title: Identification of detoxification pathways in plants that are regulated in response to treatment with organic compounds isolated from oil sands process-affected water.
abstract: Bitumen mining in the Athabasca oil sands region of northern Alberta results in the accumulation of large volumes of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW). The acid-extractable organic (AEO) fraction of OSPW contains a variety of compounds, including naphthenic acids, aromatics, and sulfur- and nitrogen-containing compounds that are toxic to aquatic and terrestrial organisms. We have studied the effect of AEO treatment on the transcriptome of root and shoot tissues in seedlings of the model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana. Several genes encoding enzymes involved in the xenobiotic detoxification pathway were upregulated, including cytochrome P450s (CYPs), UDP-dependent glycosyltransferases (UGTs), glutathione-S-transferases (GSTs), and membrane transporters. In addition, gene products involved in oxidative stress, β-oxidation, and glucosinolate degradation were also upregulated, indicating other potential mechanisms of the adaptive response to AEO exposure. These results provide insight into the pathways that plants use to detoxify the organic acid component of OSPW. Moreover, this study advances our understanding of genes that could be exploited to potentially develop phytoremediation and biosensing strategies for AEO contaminants resulting from oil sands mining.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N1N4, Canada.
authors.forename: Ellen E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Widdup
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N1N4, Canada.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chatfield-Reed
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N1N4, Canada.
authors.forename: Darren
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N1N4, Canada. Electronic address: gchua@ucalgary.ca.
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chua
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N1N4, Canada. Electronic address: msamuel@ucalgary.ca.
authors.forename: Marcus A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Samuel
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N1N4, Canada. Electronic address: dmuench@ucalgary.ca.
authors.forename: Douglas G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Muench
mesh_terms: D000416:Alberta; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000235:genetics; D014453:Glucuronosyltransferase / Q000235:genetics; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000235:genetics; D008658:Inactivation, Metabolic; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000009:adverse effects; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D061329:Oil and Gas Fields; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000235:genetics; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D036226:Seedlings / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D059467:Transcriptome / Q000187:drug effects; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D007220:Industrial Waste; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D014453:Glucuronosyltransferase; D005982:Glutathione Transferase
keywords: Acid extractable organics; Arabidopsis thaliana; Naphthenic acid; Oil sands process-affected water; Transcript profiling; Xenobiotic detoxification