Elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration enhances salinity tolerance in Aster tripolium L.

Our study aimed at investigating the influence of elevated atmospheric CO(2) concentration on the salinity tolerance of the cash crop halophyte Aster tripolium L., thereby focussing on protein expression and enzyme activities. The plants were grown in hydroponics using a nutrient solution with or without addition of NaCl (75% seawater salinity), under ambient (380 ppm) and elevated (520 ppm) CO(2). Under ambient CO(2) concentration enhanced expressions and activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, and glutathione-S-transferase in the salt-treatments were recorded as a reaction to oxidative stress. Elevated CO(2) led to significantly higher enzyme expressions and activities in the salt-treatments, so that reactive oxygen species could be detoxified more effectively. Furthermore, the expression of a protective heat shock protein (class 20) increased under salinity and was even further enhanced under elevated CO(2) concentration. Additional energy had to be provided for the mechanisms mentioned above, which was indicated by the increased expression of a beta ATPase subunit and higher v-, p- and f-ATPase activities under salinity. The higher ATPase expression and activities also enable a more efficient ion transport and compartmentation for the maintenance of ion homeostasis. We conclude that elevated CO(2) concentration is able to improve the survival of A. tripolium under salinity because more energy is provided for the synthesis and enhanced activity of enzymes and proteins which enable a more efficient ROS detoxification and ion compartmentation/transport.