Increased ability of transgenic plants expressing the bacterial enzyme ACC deaminase to accumulate Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn.

Transgenic tomato plants Lycopersicon esculentum (Solanaceae) cv. Heinz 902 expressing the bacterial gene 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase, under the transcriptional control of either two tandem 35S cauliflower mosaic virus promoters (constitutive expression), the rolD promoter from Agrobacterium rhizogenes (root specific expression) or the pathogenesis related PRB-1b promoter from tobacco, were compared to non-transgenic tomato plants in their ability to grow in the presence of Cd, Co, Cu, Mg, Ni, Pb, or Zn and to accumulate these metals. Parameters that were examined include metal concentration and ACC deaminase activity in both plant shoots and roots; root and shoot development; and leaf chlorophyll content. In general, transgenic tomato plants expressing ACC deaminase, especially those controlled by the PRB-1b promoter, acquired a greater amount of metal within the plant tissues, and were less subject to the deleterious effects of the metals on plant growth than were non-transgenic plants.