title: The endophytic bacterium Serratia sp. PW7 degrades pyrene in wheat.
abstract: This research was conducted to isolate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-degrading (PAH-degrading) endophytic bacteria and investigate their potential in protecting plants against PAH contamination. Pyrene-degrading endophytic bacteria were isolated from plants grown in PAH-contaminated soil. Among these endophytic bacteria, strain PW7 (Serratia sp.) isolated from Plantago asiatica was selected to investigate the suppression of pyrene accumulation in Triticum aestivum L. In the in vitro tests, strain PW7 degraded 51.2% of the pyrene in the media within 14 days. The optimal biodegradation conditions were pH 7.0, 30 °C, and MS medium supplemented with additional glucose, maltose, sucrose, and peptones. In the in vivo tests, strain PW7 successfully colonized the roots and shoots of inoculated (E+) wheat plants, and its colonization decreased pyrene accumulation and pyrene transportation from roots to shoots. Remarkably, the concentration of pyrene in shoots decreased much more than that in roots, suggesting that strain PW7 has the potential for protecting wheat against pyrene contamination and mitigating the threat of pyrene to human health via food consumption.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Organic Contaminant Control and Soil Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, 1 Weigang Road, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xuezhu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Organic Contaminant Control and Soil Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, 1 Weigang Road, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wanqing
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: The Department of Environmental Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA.
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Crowley
authors.affiliation: Institute of Organic Contaminant Control and Soil Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, 1 Weigang Road, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Institute of Organic Contaminant Control and Soil Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, 1 Weigang Road, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shupeng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Organic Contaminant Control and Soil Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, 1 Weigang Road, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Michael Gatheru
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Waigi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Organic Contaminant Control and Soil Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, 1 Weigang Road, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China. gaoyanzheng@njau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yanzheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D060026:Endophytes / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D011721:Pyrenes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D012705:Serratia / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D013559:Symbiosis; D014908:Triticum / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D011721:Pyrenes; D012989:Soil Pollutants; C030984:pyrene
keywords: 16S rRNA gene; Endophytic bacterium; Isolation of endophytic bacterium; Plant colonization; Pyrene