South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium
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Title: Remediation of Haloorganic Pollutants with Spartina alterniflora

Investigator(s): Dr. Laszlo Marton, Dr. J. Morris, Dr. Y. Chen, Dr. M. Czako, University of South Carolina
marton@mail.biol.sc.edu; morris@sc.edu; Czako-mihaly@sc.edu; chen@mail.biol.sc.edu

Description: In a continuing project, these investigators expect to pave the way for a genetically engineered Spartina alterniflora plant, which can be used to absorb pollutants in estuarine and marsh habitats. Such improved transgenic plants would be used for soil or water bioremediation in coastal sites.

Investigator(s): Dr. Joseph Quattro and Mr. K.J. Oswald, University of South Carolina
quattro@mail.biol.sc.edu; kennethoswald@msn.com

Description: The investigators will use the inland silverside, Menidia beryllina, as an estuarine “sentinel species.” The researchers will study theoretical and empirical population genetics to determine chronic and subtle effects of pollutants on marine and estuarine resources. One product will be genetic assays to identify exposure levels of contaminants of concern in South Carolina.

Investigator(s): Dr. Paul Gross and Dr. Jonas Almeida, Medical University of South Carolina
grossp@musc.edu; almeidaj@musc.edu

Description: This study will lay the groundwork for new methods and technologies to examine environmental stresses and disease using the Atlantic white shrimp, Litopenaeus setiferus, as a model organism. The researchers will also train new researchers, particularly graduate students, in the new and emerging technologies associated with “eco-genomics.”

Title: Development of Aquatic Bioassay Models for Evaluating Physiologically Based Biomarkers of Exposure to Environmental Contaminants

Principal Investigator(s): Dr. Richard Pollenz and Dr. Pamela Morris, Medical University of South Carolina

Description: Little is known about cellular factors in marine species that control gene expression and toxicity to environmental contaminants. Well-characterized models for the analysis of pathways in fish have not progressed to the level of those for mammals. As a strategy, the investigators are testing the hypothesis that cell culture models can be derived from marine organisms for use in the laboratory, and that these models can assess the presence and bioremediation of halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons and PCBs in complex biological samples. Their work will yield novel models for assessing physiologically based biomarkers that determine environmental contamination and its remediation, and the toxic potential on the health of mammalian, avian, and aquatic organisms.

Principal Investigator(s): Dr. Laszlo Marton, University of South Carolina

Description: Using transgenic technology, the researchers will generate cordgrass lines with improved heavy metal "bio-pump" function. They will engineer the plants to take up heavy metals from the soil and translocate them into the Spartina's aerial parts, where the metal may be volatilized or accumulated and sequestered in nontoxic protein or peptide complexes. The researchers will study the impact of the transgenes in vitro, as well as in greenhouse and mesocosm experiments.