metal-contaminated sites. In view of this, the present review investigates the abilities of
microorganisms and plants in terms of tolerance and degradation of heavy metals. Also,
advances in bioremediation technologies and strategies to explore these immense and
valuable biological resources for bioremediation are discussed. An assessment of the current
status of technology deployment and suggestions for future bioremediation research has also
been included. Finally, there is a discussion of the genetic and molecular basis of metal
tolerance in microbes, with special reference to the genomics of heavy metal accumulator
plants and the identification of functional genes involved in tolerance and detoxification.