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Plant Biotechnol J

Title:		Coupling two mercury resistance genes in Eastern cottonwood enhances the processing of organomercury
Author(s):		Lyyra S; Meagher RB; Kim T; Heaton A; Montello P; Balish RS; Merkle SA;
Address:		"Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. satu.lyyra@iki.fi"
Journal Title:		Plant Biotechnol J
Year:		2007
Volume:		5
Issue:		2
Page Number:		254 - 262
DOI:		10.1111/j.1467-7652.2006.00236.x
ISSN/ISBN:		1467-7652 (Electronic) 1467-7644 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides Bartr. ex Marsh.) trees were engineered to express merA (mercuric ion reductase) and merB (organomercury lyase) transgenes in order to be used for the phytoremediation of mercury-contaminated soils. Earlier studies with Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana tabacum showed that this gene combination resulted in more efficient detoxification of organomercurial compounds than did merB alone, but neither species is optimal for long-term field applications. Leaf discs from in vitro-grown merA, nptII (neomycin phosphotransferase) transgenic cottonwood plantlets were inoculated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain C58 carrying the merB and hygromycin resistance (hptII) genes. Polymerase chain reaction of shoots regenerated from the leaf discs under selection indicated an overall transformation frequency of 20%. Western blotting of leaves showed that MerA and MerB proteins were produced. In vitro-grown merA/merB plants were highly resistant to phenylmercuric acetate, and detoxified organic mercury compounds two to three times more rapidly than did controls, as shown by mercury volatilization assay. This indicates that these cottonwood trees are reasonable candidates for the remediation of organomercury-contaminated sites"
Keywords:		"Biodegradation, Environmental Blotting, Western Cinnamates/pharmacology Drug Resistance Hygromycin B/analogs & derivatives/pharmacology Lyases/*genetics Organomercury Compounds/metabolism Oxidoreductases/*genetics Phenylmercuric Acetate/*metabolism/pharma;"
Notes:		"MedlineLyyra, Satu Meagher, Richard B Kim, Tehryung Heaton, Andrew Montello, Paul Balish, Rebecca S Merkle, Scott A eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. England 2007/02/21 Plant Biotechnol J. 2007 Mar; 5(2):254-62. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-7652.2006.00236.x"