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Transgenic Plants02:50

Transgenic Plants

Recombinant DNA technology called transgenesis is often used to add a foreign gene or remove a detrimental gene from an organism. Such genetically modified organisms are called transgenic organisms.
The first-ever transgenic plant was a tobacco plant developed in 1983 that showed resistance against the tobacco mosaic virus. Since then, many transgenic plants have been developed and commercialized for improving the agricultural, ornamental, and horticultural value of a crop plant. Transgenic...
Transgenic Organisms00:53

Transgenic Organisms

Overview
Responses to Salt Stress02:02

Responses to Salt Stress

Salt stress—which can be triggered by high salt concentrations in a plant’s environment—can significantly affect plant growth and crop production by influencing photosynthesis and the absorption of water and nutrients.
Plant Breeding and Biotechnology01:59

Plant Breeding and Biotechnology

Crop cultivation has a long history in human civilization, with records showing the cultivation of cereal plants beginning at around 8000 BC. This early plant breeding was developed primarily to provide a steady supply of food.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Floral-dip Transformation of Arabidopsis thaliana to Examine pTSO2::&beta;-glucuronidase Reporter Gene Expression
10:24

Floral-dip Transformation of Arabidopsis thaliana to Examine pTSO2::β-glucuronidase Reporter Gene Expression

Published on: June 11, 2010

Phytoremediation of selenium using transgenic plants.

Elizabeth A H Pilon-Smits1, Danika L LeDuc

  • 1Biology Department, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA. epsmits@lamar.colostate.edu

Current Opinion in Biotechnology
|March 10, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Selenium (Se) is essential but toxic; plants can help manage selenium pollution and fortify food. Transgenic plants show enhanced selenium accumulation and volatilization, offering promising phytoremediation and biofortification solutions.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Floral-dip Transformation of Arabidopsis thaliana to Examine pTSO2::&beta;-glucuronidase Reporter Gene Expression
10:24

Floral-dip Transformation of Arabidopsis thaliana to Examine pTSO2::β-glucuronidase Reporter Gene Expression

Published on: June 11, 2010

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Plant Biotechnology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Selenium (Se) is a vital micronutrient with a narrow window between deficiency and toxicity.
  • Plants can absorb, assimilate, and even volatilize selenium due to its chemical similarity to sulfur.
  • Selenium pollution and deficiency pose significant global health and environmental challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the potential of plants for phytoremediation of selenium pollution.
  • To investigate the use of plants for biofortifying food crops with selenium.
  • To evaluate transgenic approaches for enhancing plant selenium accumulation, tolerance, and volatilization.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing plants' natural sulfur assimilation pathways to uptake selenate.
  • Employing genetic engineering to upregulate key sulfur/selenium assimilation and volatilization genes.
  • Modifying plant metabolic pathways, including methylation of selenocysteine and conversion to elemental selenium.

Main Results:

  • Transgenic plants demonstrated significantly enhanced selenium accumulation, up to ninefold higher than controls.
  • Selenium volatilization rates were increased up to threefold in modified plant lines.
  • Successful laboratory and field trials confirmed the efficacy of the developed transgenic strategies.

Conclusions:

  • Transgenic plants offer a viable strategy for phytoremediation of selenium-contaminated environments.
  • Engineered plants can be effectively used for producing selenium-fortified foods, addressing nutritional deficiencies.
  • Further development of plant-based selenium management technologies holds significant promise for environmental and agricultural applications.