Electron Microscopic Investigation of Nitrobenzene Distribution and Effect on Plant Root Tip Cells Ultrastructure

Electron microscopic radioautography demonstrated the penetration of [1-614C]nitrobenzene in maize and soybean root tip cells: radioactive label was detected in cell wall, plasmalemma, nuclei, and cytoplasm. Among cytoplasmic organelles, the highest label was found in mitochondria and plastids. [1-614C]nitrobenzene and/or products of its transformation accumulated in vacuoles. Study of the action of different concentrations of nitrobenzene on cell ultrastructural organization revealed the following picture. Nitrobenzene concentration up to 0.015 mM was harmless for plant cells. Increase of nitrobenzene concentration from 0.015 to 1.5 mM induced several pathological changes, up to the complete destruction of cells. The most damaged organelles were nuclei, mitochondria, and plastids. In the presence of 0.15 mM nitrobenzene the intensification of contacts among cell organelles, especially between endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria/plastids, was observed. The data indicate some coordination between detoxication activity and energy metabolism during cell reaction to xenobiotic toxicity.