Concept explainers
TCE Uptake by Transgenic Plants Plants used for phytoremediation take up organic pollutants, then transport the chemicals to plant tissues, where they are stored or broken down. Researchers are now designing transgenic plants with enhanced ability to take up or break down toxins. In 2007, Sharon Doty and her colleagues published the results of their efforts to design plants for phytoremediation of soil and air containing organic solvents. The researchers used Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Section 15.7) to deliver a mammalian gene into poplar plants. The gene encodes cytochrome P450, an enzyme involved in the breakdown of a range of organic molecules, including solvents such as TCE. FIGURE 28.16 shows data from one test on the resulting transgenic plants.
FIGURE 28.16 TCE uptake from air by transgenic poplar plants. Indvioual potted plants were kept in separate seated containers with an initial level of TCE (trichloroethytene) around 15.0C0 micrograms per cubic meter of air. Samples of the air m the containers were taken daily and measured for TCE content. Controls included a tree transgenic for a Ti plasmid with no cytochrome P450 in it (vector control), and a bare-root transgenic tree (one that was not planted in soil.
3. On day 6, what was the difference between the TCE content of air around planted transgenic plants and that around vector control plants?
Want to see the full answer?
Check out a sample textbook solutionChapter 28 Solutions
Biology: The Unity and Diversity of Life (MindTap Course List)
- TCE Uptake by Transgenic Plants Plants used for phytoremediation take up organic pollutants, then transport the chemicals to plant tissues, where they are stored or broken down. Researchers are now designing transgenic plants with enhanced ability to take up or break down toxins. In 2007, Sharon Doty and her colleagues published the results of their efforts to design plants for phytoremediation of soil and air containing organic solvents. The researchers used Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Section 15.7) to deliver a mammalian gene into poplar plants. The gene encodes cytochrome P450, an enzyme involved in the breakdown of a range of organic molecules, including solvents such as TCE. FIGURE 28.16 shows data from one test on the resulting transgenic plants. FIGURE 28.16 TCE uptake from air by transgenic poplar plants. Individual potted plants were kept in separate seated containers with an initial level of TCE (trichloroethylene) around 15,000 micrograms per cubic meter of air. Samples of the air in the containers were taken daily and measured for TCE content. Controls included a tree transgenic for a Ti plasmid with no cytochrome P450 in it (vector control), and a bare-root transgenic tree (one that was not planted in soil. 4. Assuming no other experiments were done, what two explanations are there for the results of this experiment? What other control might the researchers have used?arrow_forwardTCE Uptake by Transgenic Plants Plants used for phytoremediation take up organic pollutants, then transport the chemicals to plant tissues, where they are stored or broken down. Researchers are now designing transgenic plants with enhanced ability to take up or break down toxins. In 2007, Sharon Doty and her colleagues published the results of their efforts to design plants for phytoremediation of soil and air containing organic solvents. The researchers used Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Section 15.7) to deliver a mammalian gene into poplar plants. The gene encodes cytochrome P450, an enzyme involved in the breakdown of a range of organic molecules, including solvents such as TCE. FIGURE 28.16 shows data from one test on the resulting transgenic plants. FIGURE 28.16 TCE uptake from air by transgenic poplar plants. Indvioual potted plants were kept in separate seated containers with an initial level of TCE (trichloroethytene) around 15.0C0 micrograms per cubic meter of air. Samples of the air m the containers were taken daily and measured for TCE content. Controls included a tree transgenic for a Ti plasmid with no cytochrome P450 in it (vector control), and a bare-root transgenic tree (one that was not planted in soil. 1. How many transgenic plants did the researchers test?arrow_forwardTCE Uptake by Transgenic Plants Plants used for phytoremediation take up organic pollutants, then transport the chemicals to plant tissues, where they are stored or broken down. Researchers