文摘
Aluminum (Al) toxicity is a major factor limiting plant growth on acid soils; inhibited root elongation is a characteristic symptom. To elucidate mechanisms of Al resistance in plants, we developed a simple method to separate Al-binding ligands from plant roots by gel-filtration chromatography. In this method, an eluent consisting of Homopipes buffer flows through a Sephadex G-25 column. Free Al ions do not pass through the column, but Al-ligand complexes can be fractionated according to differences in their molecular sizes. We applied the method to Eucalyptus camaldulensis (Myrtaceae) and successfully separated Al-binding ligands from roots. One peak of Al-ligand complex increased with Al treatment of seedlings, which can be explained by Al-induced accumulation of citrate in roots.