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https://hdl.handle.net/2440/47037
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Type: | Journal article |
Title: | Production of Se-methylselenocysteine in transgenic plants expressing selenocysteine methyltransferase |
Author: | Ellis, D. Sors, T. Brunk, D. Albrecht, C. Orser, C. Lahner, B. Wood, K. Harris, H. Pickering, I. Salt, D. |
Citation: | BMC Plant Biology, 2004; 4(28):Artilcle 1- |
Publisher: | BioMed Central Ltd. |
Issue Date: | 2004 |
ISSN: | 1471-2229 1471-2229 |
Statement of Responsibility: | Danielle R Ellis, Thomas G Sors, Dennis G Brunk, Carrie Albrecht, Cindy Orser, Brett Lahner, Karl V Wood, Hugh H Harris, Ingrid J Pickering and David E Salt |
Abstract: | Background: It has become increasingly evident that dietary Se plays a significant role in reducing the incidence of lung, colorectal and prostate cancer in humans. Different forms of Se vary in their chemopreventative efficacy, with Se-methylselenocysteine being one of the most potent. Interestingly, the Se accumulating plant Astragalus bisulcatus (Two-grooved poison vetch) contains up to 0.6% of its shoot dry weight as Se-methylselenocysteine. The ability of this Se accumulator to biosynthesize Se-methylselenocysteine provides a critical metabolic shunt that prevents selenocysteine and selenomethionine from entering the protein biosynthetic machinery. Such a metabolic shunt has been proposed to be vital for Se tolerance in A. bisulcatus. Utilization of this mechanism in other plants may provide a possible avenue for the genetic engineering of Se tolerance in plants ideally suited for the phytoremediation of Se contaminated land. Here, we describe the overexpression of a selenocysteine methyltransferase from A. bisulcatus to engineer Se-methylselenocysteine metabolism in the Se non-accumulator Arabidopsis thaliana (Thale cress). Results: By over producing the A. bisulcatus enzyme selenocysteine methyltransferase in A. thaliana, we have introduced a novel biosynthetic ability that allows the non-accumulator to accumulate Se-methylselenocysteine and γ-glutamylmethylselenocysteine in shoots. The biosynthesis of Se-methylselenocysteine in A. thaliana also confers significantly increased selenite tolerance and foliar Se accumulation. Conclusion: These results demonstrate the feasibility of developing transgenic plant-based production of Se-methylselenocysteine, as well as bioengineering selenite resistance in plants. Selenite resistance is the first step in engineering plants that are resistant to selenate, the predominant form of Se in the environment. |
Keywords: | Plants, Genetically Modified Arabidopsis Astragalus Plant Plant Shoots Selenium Sodium Selenite Organoselenium Compounds Selenocysteine Cysteine Methyltransferases Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic Gene Expression Regulation, Plant Mass Spectrometry |
Rights: | Copyright © 2004 Ellis et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. |
DOI: | 10.1186/1471-2229-4-1 |
Published version: | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2229/4/1 |
Appears in Collections: | Aurora harvest 6 Chemistry and Physics publications Environment Institute publications |
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hdl_47037.pdf | Published version | 530 kB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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