Generation of transgenic plants for phytoremediation of multiple rare metal polluted environments through expression regulation of bacterial metal transporters.

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18H03401
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 64020:Environmental load reduction and remediation-related
• Research Institution: Kitasato University
• Principal Investigator: Kiyono Masako 北里大学, 薬学部, 教授 (30239842)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: レアメタル / 金属輸送体 / 金属複合汚染 / 浄化植物

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The study aimed to establish the transgenic model plant expressing MerC and other toxic metal transporters isolated from mercury-resistant bacteria and improve the feasibility of phytoremediation for multi-metal polluted environments. First, we analyzed inorganic mercury accumulation of the Arabidopsis plant lines expressing MerC mainly in the plasma membrane of the epidermis or endodermis. Both cell-type-specific expression of MerC improved mercury accumulation ability to the shoots, and the effect was comparable to the 35S-driven ubiquitously expressing plant. We further developed a vector system harboring up to four expression cassettes in a single T-DNA, which can be applied to introduce multiple Mer transporters to the plant by a single transformation.

Free Research Field

環境科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ファイトレメディエーションは，植物を利用する低環境負荷型の環境修復技術であり，複数の有害金属・レアメタルに汚染された環境の修復に有用とされる。本研究は，水銀耐性微生物由来の水銀等有害金属の輸送体を植物に導入し，発現様式を高度に制御することで従来のユキビタスな発現系と同程度に植物の水銀蓄積性を強化することに成功した。植物を用いた有害金属・レアメタル汚染の浄化への応用が期待される。