Genetic engineering to enhance mercury phytoremediation

    Authors

    O. N. Ruiz;H. Daniell

    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Curr. Opin. Biotechnol.

    Keywords

    COMPLETE NUCLEOTIDE-SEQUENCE; BACTERIAL MERA GENE; CHLOROPLAST GENOME; ARABIDOPSIS-THALIANA; POLLUTED SOILS; TRANSPORT PROTEIN; PHOTOSYSTEM-II; ION REDUCTASE; PLANTS; RESISTANCE; Biochemical Research Methods; Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology

    Abstract

    Most phytoremediation studies utilize merA or merB genes to modify plants via the nuclear or chloroplast genome, expressing organomercurial lyase and/or mercuric ion reductase in the cytoplasm, endoplasmic reticulum or within plastids. Several plant species including Arabidopsis, tobacco, poplar, rice, Eastern cottonwood, peanut, salt marsh grass and Chlorella have been transformed with these genes. Transgenic plants grew exceedingly well in soil contaminated with organic (similar to 400 mu M PMA) or inorganic mercury (similar to 500 mu M HgCl(2)), accumulating Hg in roots surpassing the concentration in soil (similar to 2000 mu g/g). However, none of these plants were tested in the field to demonstrate real potential of this approach. Availability of metal transporters, translocators, chelators; and the ability to express membrane proteins could-further enhance mercury phytoremediation capabilities.

    Journal Title

    Current Opinion in Biotechnology

    Volume

    20

    Issue/Number

    2

    Publication Date

    1-1-2009

    Document Type

    Review

    Language

    English

    First Page

    213

    Last Page

    219

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000267521400014

    ISSN

    0958-1669

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