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Expression of the cyanobacterial enzyme cyanase increases cyanate metabolism and cyanate tolerance in Arabidopsis

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Abstract

Cyanate and its derivatives are considered as environmental hazardous materials. Cyanate is released to the environment through many chemical industries and mining wastewater. Cyanase enzyme converts cyanate into CO2 and NH3 in a bicarbonate-dependent reaction. At low cyanate concentrations, the endogenous plant cyanases play a vital role in cyanate detoxification. However, such cyanate biodegradation system is probably insufficient due to the excess cyanate concentrations at contaminated sites. In this study, we have transferred the activity of the cyanobacterial cyanase into Arabidopsis thaliana plants in order to enhance plant resistance against cyanate toxicity. The enzyme was shown to be active in planta. Transgenic plants exposed to cyanate, either applied by foliar spray or supplemented in growth medium, showed less reduction in pigment contents, antioxidant enzymes, carbohydrate contents, and reduced levels of plant growth retardation. Plant growth assays under cyanate stress showed enhanced growth and biomass accumulation in cyanase overexpressors compared to control plants. Results of this study provide evidence for developing novel eco-friendly phytoremediation systems for cyanate detoxification.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Deanship of Scientific Research, Taibah University, KSA (project no. 6925) and partially supported by the Egyptian Science and Technology Development Fund (STDF). We are thankful to Dr. Ahmed Saleh and Dr. Ahmed Khalil (Biology Department, Faculty of Science-Yanbu, Taibah University) for the valuable discussion and correction of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biology Department, Faculty of Science Yanbu, Taibah University, KSA, King Khalid Rd, Al amoedi, Yanbu El-Bahr, 46423, Saudi Arabia

    Rashad Kebeish & Omar Al-Zoubi

  2. Plant Biotechnology Laboratory (PBL), Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, El-Gamaa Street 1, Zagazig, Sharkia, 44519, Egypt

    Rashad Kebeish

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  1. Rashad Kebeish
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  2. Omar Al-Zoubi
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Correspondence to Rashad Kebeish.

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Responsible editor: Yi-ping Chen

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Kebeish, R., Al-Zoubi, O. Expression of the cyanobacterial enzyme cyanase increases cyanate metabolism and cyanate tolerance in Arabidopsis . Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 11825–11835 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-8866-z

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