Journal Article

Enhanced phytoremediation of volatile environmental pollutants with transgenic trees

Singleton, Glenda L, Strauss, Steven H, Meilan, Richard, Wilkerson, Jasmine, Kang, Jun Won, Vajzovic, Azra, Khan, Zareen, James, C. Andrew, Moore, Allison L, Xin, Gang, Strand, Stuart E, Farin, Federico, Doty, Sharon L, Ma, Caiping, Park, Jin Young

2007

Overview

Small, volatile hydrocarbons, including trichloroethylene, vinyl chloride, carbon tetrachloride, benzene, and chloroform, are common environmental pollutants that pose serious health effects. We have developed transgenic poplar (Populus tremula x Populus alba) plants with greatly increased rates of metabolism and removal of these pollutants through the overexpression of cytochrome P450 2E1, a key enzyme in the metabolism of a variety of halogenated compounds. The transgenic poplar plants exhibited increased removal rates of these pollutants from hydroponic solution. When the plants were exposed to gaseous trichloroethylene, chloroform, and benzene, they also demonstrated superior removal of the pollutants from the air. In view of their large size and extensive root systems, these transgenic poplars may provide the means to effectively remediate sites contaminated with a variety of pollutants at much faster rates and at lower costs than can be achieved with current conventional techniques.

• Publisher: National Academy of Sciences,National Acad Sciences
• Subject: Air / Air Pollutants - isolation & purification / Animals / aqueous solutions / Benzene / Benzene - isolation & purification / biodegradation / Biodegradation, Environmental / Biological Sciences / carbon tetrachloride / Carbon Tetrachloride - isolation & purification / Chlorides / Chloroform / Chloroform - isolation & purification / cytochrome P-450 / Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 - genetics / Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 - metabolism / Environmental cleanup / Environmental Pollutants - isolation & purification / Enzymes / Gene expression / Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / gene overexpression / Halogenated compounds / hybrids / Hydrocarbons / Hydroponics / metabolism / Phytoremediation / Plant cuttings / Plants / Plants, Genetically Modified / Pollutant removal / Pollutants / Populus - enzymology / Populus - genetics / Populus alba / Populus tremula / Rabbits / Solutions / Solvents / Tetrachlorides / Transgenes / Transgenic plants / Trees / Trichloroethylene / Trichloroethylene - metabolism / vapors / Vinyl chloride / Volatile hydrocarbons / Volatilization / Water pollution / Zero vectors