are now designing transgenic plants with enhanced ability to take up or break down toxins. In 2007, Sharon Doty and her colleagues published the results of their efforts to design plants for phytoremediation of soil and air containing organic solvents. The researchers used Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Section 15.7) to deliver a mammalian gene into poplar plants. The gene encodes cytochrome P450, an enzyme involved in the breakdown of a range of organic molecules, including solvents such as TCE. FIGURE 28.16 shows data from one test on the resulting transgenic plants. FIGURE 28.16 TCE uptake from air by transgenic poplar plants. Indvioual potted plants were kept in separate seated containers with an initial level of TCE (trichloroethytene) around 15.0C0 micrograms per cubic meter of air. Samples of the air m the containers were taken daily and measured for TCE content. Controls included a tree transgenic for a Ti plasmid with no cytochrome P450 in it (vector control), and a bare-root transgenic tree (one that was not planted in soil. 2. In which group did the researchers see the slowest rate of TCE uptake? The fastest?arrow_forward
- Solar-induced fluorescence can be used to infer net photosynthesis. This is because this solar-induced fluorescence is able to measure the light that is used by the chlorophyll-a pigment (650-850nm). There is a linear relationship between this solar-induced fluorescence and the gross primary production of a plant. How does measuring chlorophyll-a pigment with solar-induced fluorescence help us infer net photosynthesis?arrow_forwardHeterosis has played a key role in productivity enhancement in crop species. As a plant breeder, comment on the performance of hybrids versus OPVs in sunflower and brassica. Also suggest when OPVs are used and why?arrow_forwardDescribe the use of Plant Growth regulators in Agriculture give at least 4 examplesarrow_forward
- A nine-year research and experimentations have successfully developed rice plants with golden hue kernels instead of the usual white kernels. What is the advantage of this modified rice plant? Select one: To make the plant become resistant to herbivores. To provide sufficient rice produce due to its shorter cycle. To add nutritional value to the rice kernels. To allow easy harvesting and processing.arrow_forwardExplain the mechanism of how floating disks correspond to the rate of photosynthesis. What is the purpose of adding baking soda to the leaf disk assay? What would you expect during the leaf disk assay if baking soda was not added at all?arrow_forwardElaborate the advantage and disadvantages of Nano-Plant Growth Regulatorarrow_forward
- studied how soil management affects bacterial production of B-glucosidase, an important enzyme that that is critical for metabolism (breakdown) of plant material in the soil, which can affect soil quality - greater breakdown of plant materials (via greater activity of B-glucosidase) generally leads to better soil quality. Below are some results from the study: 6-glucosidase activity is measured as the number of transcript copies per gram soil (y axis for each experimental unit (a 2 gram scoop of soil), and the effect of soil type was analyzed via one-way (one factor) ANOVA. Figure 2: B-glucosidase activity for tillage (I), nontillage and no-cover (NC), cover crop plus herbicides (CH), and cover crops plus mower (CM) soils (F3,2=46, P 0.05 for the Tukey test). A) what could conclude only from the results of the F test if we set alpha at 0.05? B) state the null hypothesis for the ANOVA applied above C) to achieve the highest B-glucosidase activity in their soil, which solI treatment…arrow_forwardGenetically modified plants can be produced by transferring desired: Cytoplasm Carbohydrates Genes Proteinsarrow_forwarddiscuss how ACC deaminase containing plant growth-promoting bacteria facilitates plant growth and describe two ways in which you could lessen or avoid the development of insect resistance to the Cry protein toxin.arrow_forward
- Biology: The Unity and Diversity of Life (MindTap...BiologyISBN:9781305073951Author:Cecie Starr, Ralph Taggart, Christine Evers, Lisa StarrPublisher:Cengage LearningBiology: The Unity and Diversity of Life (MindTap...BiologyISBN:9781337408332Author:Cecie Starr, Ralph Taggart, Christine Evers, Lisa StarrPublisher:Cengage LearningBiology: The Dynamic Science (MindTap Course List)BiologyISBN:9781305389892Author:Peter J. Russell, Paul E. Hertz, Beverly McMillanPublisher:Cengage Learning