Role of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxalate (ACC) Deaminase producing bacteria in heavy metal and other stresses: A Review

A burgeoning world population means a greater demand for food and agricultural products. Unfortunately, the concurrent progress in applied science and technology can also result in dangers for agricultural land. One such danger is the increase in types and amounts of heavy metals in the soil, which affect the plant growth. Accumulation of heavy metals like Cd, Ni, Cu, Fe etc. results in ecosystem disturbance, agricultural land spoiling, and biodiversity problems. Heavy metal stress results in the synthesis of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxalate (ACC), an ethylene precursor, which raises ethylene levels in plants, which inhibits plant growth. This is severe problem for plants, but nature here provides a solution. Agricultural lands have a large number of microorganisms specially bacteria. Bacteria such as Rhizobacteria produce an enzyme ACC deaminase (ACCD) that converts ACC into ammonia and alpha-ketobutyrate thus reducing the amount of ACC and lowering the ethylene levels.