Articles

Large amounts of calcium oxalate crystals accumulate in epidermis of edible cactus (Nopalea cochenillifera)

Article number
1404_158
Pages
1149 – 1156
Language
English
Abstract
Some cacti accumulate large amounts of biominerals such as calcium oxalate (CaC2O4) in their stems, but their physiological functions are poorly understood.
In this study, we investigated the characteristics of biominerals and their accumulation in N. cochenillifera. We first separated and extracted biominerals from cladodes of this cactus and observed using a scanning electron microscope.
Elemental analysis of the isolated biominerals was performed using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The spectrum obtained by EDS matched that of calcium oxalate (CaC2O4). Therefore, it was clarified that most of the biominerals contained in N. cochenillifera are calcium oxalate.
Next, we measured the diameter and density of calcium crystals in epidermis tissues from cladodes of different sizes (4-5, 9-10, and 16 cm or more in length) in order to investigate changes in calcium oxalate crystals during plant growth.
Then, the diameter of calcium oxalate crystals increased significantly as the cladodes grew.
These results indicate that crystals are synthesized within the epidermal tissue as the cladodes grew.
Lastly, we measured the amount of calcium oxalate crystals contained in the cladode and epidermal tissue.
Then, it was revealed that the whole cladode contains about 45 mg g‑1 DW, and epidermal tissue contains about 170 mg g‑1 DW of calcium oxalate.
The functions of calcium oxalate crystals have been reported in some desert plants, which include reflecting sunlight, avoiding damage by insects, and acting as a source of CO2 during droughts.
Calcium oxalate crystals in N. cochenillifera might also function similarly.
Since some cacti (including N. cochenillifera) can grow to more than 5 m in height and several hundred kg in weight, these species can be a long-term carbon fixation source that can be used even in arid regions because of its fast growth rate and large biomass.

Publication
Authors
T. Horibe, M. Mamiya, Y. Miyashita, R. Yamaguchi
Keywords
biomineralization, carbon dioxide fixation, cladodes, Opuntia, stress tolerance
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