Evaluation of genetically modified Arabidopsis thaliana through metallomic and enzymatic approaches focusing on mass spectrometry-based platforms

•N-GM and GM A thaliana cultivated with or without sodium selenite.•Metallomics approaches performed using ICP-MS, LC-ICP-MS and ESI-MS/MS.•Genetic modification evidenced through PCR analysis.•Se and genetic modification effects evaluated through oxidative stress.

This work reports the evaluation of the Arabidopsis thaliana, genetically modified or not, cultivated in the absence or in the presence of different concentrations of sodium selenite, employing mass spectrometry-based platforms and metallomics and enzymatic approaches. The genetic modification is evidenced through PCR analysis. The total selenium determination in the leaves of such culture is performed through ICP-MS. The metalloproteins are identified through LC-ICP-MS and ESI-MS/MS, which are involved in a diversity of modifications observed in the genetically and non-genetically modified plants. Additionally, some enzymes are also evaluated, which are involved in the oxidative stress such as SOD and catalase, as well as the concentrations of MDA and H2O2. Results on Se accumulation in the genetically modified is higher than non-genetically modified leaves as 130%, 19% and 17% for control, Se-low and Se-high treatments, respectively. From the results achieved in this work, it was verified that the genetic modification itself is a stressful event to the plants, once while a decreased of 32% water-soluble protein content and ca. 48% on SOD activity were observed, an increase of 69% on the H2O2 production was noted in GM leaves, when the Se was added to the culture. Additionally, the genetic modification conferred plant resistance to Se oxidative stress, due to the decrease of both water-soluble protein content (33%) and SOD activity (66%), as well as the increment on H2O2 production (19%) in control GM leaves, when compared with N-GM leaves.

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