Use of plant roots for phytoremediation and molecular farming

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1999 May 25;96(11):5973-7. doi: 10.1073/pnas.96.11.5973.

Abstract

Alternative agriculture, which expands the uses of plants well beyond food and fiber, is beginning to change plant biology. Two plant-based biotechnologies were recently developed that take advantage of the ability of plant roots to absorb or secrete various substances. They are (i) phytoextraction, the use of plants to remove pollutants from the environment and (ii) rhizosecretion, a subset of molecular farming, designed to produce and secrete valuable natural products and recombinant proteins from roots. Here we discuss recent advances in these technologies and assess their potential in soil remediation, drug discovery, and molecular farming.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Agriculture / methods*
  • Animals
  • Biotechnology / methods*
  • Plant Roots
  • Plants, Genetically Modified
  • Recombinant Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Soil Pollutants*
  • Soil*

Substances

  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Soil
  • Soil Pollutants