Obtaining transgenic alfalfa plants for improved phytoremediation of petroleum-contaminated soils

• Published in: Russian journal of genetics. Applied research Vol. 6; no. 6; pp. 705 - 711
• Main Authors: Stepanova, A. Yu, Orlova, E. V., Teteshonok, D. V., Dolgikh, Yu. I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Moscow Pleiades Publishing 01-11-2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Bees; Biodegradation; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Bioremediation; Human Genetics; Microorganisms; Oil; Phytoremediation; Rhamnolipids; Soil microorganisms; Transgenic plants; transgenic plants; phytoremediation; rhizodegradation; rhamnolipids
• ISSN: 2079-0597; 2079-0600
• DOI: 10.1134/S2079059716060083

The possibility of using transgenic plants and their complexes with microorganisms to clean up soil from pollution is a topical research area. In our work the transgenic alfalfa plants with the
rhlA
gene, responsible for the biosynthesis of biosurfactant–rhamnolipids, were obtained. Rhamnolipids help reduce the surface tension of the hydrocarbon oil and its desorption from soil particles, thereby facilitating its recycling by microorganism. Cultivation of the control and the transgenic alfalfa plants in soil polluted with 4% oil showed the advantage of plants emitting rhamnolipids: oil utilization was 20% higher than with the control plants. When used together, the transgenic plants and
Candida maltosa
microorganism increased the degree of degradation of the oil to 86%. The results suggest bright prospects for the application of transgenic plants and the complex of transgenic plants and microorganisms to increase the efficiency of bioremediation.