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Mechanism of aerobic transformation of carbon tetrachloride by poplar cells

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Abstract

The biochemical mechanism of carbon tetrachloride transformation by poplarcells was investigated using an axenic poplar cell culture.After one-day incubations of poplar cells under aerobic conditions, about 1.5% of dosedcarbon tetrachloride was transformed to carbon dioxide, about 0.001% to chloroform andabout 3% of the carbon was bound to insoluble poplar cellular materials. The productionof carbon dioxide increased under aerobic conditions while the formation of chloroformand cell binding of carbon tetrachloride-carbon was enhanced under anaerobic conditions.Both carbon dioxide production and cell binding were significantly inhibitedby a general inhibitor of cytochrome P-450 activity (carbon monoxide) and by specific P-450 2E1 inhibitors(chlorzoxazone, isoniazid, 4-methylpyrazole and 1-phenylimidazole). However, no inhibitory effects were observed when the cells were incubated in thepresence of lignin peroxidase inhibitors (NaVO3 and 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole). These resultssuggest that an enzyme similar to mammalian cytochrome P450-2E1 is involved inthe metabolism of carbon tetrachloride by poplar cells. This study demonstratesan environmental biodegradative process for carbon tetrachloridethat operates under aerobic conditions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Forest Resources, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA

    Xiaoping Wang & Stuart E. Strand

  2. Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA

    Milton P. Gordon

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  1. Xiaoping Wang
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  2. Milton P. Gordon
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  3. Stuart E. Strand
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Wang, X., Gordon, M.P. & Strand, S.E. Mechanism of aerobic transformation of carbon tetrachloride by poplar cells. Biodegradation 13, 297–305 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022397121365

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