Uptake, distribution, and turnover rates of selenium in barley

The present communication elucidates initially the topographic distribution of selenium in barley grains. Then by the fluorimetric method the uptake of selenium (selenite) in 8–16 d old germinating barley was estimated. Finally by means of75Se the anabolic and catabolic rates (turnover) of75Se (selenite) was compared. The distribution of selenium in barley was evaluated after microdissection of barley grains. In dried grains the highest concentration was found in husk and pericarp with about 0.6 ppm Se. Then followed Scutellum with 0.4 and 0.3 ppm in embryon. The aleurone layer, embryonic leaves, and initial root did only have 0.2 ppm Se. In order to know more about the uptake and distribution of selenium in 8-d-old barley, the plants were cultivated for a further 8 d in the culture medium with variation in selenite concentration. In roots and leaves, the uptake did not arrive at saturation during the period studied since the dose-response curve increased up to 0.34 mM selenite in the medium, whereas the selenium levels were about 200 ppm in roots and 30 ppm in leaves. However, the uptake was linear, with concentration during 8 d of cultivation up to 0.84 μM selenite for grain and stem. At higher concentrations the dose-response curve diminished its slope. At 0.34 mM selenite the concentration in grain increased to 6.87 ppm and in the stem to 8.13 ppm. The uptake, distribution, and catabolic rate of selenium components in germinating barley were further evaluated by exposing the plants to 0.0492 μCi75Se (12.6 μM selenite) for up to 4 d. Then the plants were moved to a selenium deficient medium for further 4 d. Then finally the medium was supplemented with high doses of cold selenite (0.126 mM selenite) for further 4 d. The first third period made it possible to estimate the rate of uptake. It was highest in roots (313 fmol/h/mg dw), i.e., about 10 times those of grains, stems, and leaves. The intermediate period where the barley was transferred to a selenium deficient medium made it possible to estimate the kinetics and eventual sparing mechanisms. The selenium losses were highest for leaves (39%), then followed by roots and stems (22 and 25%, respectively). The losses were lowest in grain with 9% Se losses. The losses were three times more pronounced during the first day than in the following 3 d. These data may argue that the selenium is distributed into different pools and that sparing mechanisms may be in function. The last period, i.e., the chase experiment, revealed the rate of elimination of selenium under conditions with surplus selenium. The catabolic rate was about 10 times faster in roots (169 fmol/h/mg dw) than in grains and about 8 times faster than in leaves.