
Nitrogen
Oryza*
Plant Roots
Seedlings*

Substances

Enrofloxacin
Nitrogen