Perspectives of bacterial ACC deaminase in phytoremediation

Phytoremediation of contaminated soil and water environments is regulated and coordinated by the plant root system, yet root growth is often inhibited by pollutant-induced stress. Prolific root growth could maximize rates of hyperaccumulation of inorganic contaminants or rhizodegradation of organic pollutants, and thus accelerate phytoremediation. Accelerated ethylene production in response to stress induced by contaminants is known to inhibit root growth and is considered as a major limitation in improving phytoremediation efficiency. Recent work shows that bacterial 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase regulates ethylene levels in plants by metabolizing its precursor ACC into α-ketobutyric acid and ammonia. Plants inoculated with ACC deaminase bacteria or transgenic plants that express bacterial ACC deaminase genes can regulate their ethylene levels and consequently contribute to a more extensive root system. Such proliferation of roots in contaminated soil can lead to enhanced uptake of heavy metals or rhizodegradation of xenobiotics.