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Investigating molecular mechanisms of heavy metal tolerance and hyperaccumulation in plants

Reference	BBS/E/C/00004555
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Malcolm Hawkesford
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Dr Jacqueline Barker
Institution	Rothamsted Research
Department	Rothamsted Research Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	245,974
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/2003
End date	31/03/2007
Duration	48 months

Abstract

Most plants are seriously hampered in their development when exposed to elevated levels of Zn, Cd, Ni, Cu, Al, As or Pb. However, a few species have evolved that can tolerate higher than normal levels of metal cations and/or hyperaccumulate metals in their above ground biomass. These processes offer enormous potential for phytoremediation of metal-contaminated soils and, in some instances, for enhancing the nutritional value of human foodstuffs. In this project, molecular approaches (via conventional molecular biology, functional genomics, genome/QTL mapping and map-based cloning) will be used to study the interactions of nutrients and non-nutrients (ie. toxic cations and essential micronutrients that become toxic at higher concentrations), specifically to determine the uptake, detoxification, translocation and sequestration processes of heavy metal cations in plants. Target genes include: genes for uptake and translocation including membrane transporters; genes for detoxification including reducing enzymes and chelators/binding agents; genes for sequestration/safe removal including vacuolar transporters.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Plant & Microbial Sciences (PMS)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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