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Transgenic tobacco expressing fungal laccase promotes the detoxification of environmental pollutants

  • Environmental Biotechnology
  • Published:
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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 μmol 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.

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Author notes

  1. Tomonori Sonoki

    Present address: Toray Industries, Inc., New Frontiers Research Laboratories, 1111 Tebiro, Kamakura, Kanagawa 248-8555, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Environmental Management Technology, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 16-1 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0053, Japan

    Tomonori Sonoki, Kenji Tatsumi & Yosuke Iimura

  2. Graduate School of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8588, Japan

    Shinya Kajita, Seiichiro Ikeda, Mikiko Uesugi & Yoshihiro Katayama

Authors
  1. Tomonori Sonoki
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  2. Shinya Kajita
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  3. Seiichiro Ikeda
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  4. Mikiko Uesugi
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  5. Kenji Tatsumi
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  6. Yoshihiro Katayama
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  7. Yosuke Iimura
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yosuke Iimura.

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Sonoki, T., Kajita, S., Ikeda, S. et al. Transgenic tobacco expressing fungal laccase promotes the detoxification of environmental pollutants. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 67, 138–142 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-004-1770-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-004-1770-8

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