Transgenic Plants

Transgenic plants are plants that have been genetically engineered, a breeding approach that uses recombinant DNA techniques to create plants with new characteristics. They are identified as a class of genetically modified organism (GMO). In recent years, phytoremediation technology has gained attention as an ecological remediation tool for contaminated soil and water. Plants can be grown autotrophically, so that making the phytoremediation technology is a suitable strategy for the continuous remediation and maintenance of widely contaminated areas. There have been many reports of phytoremediation using transgenic plants. Transgenic plants that overexpress mercury-resistance genes have been found to be highly resistant to organic mercury and are effective for degradation. In addition, glutathione-S-transferase- and cytochrome P-450-expressing transgenic plants have elevated resistance to pesticides. Introducing bacterial genes, which encode enzymes involved in the degradation of poly-chlorinated biphenyl (PCB), into plants has shown potential for effective PCB removal. Some reports have shown previously that manganese peroxidase and laccase-expressing transgenic tobaccos are able to effectively remove environmental pollutants such as BPA and pentachlorophenol. Appropriately engineered plants have great potential as tools for the remediation of contaminated soil and water.

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Last date updated on September, 2024