Metabolomic analysis of the consequences of cadmium exposure in Silene cucubalus cell cultures via 1H NMR spectroscopy and chemometrics

Abstract Several essential and non-essential metals (typically those from periods 4, 5 and 6 in groups 11–15 in the periodic table) are commonly detoxified in higher plants by complexation with phytochelatin. The genetic and gross metabolic basis of metal tolerance in plants is, however, poorly understood. Here, we have analyzed plant cell extracts using 1 H NMR spectroscopy combined with multivariate statistical analysis of the data to investigate the biochemical consequences of Cd 2+ exposure in Silene cucubalus cell cultures. Principal components analysis of 1 H NMR spectra showed clear discrimination between control and Cd 2+ dosed groups, demonstrating the metabolic effects of Cd 2+ and thus allowing the identification of increases in malic acid and acetate, and decreases in glutamine and branched chain amino acids as consequences of Cd 2+ exposure. This work shows the value of NMR-based metabolomic approaches to the determination of biochemical effects of pollutants in naturally selected populations.