Expressing a bacterial mercuric ion binding protein in plant for phytoremediation of heavy metals

• Published in: Journal of hazardous materials Vol. 161; no. 2; pp. 920 - 925
• Main Authors: Hsieh, Ju-Liang, Chen, Ching-Yi, Chiu, Meng-Hsuen, Chein, Mei-fang, Chang, Jo-Shu, Endo, Ginro, Huang, Chieh-Chen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 30.01.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adsorption; Applied sciences; Arabidopsis; Arabidopsis - genetics; Bacillus megaterium; Bacillus megaterium - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - chemistry; Base Sequence; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biological and medical sciences; Biosorption; Biotechnology; Chemical engineering; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Gram-positive bacterial MerP; Heavy metals; Ions; Mercuric ion binding protein; Mercury - chemistry; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Microscopy, Fluorescence - methods; Models, Genetic; Molecular Sequence Data; Others; Phytoremediation; Plants, Genetically Modified; Pollution; Proteins - metabolism; Rhizobium - metabolism; Various methods and equipments; INW, Japan, Kyushu, Kumamoto Prefect., Minamata, Minamata Bay; Mercuric ion binding protein; Biosorption; Gram-positive bacterial MerP; Heavy metals; Phytoremediation; Confocal microscopy; Modeling; Heavy metal; Promoter; Adsorption; Decontamination; Bay; Bioremediation; Mercury
• ISSN: 0304-3894; 1873-3336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.04.079

A specific mercuric ion binding protein (MerP) originating from transposon Tn MERI1 of Bacillus megaterium strain MB1 isolated from Minamata Bay displayed good adsorption capability for a variety of heavy metals. In this study, the Gram-positive MerP protein was expressed in transgenic Arabidopsis to create a model system for phytoremediation of heavy metals. Under control of an actin promoter, the transgenic Arabidpsis showed higher tolerance and accumulation capacity for mercury, cadium and lead when compared with the control plant. Results from confocal microscopy analysis also indicate that MerP was localized at the cell membrane and vesicles of plant cells. The developed transgenic plants possessing excellent metal-accumulative ability could have potential applications in decontamination of heavy metals.