[CPEO-MEF] Engineered Plants Soak Up Arsenic

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

Engineered Plants Soak Up Arsenic

By Cat Lazaroff

WASHINGTON, DC, October 7, 2002 (ENS) - A team of researchers has
developed the first transgenic system for removing arsenic from the soil
by using genetically modified plants. The new system could help remove
the toxic metal from naturally and artificially polluted soil and water,
reducing their threat to the environment and to human and animal health
around the world.

The scientists inserted two genes from the common bacterium Escherichia
coli (E. coli) that allow the test plant, a member of the mustard family
called thale cress, to tolerate arsenic, which is normally lethal to
plants. The plant removes arsenic from the soil, storing it in its
leaves in a form that is less available to the environment, and easier
to remove and eliminate.

 "Our data demonstrate the first significant increase in arsenic
tolerance and what we call 'hyperaccumulation' by genetically engineered
plants," said Dr. Richard Meagher of the University of Georgia, who led
the research effort. "This new system is a major step in developing
methods of cleaning up the environment using plants."

This article can be viewed at:
http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2002/2002-10-07-06.asp

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~