Exposure to cadmium (Cd2+) can result in cell death, but the molecular mechanisms of Cd2+ cytotoxicity in plants are not fully understood. Here, we show that Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) cell suspension cultures underwent a process of programmed cell death when exposed to 100 and 150 μ m CdCl2 and that this process resembled an accelerated senescence, as suggested by the expression of the marker senescence-associated gene12 (SAG12). CdCl2 treatment was accompanied by a rapid increase in nitric oxide (NO) and phytochelatin synthesis, which continued to be high as long as cells remained viable. Hydrogen peroxide production was a later event and preceded the rise of cell death by about 24 h. Inhibition of NO synthesis by N G-monomethyl-arginine monoacetate resulted in partial prevention of hydrogen peroxide increase, SAG12 expression, and mortality, indicating that NO is actually required for Cd2+-induced cell death. NO also modulated the extent of phytochelatin content, and possibly their function, by S-nitrosylation. These results shed light on the signaling events controlling Cd2+ cytotoxicity in plants.

A retention index (RI) database containing 250 volatile compounds was created on a polar stationary phase column and validated for food aroma characterisation. Precision of the retention indices (RIs) was assessed by performing replicated injections of a representative number of volatiles under the same experimental conditions: differences lower than 1 U were observed for all the compounds. Robustness was evaluated by carrying out injections of the same set of volatile compounds under different experimental conditions, i. e. program temperature, column batches and instrumentation. Excellent results were obtained with a maximum difference in the RI values of 10 U. The capabilities of the created database for food aroma characterisation were finally evaluated by analysing the volatile fractions of different food matrices such as dry sausages, cheese and bread. A great number of volatile compounds were identified in the analysed samples on the basis of their RI, thus proving the usefulness of the RI collections in the field of food analysis.