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Expression Of Mercuric Ion Reductase In Eastern Cottonwood Confers Mercuric Ion

Phytoremediation, the use of plants to clean up polluted soil, water or air, may offer an effective means of treating sites contaminated with mercury, one of the most hazardous heavy metals. Previous studies demonstrated that transgenic model plants expressing a modified mercuric ion reductase gene from bacteria could reduce the highly toxic, ionic form of mercury [Hg(II)] to less toxic elemental mercury [Hg(0)]. Fast-growing riparian trees, such as eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides) engineered with this gene should make powerful tools for remediation of mercury contaminated soils. Following Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, we regenerated transgenic eastern cottonwood trees expressing modified merA9 and merA18 genes.


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Author(s): D. S. Che, Richard B. Meagher, A. Lima, A. C. P. Heaton, Scott A. Merkle

Publication: Tree Improvement and Genetics - Southern Forest Tree Improvement Conference - 2001

Section: Posters