Enhanced phytoremediation of mixed heavy metal (mercury)–organic pollutants (trichloroethylene) with transgenic alfalfa co-expressing glutathione S-transferase and human P450 2E1

• Published in: Journal of hazardous materials Vol. 260; pp. 1100 - 1107
• Main Authors: Zhang, Yuanyuan, Liu, Junhong, Zhou, Yuanming, Gong, Tingyun, Wang, Jing, Ge, Yinlin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 15.09.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Accumulation; Alfalfa; Applied sciences; Biodegradation, Environmental; Contaminants; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 - genetics; Decontamination. Miscellaneous; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Exact sciences and technology; genes; Genetic Techniques; Glutathione; Glutathione S-transferase; glutathione transferase; Glutathione Transferase - genetics; heavy metals; Human CYP2E1; Humans; Medicago sativa; Medicago sativa - genetics; Medicago sativa - metabolism; mercury; Mercury (metal); Mercury - toxicity; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Metals, Heavy - chemistry; Mixed contaminated soil; Organic Chemicals - analysis; Organic Chemicals - chemistry; Phytoremediation; plant establishment; Plants, Genetically Modified - metabolism; Pollutants; polluted soils; Pollution; Remediation; Soil and sediments pollution; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soil Pollutants - chemistry; soil pollution; synergism; Tolerance; Transgenic; Transgenic alfalfa plants; transgenic plants; trichloroethylene; Trichloroethylene - analysis; Trichloroethylene - chemistry; Tolerance; Transgenic alfalfa plants; Glutathione S-transferase; Mixed contaminated soil; Accumulation; Human CYP2E1; Human; Soil pollution; Synergism; Heavy metal; Phytoremediation; Pollutant; Decontamination; Chlorine Organic compounds; Bioremediation; Mercury; Organic compounds; Ethylene(trichloro)
• ISSN: 0304-3894; 1873-3336; 1873-3336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2013.06.065

•The pKHCG transgenic alfalfa plants have the potential to be used for phytoremediation.•Simultaneous expression of GST and CYP2E1 may produce a significant synergistic effect.•The expression leads to improved resistance and accumulation to heavy metal–organic complex contaminants.•The plants were more resistant to Hg/TCE complex pollutants. Soil contamination is a global environmental problem and many efforts have been made to find efficient remediation methods over the last decade. Moreover, remediation of mixed contaminated soils are more difficult. In the present study, transgenic alfalfa plants pKHCG co-expressing glutathione S-transferase (GST) and human P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) genes were used for phytoremediation of mixed mercury (Hg)–trichloroethylene (TCE) contaminants. Simultaneous expression of GST andCYP2E1 may produce a significant synergistic effect, and leads to improved resistance and accumulation to heavy metal–organic complex contaminants. Based on the tolerance and accumulation assays, pKHCG transgenic plants were more resistant to Hg/TCE complex pollutants and many folds higher in Hg/TCE-accumulation than the non-transgenic control plants in mixed contaminated soil. It is confirmed that GST and CYP2E1 co-expression may be a useful strategy to help achieve mixed heavy metal–organic pollutants phytoremediation.