Cytoskeletal alterations in interphase cells of the green alga Spirogyra decimina in response to heavy metals exposure: II. The effect of aluminium, nickel and copper.

The effect of the toxic metal ions, aluminium (Al3+), nickel (Ni2+), and copper (Cu2+), on both the actin and tubulin cytoskeleton of the green alga Spirogyra decimina was studied. Batch cultured cells were grown for different time intervals at concentrations of 10, 15, 40 and 100 microM of aluminium as AlCl3, nickel as NiCl2 and copper as CuSO(4).5H2O. The impact of copper on the morphology of both MTs and AFs was much more prominent than the other two metals. A rapid irreversible depolymerization of cytoskeletal structures occurred, whereas in the presence of aluminium or nickel, changes in the cytoskeleton were slight and reversible to some extent. Nickel changed the orientation of cortical MTs, which turned from a transverse to a skewed or longitudinal direction. Aluminium caused slight depolymerization of the cytoskeleton, which reverted spontaneously to the normal cytoskeletal state (in AlCl3 free nutrient solution). Copper exerted a strong effect on both the MT and AF cytoskeleton, which fragmented and disorganized rapidly. The extent of cytoskeletal damage by copper was dosage and time dependent and AFs were slightly more sensitive than MTs.