Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2025
14:44
Structure and Coordination Determination of Peptide-metal Complexes Using 1D and 2D 1H NMR
Published on: December 16, 2013
9.7K
Phytochelatins: Sulfur-Containing Metal(loid)-Chelating Ligands in Plants
Ilya V Seregin1, Anna D Kozhevnikova1
1K.A. Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Botanicheskaya St., 35, 127276 Moscow, Russia.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|February 11, 2023
Summary
Phytochelatins (PCs) are peptides that bind metal(loids) in plants. While not driving hyperaccumulation, PCs are crucial for plant metal(loid) homeostasis and detoxification, impacting phytoremediation and biofortification technologies.
Area of Science:
- Plant Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Environmental Toxicology
Background:
- Phytochelatins (PCs) are cysteine-rich peptides that chelate metal(loids) through their sulfhydryl (SH) groups.
- PC biosynthesis is inducible by various metal(loids), with key roles in detoxifying cadmium, arsenic (III), mercury, zinc, lead, and copper.
- PCs are primarily involved in intracellular metal(loid) detoxification and sequestration within plant vacuoles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent data on phytochelatin biosynthesis, structure, and function in metal(loid) transport and sequestration.
- To comparatively analyze PC accumulation in hyperaccumulator and excluder plants to assess their role in metal(loid) tolerance.
- To elucidate the physiological significance of PCs in metal(loid) homeostasis and their implications for plant science and technology.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent data on phytochelatins.
- Comparative analysis of PC accumulation in different plant types (hyperaccumulators vs. excluders).
- Examination of PC roles in metal(loid) transport, sequestration, and detoxification.
Main Results:
- Phytochelatins are not directly involved in the machinery of metal(loid) hyperaccumulation.
- PCs play a critical role in maintaining metal(loid) homeostasis within plant cells.
- Evidence suggests PCs are essential for detoxification and sequestration of various toxic metal(loids).
Conclusions:
- Phytochelatins are vital for plant metal(loid) homeostasis, not hyperaccumulation.
- Understanding PCs is fundamental for molecular biology, plant physiology, and toxicology.
- Research on PCs has significant implications for phytoremediation, biofortification, and phytomining technologies.
Keywords:
metal and metalloid accumulation in plantsmetal and metalloid detoxificationmetal and metalloid transportphytochelatin synthasephytochelatinsstressMore Related Videos
11:04Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry Techniques for Determining the Structure and Mechanisms of Metal Ion Recognition and Redox Activity of Metal Binding Oligopeptides
Published on: September 7, 2019
9.3K
12:36High-throughput Siderophore Screening from Environmental Samples: Plant Tissues, Bulk Soils, and Rhizosphere Soils
Published on: February 9, 2019
12.7K
Related Concept Videos
01:19Complexation Equilibria: The Chelate Effect
582
In complexation reactions, metal atoms or cations interact with ligands to form donor-acceptor adducts called metal complexes. Ligands that bind through one donor site are monodentate, ligands with two donor sites are bidentate, and those with more than two donor sites are polydentate ligands. For example, ethylene diamine is a bidentate ligand that binds through two nitrogen donor atoms, forming a five-membered ring. EDTA is a polydentate ligand that binds through four oxygen and two nitrogen...
582
02:51Metal-Ligand Bonds
21.2K
The hemoglobin in the blood, the chlorophyll in green plants, vitamin B-12, and the catalyst used in the manufacture of polyethylene all contain coordination compounds. Ions of the metals, especially the transition metals, are likely to form complexes.
In these complexes, transition metals form coordinate covalent bonds, a kind of Lewis acid-base interaction in which both of the electrons in the bond are contributed by a donor (Lewis base) to an electron acceptor (Lewis acid). The Lewis acid in...
In these complexes, transition metals form coordinate covalent bonds, a kind of Lewis acid-base interaction in which both of the electrons in the bond are contributed by a donor (Lewis base) to an electron acceptor (Lewis acid). The Lewis acid in...
21.2K
00:56Extraction: Advanced Methods
504
Metal ions can be separated from one another by complexation with organic ligands–the chelating agent– to form uncharged chelates. Here, the chelating agent must contain hydrophobic groups and behave as a weak acid, losing a proton to bind with the metal. Since most organic ligands used in this process are insoluble or undergo oxidation in the aqueous phase, the chelating agent is initially added to the organic phase and extracted into the aqueous phase. The metal-ligand complex is...
504
01:20Sulfur Assimilation
48
Sulfur is an essential element in biological systems, contributing to synthesizing key biomolecules, including amino acids such as cysteine and methionine, and cofactors such as coenzyme A and biotin. Microorganisms primarily assimilate sulfur as sulfate (SO₄²⁻) from the environment, which must undergo a series of biochemical transformations before it can be incorporated into cellular components. As sulfate is highly oxidized, it must undergo assimilatory sulfate reduction to...
48
01:09Complexation Equilibria: Factors Influencing Stability of Complexes
439
In complexation reactions, metal cations are the electron pair acceptors, and the ligands are the electron pair donors. The stability of the metal complexes depends primarily on the complexing ability of the central metal ion and the nature of the ligands. Generally, the complexing ability of the metal ion depends on the size and charge of the ion. As the metal ion size increases, the stability of the metal complexes decreases, provided that the valency of the metal ion and the ligands remain...
439
00:43Complexometric Titration: Ligands
1.0K
Different monodentate and polydentate ligands are used as complexing agents in complexometric titration reactions. The formation of complexes by mono- and bidentate ligands involves two or more intermediate steps, limiting their use as complexing agents. In comparison, polydentate ligands can form complexes with metal ions in a single-step process, facilitating sharper end points. This means polydentate ligands, such as amino carboxylic acid derivatives, are most commonly employed in...
1.0K