Zygosaccharomycesrouxiiisasalt-tolerantyeastspeciescapableofremovingcadmium(Cd)pollutantfromaqueoussolution.Presently,thephysiologicalcharacteristicsofZ.rouxiiunderthestressofsodiumchloride(NaCl)andCdarepoorlyunderstood.ThisstudyinvestigatedtheeffectsofNaClandCdonthegrowth,oxidativestressandantioxidantenzymeactivitiesofZ.rouxiiafterstresstreatmentfor24h.ResultsshowedthatNaClorCdalonenegativelyaffectedthegrowthofZ.rouxii,butthegrowth-inhibitingeffectofCdonZ.rouxiiwasreducedinthepresenceofNaCl.FlowcytometryassayshowedthatunderCdstress,NaClsignificantlyreducedtheproductionofreactiveoxygenspecies(ROS)andcelldeathofZ.rouxiicomparedwiththoseintheabsenceofNaCl.Theactivitiesofsuperoxidedismutase(SOD),catalase(CAT),andperoxidase(POD)ofZ.rouxiiweresignificantlyenhancedby2%–6%NaCl,whichlikelycontributedtothehighsalttoleranceofZ.rouxii.ThePODactivitywasinhibitedby20mgL-1CdwhiletheSODandCATactivitieswereenhancedby8mgL-1Cdandinhibitedby20mgL-1or50mgL-1Cd.Theinhibitoryeffectofhigh-levelCdontheantioxidantenzymeactivitiesofZ.rouxiiwascounteractedbythecombineduseofNaCl,especiallyat6%.ThisprobablyaccountedforthedecreaseinCd-inducedROSproductionandcelldeathofZ.rouxiiafterincubationwithNaClandCd.OurworkprovidedphysiologicalcluesastotheuseofZ.rouxiiasabiosorbentforCdremovalfromseawaterandliquidhighlysaltyfood.
