Transgenic tobacco expressing fungal laccase promotes the detoxification of environmental pollutants

Abstract

The phytoremediation of soils contaminated with organic pollutants offers a low-cost method for removal of such pollutants. We have attempted to enhance the environmental decontamination functions of plants by introducing appropriate enzymatic activities from microorganisms. In the present study, we introduced an extracellular fungal enzyme, the laccase of Coriolus versicolor, into tobacco plants. One transgenic plant, designated FL4, produced laccase that was secreted into the rhizosphere. FL4 was able to remove 20 micromol bisphenol A or pentachlorophenol per gram dry weight. The efficiency of this removal was apparently greater than that of control lines. Our results should stimulate efforts to develop plant-based technologies for the removal of environmental pollutants from contaminated environments.

Heterologous laccase production and its role in industrial applications

“…Expression of secreted recombinant laccases can result, for example, in phytoremediation systems. 47,48 Furthermore, the overexpression of a potato laccase (PPO) in tomato conferred to the transgenic plant an enhanced Laccases exhibit an extraordinary range of natural substrates (phenols, polyphenols, anilines, aryl diamines, methoxy-substituted phenols, hydroxyindols, benzenethiols, inorganic/organic metal compounds and many others) which is the major reason of their attractiveness for dozens of biotechnological applications. 10 The repertory of laccase catalyzed oxidative reactions can be enlarged by the means of the so-called mediators.…”

Phytoremediation of Bis-Phenol A via Secretory Fungal Peroxidases Produced by Transgenic Plants

“…Although the ability of plants to detoxify might be useful for remediation of soil and water contaminated with BPA, the expressions of fungal peroxidases in plants by genetic engineering, as reviewed above, reinforces their ability with respect to the detoxification of BPA. Furthermore it is worth noting that the MnP-and Lac-expressing transgenic plants could remove pentachlorophenol effectively from contaminated areas during hydroponic cultivation (Iimura et al, 2002;Sonoki et al, 2005). Plants could secrete Lac and generate Mn (III) in the rhizosphere, and then the Lac and Mn (III) might be able to affect hydrophobic substrates, such as pentachlorophenol, which is difficult for plant roots to absorb.…”

Interaction of Coal Humic Acids with Fungal Laccase

“…Because of their capability of oxidizing aromatic compounds, such as phenols and anilines, laccases have promising potential as industrial enzymes for various applications, such as wood fiber modification, biosensor construction, and water and soil remediation [6][7][8][9][10]. Recently laccase-based biocatalysis has been expanded, with the aid of small "mediators", to pulp delignification [11][12][13], textile dye bleaching [14,15], polycyclic hydrocarbon degradation [16][17][18][19][20], destruction of pesticide, insecticide, or chemical warfare [21][22][23], and organic synthesis [24,25].…”

“…Recently laccase-based biocatalysis has been expanded, with the aid of small "mediators", to pulp delignification [11][12][13], textile dye bleaching [14,15], polycyclic hydrocarbon degradation [16][17][18][19][20], destruction of pesticide, insecticide, or chemical warfare [21][22][23], and organic synthesis [24,25]. Nowadays a special attention is paid to laccase in relation to so-called enzymatic treatment, which is currently considered as an alternative method for the removal of toxic xenobiotics from the environment [8,10]. Enzyme-mediated transformation reactions may result in formation of compounds where xenobiotics bind covalently to HS via oxidative coupling [26,27].…”