Zinc adsorption and desorption characteristics in root cell wall involving zinc hyperaccumulation in Sedum alfredii Hance.

Radiotracer techniques were employed to characterize (65)Zn adsorption and desorption in root-cell-wall of hyperaccumulating ecotype (HE) and non-hyperaccumulating ecotype (NHE) species of Sedum alfredii Hance. The results indicated that at the end of a 30 min short time radioisotope loading period, comparable amounts of (65)Zn were accumulated in the roots of the two ecotypes Sedum alfredii, whereas 2.1-fold more (65)Zn remains in NHE root after 45-min desorption. At the end of 60 min uptake period, no difference of (65)Zn accumulation was observed in undesorbed root-cell-wall of Sedum alfredii. However, 3.0-fold more (65)Zn accumulated in desorbed root-cell-wall of NHE. Zn(2+) binding in root-cell-wall preparations of NHE was greater than that in HE under high Zn(2+) concentration. All these results suggested that root-cell-wall of the two ecotypes Sedum alfredii had the same ability to adsorb Zn(2+), whereas the desorption characteristics were different, and with most of (65)Zn binding on root of HE being available for loading into the xylem, as a result, more (65)Zn was translocated to the shoot.