Development of Methods that Detect and Monitor Environment Munitions Contaminants Using Plant Sentinels and Molecular Probes.
1997
Jackson, Paul
Plants accumulate TNT and similar compounds from soil. Their sessile nature requires that plants adapt to environmental changes by biochemical and molecular means. In principle, it is possible to develop a monitoring capability based on expression of any gene that is activated by specific environmental conditions. In the past year, we have identified plant genes activated or repressed upon exposure to TNT. We have cloned portions of these genes, sequenced these and developed DNA probes that measure induced gene activation or repression. These are being used to develop sensitive gene expression assays to monitor plant responses to growth in munitions-contaminated environments. We have also developed a collaboration with a private company to field test these assays in a system that uses selected plants to remove and degrade munitions from contaminated waste waters. By monitoring expression of TNT-induced genes, we can monitor whether the plants are exposed to this compound and, indirectly, follow the degradation process in a constructed ecosystem.
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