Genetic diversity and characterization of arsenic-resistant endophytic bacteria isolated from Pteris vittata an arsenic hyperaccumulator

摘要

BackgroundAlleviating arsenic (As) contamination is a high-priority environmental issue. Hyperaccumulator plants may harbor endophytic bacteria able to detoxify As. Therefore, we investigated the distribution, diversity, As (III) resistance levels, and resistance-related functional genes of arsenite-resistant bacterial endophytes in Pteris vittata L. growing in a lead-zinc mining area with different As contamination levels.