Zeshan Hassan
PhD Student
Tel: +(31)(0)317-484682
Email: Zeshan.Hassan@wur.nl.
Project Title:
Functional analysis of zinc hyperaccumulation related genes of Noccaea (Thlaspi) caerulescens for phytoremediation purposes
Research aim:
Phytoremediation is the technique in which plants are used to remediate soil that has become polluted with toxic compounds. Currently the application of metal phytoremediation is limited to the use of natural heavy metal hyperaccumulators like Noccaea (former name Thlaspi) caerulescens (Zn/Cd/Ni). N. caerulescens has grown to be the model species for Zn and Cd hyperaccumulation research. Yeast complementation and comparative expression research in several labs has led to the identification of a number of genes that are involved in the metal hyperaccumulation trait. The biggest limitation however is that the biomass production of this species is often not sufficient to remediate soil in a few croppings, but instead several years are required. The problem may be avoided if higher biomass producing species like tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) is engineered to express genes from metal hyperaccumulation plant species N. caerulescens.
I am interested in genetically engineering the high biomass plant spp. Nicotiana tabacum with candidate promoters and/or genes from N. caerulescens in such a tissue specific way that could mimic the hypertolerant and hyperaccumulation phenotype of N. caerulescens in N. tabacum.
Research Questions:
1: How known metal homeostasis genes are involved in Zn/Cd tolerance and hyperaccumulation?
2: In which plant tissues these genes and proteins are expressed and how do the native promoters of these genes affect metal accumulation and/or tolerance property in N. tabacum and A. thaliana?
3: Could their controlled expression mimicking endogenous N. caerulescens expression, rather than the CaMV 35S-mediated overexpression, of these transporter(s) genes be effective in improving metal tolerance and translocation to the shoot, and ultimately be responsible for improving the hyperaccumulation phenotype?
Publication:
Zeshan Hassan and Mark G.M. Aarts. 2010. Opportunities and feasibilities for biotechnological improvement of Zn, Cd or Ni tolerance and accumulation in plants. J. Env. Exp. Bot. doi: 10.1016/j.envexpbot.2010.04.003.
Master Thesis/Internship:
Master students interested in this research theme are welcome to do their thesis/ internship with me. Please contact me at zeshan.Hassan@wur.nl.