Open AccessHeavy metal pumps in plants. 1998 annual progress report
Author(s) -
Jeffrey F. Harper
Publication year - 1998
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/13715
Subject(s) - cadmium , metal , heavy metals , arabidopsis , atpase , chemistry , environmental chemistry , copper , diaphragm pump , biology , nanotechnology , biochemistry , materials science , gene , enzyme , mutant , organic chemistry , micropump
'The purpose of the proposed DOE research is to determine the function of AMA1, a novel heavy metal pump identified in a model plant system, Arabidopsis. Heavy metal pumps belong to a superfamily of P-type ATPases which include the plasma membrane Na/K-ATPase in animals and the plasma membrane H + ATPase in plants and fungi. Heavy metal pumps have been implicated in heavy metal resistance (e.g., cadmium) and regulation of essential micronutrients (e.g., copper). Although several heavy metal pumps have now been identified in plants, their isoform specific functions have not been investigated. The results suggest that AMA1 is a molydenum uptake pump. The authors are exploring the possibility to engineer the ion specificity of these pumps to take up other heavy metals from the soil. This report summarizes work after 2 years of a 3 year project.