Transgenic tobacco plants expressing a fungal laccase are able to reduce phenol content from olive mill wastewaters.
A biotechnological approach was applied to reduce phenol content in olive mill wastewaters by transgenic tobacco plants. The cDNA laccase of poxC gene from Pleurotus ostreatus, carrying its own signal peptide for extracellular secretion, was transferred into the Nicotiana tabacum genome. Transgenic tobacco plants were obtained and the recombinant enzyme was secreted into the rhizosphere by the plant root apparatus, confirming the ability of the plant machinery to recognize the fungal POXC peptide signal leader appropriately as secretory tag. Total laccase activity assayed by ABTS in transgenic lines increased sharply compared to control plants. Moreover, plants cultivated in a hydroponic solution with the addition of olive mill wastewaters were able to reduce the total phenol content up to 70%.
Department of Soil, Plant, Environmental and Animal Production Sciences, School of Biotechnological Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Portici, Italy. chiaiese@unina.it
Pasquale
P
Chiaiese
Francesca
F
Palomba
Carolina
C
Galante
Silvana
S
Esposito
Margherita-Gabriella
MG
De Biasi
Edgardo
E
Filippone
D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D019649:Food Industry; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D007220:Industrial Waste; D042845:Laccase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D031658:Olea / Q000737:chemistry*; D019800:Phenol / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D020076:Pleurotus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
D007220:Industrial Waste; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D019800:Phenol; D042845:Laccase