Heavy metal tolerance of Silene vulgaris

Silene vulgaris ssp. humilis, a heavy metal tolerant plans growing on the polluted soil of a medieval copper mining dump, accumulates considerable amounts of heavy metals (HM) in its roots and shoots. The intracellular distribution of HMs in the leaves was investigated by conventional and analytical (EDX,ESI, EELS) electron microscopy. Part of the HMs, Fe, Cu, and Zn occur as crystalline compounds on the surface, of the leaves. The epidermal cell walls accumulate Fe, Ni, Cu, Al, Sn, and Zn. Cu within the cell walls is tightly bound to a protein with oxalate oxidase activity, evidencing a high homology to germin. Zn and Sn are accumulated in the cell walls as silicate. Cycoplasm and organelles contain only traces of Cu and Sn, while in the vacuoles no HMs are detected. In the epidermal cell walls, intercellular spaces, and in vacuoles there are high concentrations of Si, forming crystal-like structures. EELS and quantum-chemical calculations reveal these structures as SiO2. The role of Si in the HM-tolerance of Silene is discussed.