title: An explosive-degrading cytochrome P450 activity and its targeted application for the phytoremediation of RDX.
abstract: The widespread presence in the environment of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), one of the most widely used military explosives, has raised concern owing to its toxicity and recalcitrance to degradation. To investigate the potential of plants to remove RDX from contaminated soil and water, we engineered Arabidopsis thaliana to express a bacterial gene xplA encoding an RDX-degrading cytochrome P450 (ref. 1). We demonstrate that the P450 domain of XplA is fused to a flavodoxin redox partner and catalyzes the degradation of RDX in the absence of oxygen. Transgenic A. thaliana expressing xplA removed and detoxified RDX from liquid media. As a model system for RDX phytoremediation, A. thaliana expressing xplA was grown in RDX-contaminated soil and found to be resistant to RDX phytotoxicity, producing shoot and root biomasses greater than those of wild-type plants. Our work suggests that expression of xplA in landscape plants may provide a suitable remediation strategy for sites contaminated by this class of explosives.
authors.affiliation: CNAP, Department of Biology, University of York, PO Box 373, York, YO10 5YW, UK.
authors.forename: Elizabeth L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Rylott
authors.forename: Rosamond G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Grant L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Womack
authors.forename: Helena M B
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Seth-Smith
authors.forename: Deborah A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Rathbone
authors.forename: Stuart E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Strand
authors.forename: Neil C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Bruce
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D005107:Explosions; D024861:Genetic Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000378:metabolism; D015202:Protein Engineering / Q000379:methods; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000379:methods*; D014227:Triazines / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014227:Triazines; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; C009160:cyclonite