Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is concern in healthcare-associated infections. On the other hand, bacterial tolerance to other antimicrobials, like heavy metals, has been neglected and underestimated in hospital pathogens. Silver has long been used as an antimicrobial agent and it seems to be an important indicator of heavy metal tolerance. To explore this perspective, we searched for the ...

Certain plants are known to accumulate heavy metals, and can be used in remediation of polluted soil or water. Plant-associated bacteria, especially those that are metal tolerant, may enhance the total amount of metal accumulated by the plant, but this process is still unclear. In this study, we investigated metal enhancement vs. exclusion by plants, and the phytoprotective role plant-associate...

A number of review articles have appeared in the literature recently on metal accumulation by plants. However, reports on the tolerance, accumulation and detoxification of arsenic in plants, especially in terrestrial plants, are limited. In light of the strong needs for study of arsenic biogeochemistry and development of arsenic decontamination techniques, in this paper we. review arsenic uptak...

Certain plant species and genotypes are able to accumulate large quantities of heavy metals in their shoots. Based on this trait the concept of phytoremediation was developed, i.e. the use of metal hyperaccumulating plants for the cleansing of contaminated soils and water. In order to more efficiently use this capacity, an engineering of plants might be needed. However, very little is known abo...

Root vacuolar sequestration is one of the best-conserved plant strategies to cope with heavy metal toxicity. Here we report that zinc (Zn) tolerance in Arabidopsis requires the action of a novel Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS) transporter. We show that ZIF2 (Zinc-Induced Facilitator 2) localises primarily at the tonoplast of root cortical cells and is a functional transporter able to mediat...

Wheat genotypes with different endogenous SA contents were investigated, in order to reveal how cadmium influences salicylic acid (SA) synthesis, and to find possible relationships between SA and certain protective compounds (members of the antioxidants and the heavy metal detoxification system) and between the SA content and the level of cadmium tolerance. Cadmium exposure induced SA synthesis...

The species Arabidopsis halleri, an emerging model for the study of heavy metal tolerance and accumulation in plants, has evolved a high level of constitutive zinc tolerance. Mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTL) was used to investigate the genetic architecture of zinc tolerance in this species. A first-generation backcross progeny of A. halleri ssp. halleri from a highly contaminated indust...

Anthropogenic activities have resulted in the intensified use of water resources. For example, open pit bitumen extraction by Canada's oil sands operations uses an estimated volume of three barrels of water for every barrel of oil produced. The waste tailings-oil sands process water (OSPW)-are stored in holding ponds, and present an environmental concern as they are comprised of residual hydroc...

The overexpression of either gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (gamma-ECS) or glutathione synthetase (GS) in Brassica juncea transgenics was shown previously to result in higher accumulation of glutathione (GSH) and phytochelatins (PCs), as well as enhanced Cd tolerance and accumulation. The present study was aimed at analyzing the effects of gamma-ECS or GS overexpression on tolerance to and a...