Heavy metal detoxification in higher plants--a review

Gene
M H Zenk

Abstract

A set of heavy-metal-complexing peptides was isolated from plants and plant suspension cultures. The structure of these peptides was established as (gamma-glutamic acid-cysteine)n-glycine (n = 2-11) [(gamma-Glu-Cys)n-Gly]. These peptides appear upon induction of plants with metals of the transition and main groups (Ib-Va, Z = 29-83) of the periodic table of elements. These peptides, called phytochelatins (PC), are induced in all autotrophic plants so far analyzed, as well as in select fungi. Some species of the order Fabales and the family Poaceae synthesize aberrant PC that contain, at their C-terminal end, either beta-alanine, serine or glutamic acid. For this group of peptides the name iso-PC is proposed. The biosynthesis of PC proceeds by metal activation of a constitutive enzyme that uses glutathione (GSH) as a substrate; this enzyme is a gamma-glutamylcysteine dipeptidyl transpeptidase which was given the trivial name PC synthase. It catalyzes the following reaction: gamma-Glu-Cys-Gly + (gamma-Glu-Cys)n-Gly-->(gamma-Glu-Cys)n+1-Gly + Gly. The plant vacuole is the transient storage compartment for these peptides. They probably dissociate, and the metal-free peptide is subsequently degraded. Sequestration of heavy metals by...Continue Reading

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Citations

Sep 5, 2002·Biotechnology and Bioengineering·Wilfred Chen, George Georgiou
Apr 24, 2009·Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry·Rui GusmãoMiquel Esteban
Apr 20, 2012·Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry·B Alan Wood, Jörg Feldmann
Apr 9, 2008·Histochemistry and Cell Biology·Søren KristiansenGorm Danscher
May 11, 2005·Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology·Danika L LeDuc, Norman Terry
May 27, 2005·Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology·Ruibin DongFiorella Lo Schiavo
Jan 3, 2006·Biometals : an International Journal on the Role of Metal Ions in Biology, Biochemistry, and Medicine·Elisabetta MorelliGioacchino Scarano
Mar 8, 2007·Environmental Monitoring and Assessment·D K GuptaF J M Maathuis
Feb 14, 2012·Environmental Monitoring and Assessment·Bobadilla MiguelPalomino Edwin
May 11, 2012·Environmental Science and Pollution Research International·Karam FarragGennaro Brunetti
May 8, 2013·Environmental Science and Pollution Research International·Blenda Machado-EstradaJosé S Rodríguez-Zavala
Oct 24, 2007·Biological Trace Element Research·Fei ChenFeibo Wu
Jan 20, 2010·Biological Trace Element Research·Tomoo ShirabeEtsuro Yoshimura
Jul 16, 2008·Molecular Biotechnology·Yuxiu ZhangHongmei Zhang
Aug 7, 2013·Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology·Coraline RigouinDavid L Williams
May 16, 2002·Phytochemistry·Aneta PiechalakArleta Malecka
Jun 8, 2002·Phytochemistry·Matjaz OvenMeinhart H Zenk
Nov 6, 2003·Phytochemistry·Aneta PiechalakDanuta Barałkiewicz
Feb 19, 2000·Phytochemistry·H KubotaT Maitani

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