Acetic acid-induced programmed cell death and release of volatile organic compounds in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Acetic acid widely spreads in atmosphere, aquatic ecosystems containing residues and anoxic soil. It can inhibit aquatic plant germination and growth, and even cause programmed cell death (PCD) of yeast. In the present study, biochemical and physiological responses of the model unicellular green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii were examined after acetic acid stress. H2O2 burst was found in C. reinhardtii after acetic acid stress at pH 5.0 for 10 min. The photosynthetic pigments were degraded, gross photosynthesis and respiration were disappeared gradually, and DNA fragmentation was also detected. Those results indicated that C. reinhardtii cells underwent a PCD but not a necrotic, accidental cell death event. It was noticed that C. reinhardtii cells in PCD released abundant volatile organic compounds (VOCs) upon acetic acid stress. Therefore, we analyzed the VOCs and tested their effects on other normal cells. The treatment of C. reinhardtii cultures with VOCs reduced the cell density and increased antioxidant enzyme activity. Therefore, a function of VOCs as infochemicals involved in cell-to-cell communication at the conditions of applied stress is suggested.

► Acetic acid inhibited C. reinhardtii growth at pH 6.0 and caused death at pH 5.0. ► Acetic acid-induced ROS burst, and ROS content was higher at pH 5.0 than at pH 6.0. ► DNA degradation indicated that the cells underwent a PCD under acetic acid stress. ► This is the first report on VOCs released from acetic acid-treated C. reinhardtii. ► VOCs from the cells undergoing PCD are suggested to act as infochemicals.