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Hydroponics: A Versatile System to Study Nutrient Allocation and Plant Responses to Nutrient Availability and Exposure to Toxic Elements
Published on: July 13, 2016
Natural Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Hyperaccumulation and Hypertolerance towards Heavy Metals
Lidia Skuza1,2, Izabela Szućko-Kociuba1,2, Ewa Filip1,2
1Institute of Biology, University of Szczecin, 13 Wąska, 71-415 Szczecin, Poland.
Abstract:
The main mechanism of plant tolerance is the avoidance of metal uptake, whereas the main mechanism of hyperaccumulation is the uptake and neutralization of metals through specific plant processes. These include the formation of symbioses with rhizosphere microorganisms, the secretion of substances into the soil and metal immobilization, cell wall modification, changes in the expression of genes encoding heavy metal transporters, heavy metal ion chelation, and sequestration, and regenerative heat-shock protein production. The aim of this work was to review the natural plant mechanisms that contribute towards increased heavy metal accumulation and tolerance, as well as a review of the hyperaccumulator phytoremediation capacity. Phytoremediation is a strategy for purifying heavy-metal-contaminated soils using higher plants species as hyperaccumulators.
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