Pollution by heavy metals (HM) represents a serious threat for both the environment and human health. Due to their elemental character, HM cannot be chemically degraded, and their detoxification in the environment mostly resides either in stabilization in situ or in their removal from the matrix, e.g., soil. For this purpose, phytoremediation, i.e., the application of plants for the restoration of a polluted environment, has been proposed as a promising green alternative to traditional physical and chemical methods. Among the phytoremediation techniques, phytoextraction refers to the removal of HM from the matrix through their uptake by a plant. It possesses considerable advantages over traditional techniques, especially due to its cost effectiveness, potential treatment of multiple HM simultaneously, no need for the excavation of contaminated soil, good acceptance by the public, the possibility of follow-up processing of the biomass produced, etc. In this review, we focused on three basic HM phytoextraction strategies that differ in the type of plant species being employed: natural hyperaccumulators, fast-growing plant species with high-biomass production and, potentially, plants genetically engineered toward a phenotype that favors efficient HM uptake and boosted HM tolerance. Considerable knowledge on the applicability of plants for HM phytoextraction has been gathered to date from both lab-scale studies performed under controlled model conditions and field trials using real environmental conditions. Based on this knowledge, many specific applications of plants for the remediation of HM-polluted soils have been proposed. Such studies often also include suggestions for the further processing of HM-contaminated biomass, therefore providing an added economical value. Based on the examples presented here, we recommend that intensive research be performed on the selection of appropriate plant taxa for various sets of conditions, environmental risk assessment, the fate of HM-enriched biomass, economical aspects of the process, etc.

• Keywords
• genetically modified plants, green biotechnology, heavy metal binding proteins, heavy metal protein transporters, heavy metals, hyperaccumulators, phytoextraction, phytoremediation,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH

The aim of this work was to construct transgenic plants with increased capabilities to degrade organic pollutants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls. The environmentally important gene of bacterial dioxygenase, the bphC gene, was chosen to clone into a plant of Nicotiana tabacum. The chosen bphC gene encodes 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl-1,2-dioxygenase, which cleaves the aromatic ring of dihydroxybiphenyl, and we cloned it in fusion with the gene for β-glucuronidase (GUS), luciferase (LUC) or with a histidine tail. Several genetic constructs were designed and prepared and the possible expression of desired proteins in tobacco plants was studied by transient expression. We used genetic constructs successfully expressing dioxygenase's genes we used for preparation of transgenic tobacco plants by agrobacterial infection. The presence of transgenic DNA , mRNA and protein was determined in parental and the first filial generation of transgenic plants with the bphC gene. Properties of prepared transgenic plants will be further studied.

• Keywords
• 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl-1,2-dioxygenase, Nicotiana tabacum, bphC, phytoremediation, transgenic plant,
• MeSH
• Bacterial Proteins genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Biodegradation, Environmental MeSH
• Burkholderiaceae enzymology   genetics   MeSH
• Dioxygenases genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Plants, Genetically Modified enzymology   genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Glucuronidase genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Cloning, Molecular MeSH
• Luciferases genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls metabolism   MeSH
• Recombinant Fusion Proteins genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Nicotiana enzymology   genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Green Fluorescent Proteins genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Evaluation Study MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl oxygenase MeSH Browser
• Bacterial Proteins MeSH
• Dioxygenases MeSH
• Glucuronidase MeSH
• Luciferases MeSH
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls MeSH
• Recombinant Fusion Proteins MeSH
• Green Fluorescent Proteins MeSH

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of selenium (Se) on the growth, accumulation and possible mechanisms of Se transport in certain parts (roots, leaves, stamp and apex) of nettle (Urtica dioica L.) plants. Se was supplemented by one-shot and two repeated doses to the soil (2.0 and 4.0 mg Se per kg of substrate). Selenium content in roots increased linearly with dose and was significantly higher compared to other plant parts of interest. However, growth of the above-ground parts of plant as well as roots was slightly inhibited with increasing selenium concentration in comparison to the untreated plants. The content of phytochelatin2, a low molecular mass peptide containing a sulfhydryl group, correlated well with the Se content. This suggests a possible stimulation of synthesis of this plant peptide by Se.

• Keywords
• graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry, heavy metal, high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection, nettle, plant, plant tissues, selenium,
• MeSH
• Sodium Selenite pharmacology   MeSH
• Spectrophotometry, Atomic MeSH
• Urtica dioica drug effects   MeSH
• Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid MeSH
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Sodium Selenite MeSH