An underground strategy to increase mercury tolerance in the salt marsh halophyte Juncus maritimus Lam.: Lipid remodelling and Hg restriction

•Juncus maritimus Lam. tolerates Hg contamination by remodelling root lipids.•The remodeling of root lipids protects the cellular metabolism from Hg toxicity.•Changes in the lipid profile of roots showed a increase in phospholipids.•The degree of saturation of the membrane lipids influences the fluidity of membranes.•A decrease in the rafts could lead to a decrease in Hg uptake transporters.