Evaluation of heavy matal responses in Salix caprea for the improvement of phytoextraction strategies.
Abstract
Heavy metal contaminated soils pose an increasing worldwide problem to agriculture and to human and animal health. Although heavy metals are generally disadvantageous for plants, some species are adapted to contaminated areas and accumulate heavy metals at high concentration in above ground organs. A promising, low cost and sustainable technology that uses metallophytes to clean up polluted sites is phytoextraction. However phytoextraction is slow and thus fast growing perennial plants are needed that tolerate and accumulate heavy metals in harvestable organs such as leaves and stems. In particular, energy crops of the Salicaceae (willow) family naturally colonize metallicolous sites are easy to propagate, develop an extensive root system and are able to transfer heavy metals such as Cd and Zn to the foliage. In a preceding project consortium we have characterized Salix caprea plants from metallicolous and non-metallicolous areas that fulfill the criteria of good Cd/Zn accumulators. The aim of this multidisciplinary project is to better understand the mechanisms that are responsible for this increased hyperaccumulation efficiency and tolerance. Using a range of different techniques we focus on following questions: i) where and how much of the heavy metals are stored in leaves and roots and ii) if the subcellular Cd/Zn allocation, iii) the root architecture, and iv) growth behaviour differ between isolates with opposing heavy metal accumulation efficiencies, tolerance and biomass production. Based on our previous results, we will further functionally characterize two genes that are specifically induced upon Cd/Zn exposure in a good accumulator isolate. Whereas for a homolog of one of these genes an involvement in mineral responses has been reported, nearly nothing is known for the other. To determine structure/function relationships we will establish growth/response assays that will further serve as tool to study its activity on other plant species. This multidisciplinary project aims to clarify why S. caprea is able to tolerate and accumulate Cd/Zn, how the root system is responding to Cd/Zn contaminations and where these metals are deposited in leaves. Furthermore, the functional characterization, usability and transferability of promising novel Cd/Zn responsive genes will provide the basis for further developments to improved phytoextraction technologies.
heavy metal accumulation phytoextraction root architecture heavy metal localization biomass production willow
Publikationen
Does Heavy Metal Induced Gene Expression Correlate with Zn and Cd Accumulation Capacities of the Willow Salix caprea?
Autoren: Windhager C, Türktas M, Langer I, Puschenreiter M, Hauser M-T Jahr: 2009
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Root anatomical responses of two Salix caprea isolates growing in different environmental conditions.
Autoren: Vaculík M, Lux A, Puschenreiter M, Langer I, Windhager C, Adlassnig W, Lichtscheidl I, Hauser M-T Jahr: 2009
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Differentiation of metallicolous and non-metallicolous Salix caprea populations based on phenotypic characteristics and nuclear microsatellite (SSR) markers.
Autoren: Puschenreiter, M; Türktaş, M; Sommer, P; Wieshammer, G; Laaha, G; Wenzel, WW; Hauser, MT; Jahr: 2010
Journal articles
Varying heavy metal accumulation and tolerance of natural Salix caprea isolates correlates with genome architecture and activity.
Autoren: Windhager C, Adlassnig W, Türktas M, Langer I, Puschenreiter M, Lichtscheidl I, Hauser M-T Jahr: 2010
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
EDX localisation of toxic heavy metals in Salix caprea (Salicaceae)
Autoren: Adlassnig W., Langer I., Puschenreiter M., Vaculik M., Lichtscheidl I. K. Jahr: 2010
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Novel cell wall associated genes involved in heavy metal stress responses from Salix caprea.
Autoren: Hauser M-T, Shi S, Puschenreiter M, Hermann G, Köllensperger G, Konlechner C Jahr: 2014
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Project staff
Marie-Theres Hauser
Ao.Univ.Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.nat.techn. Marie-Theres Hauser
marie-theres.hauser@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-94240
BOKU Project Leader
01.03.2008 - 28.02.2013
Markus Puschenreiter
Priv.-Doz. Dr. Markus Puschenreiter
markus.puschenreiter@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-91143, 91163
Sub Projectleader
01.03.2008 - 28.02.2013
BOKU partners
External partners
Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, University of Vienna
Ao Univ. Prof. Dr. Irene Lichtscheidl
partner