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Phytochelatins: Peptides Involved in Heavy Metal Detoxification

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Abstract

Phytochelatins (PCs) are enzymatically synthesized peptides known to involve in heavy metal detoxification and accumulation, which have been measured in plants grown at high heavy metal concentrations, but few studies have examined the response of plants even at lower environmentally relevant metal concentrations. Recently, genes encoding the enzyme PC synthase have been identified in plants and other species enabling molecular biological studies to untangle the mechanisms underlying PC synthesis and its regulation. The present paper embodies review on recent advances in structure of PCs, their biosynthetic regulation, roles in heavy metal detoxification and/or accumulation, and PC synthase gene expression for better understanding of mechanism involved and to improve phytoremediation efficiency of plants for wider application.

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Acknowledgement

The authors are grateful to anonymous reviewers for their constructive suggestions to improve the manuscript, to Indian Council of Agricultural Research New Delhi, India for financial assistance and to research works quoted in the paper.

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  1. Ecotechnology Laboratory, Department of Environmental Science, G.B.Pant. University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, 263145, India

    Rama Pal & J. P. N. Rai

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Pal, R., Rai, J.P.N. Phytochelatins: Peptides Involved in Heavy Metal Detoxification. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 160, 945–963 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-009-8565-4

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