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Abstract
Soil microorganisms that produce the enzyme 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase promote plant growth by sequestering and cleaving plant-produced ACC, and thereby lowering the level of ethylene in the plant. Decreased ethylene levels allows the plant to be more resistant to a wide variety of environmental stresses. Here, the biochemistry of ACC deaminase; the environmental distribution, regulation, evolution and expression of ACC deaminase genes; and information regarding the effect of this enzyme on different plants is documented and discussed.