Enhanced phytoremediation of volatile environmental pollutants with transgenic trees

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

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

162 Scopus citations

Abstract

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.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)16816-16821
Number of pages6
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume104
Issue number43
DOIs
StatePublished - 23 Oct 2007

Keywords

  • CYP2E1
  • Carbon tetrachloride
  • P450
  • Poplar
  • Trichloroethylene

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