Effects of hydrogen peroxide on Scenedesmus obliquus: Cell growth, antioxidant enzyme activity and intracellular protein fingerprinting

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is an environmental-friendly algicide and it is widely used to control algal blooms in aquatic ecosystems. However, the response of algal cell metabolic characteristics and intracellular protein profile under H2O2 stress is still not well understood. In the present study, the green alga Scenedesmus obliquus was exposed to different concentrations of H2O2 (0, 2, 6, 8 and 10 mg L-1) to evaluate the changes in algal morphological, physiological, and proteomic features to H2O2 exposure. The results showed that 8 mg L-1 of H2O2 could effectively inhibit the cell growth and photosynthetic activity of S. obliquus including chlorophyll-a content and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters. The increased activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) observed in this study indicate that cells exposure to H2O2 caused oxidative stress. The metabolic activity of S. obliquus was significantly decreased by H2O2 treatment. In terms of proteomic analysis, 251 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were successfully identified. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis revealed significant protein enrichment in the metabolic pathways, photosynthesis, ascorbic acid, and alginate metabolism and phenylpropane biosynthesis of S. obliquus. The analysis of protein-protein interaction system shows that the pathways of photosynthesis and metabolic pathways of S. obliquus were essential to resist oxidative stress. Taking together, these results shed new lights on exploring the cell physiological metabolism and intracellular protein mechanisms of H2O2 inhibition on algal blooms.

Automated summary

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is an effective algicide widely used in controlling algal blooms, but its impact on algal cells remains unclear. This study investigated the physiological and proteomic changes in Scenedesmus obliquus under different H2O2 concentrations, revealing inhibition of cell growth and photosynthetic activity, increased SOD and CAT activity, and metabolic suppression. Proteomic analysis identified 251 differentially expressed proteins, showing enrichment in metabolic pathways, photosynthesis, and stress responses, highlighting their importance in resisting oxidative stress.