Renee Ralston / Biology / Faculty Mentor: Woo-Suk Chang
Glufosinate serves as a potential herbicide alternative to glyphosate because of the rapid increase of the herbicide resistance. Since 1993, it has gained prominence as a non-selective herbicide in North America. However, excessive usage can lead to soil contamination through residual accumulation, potentially exacerbating glufosinate resistance in weeds. Therefore, a bioremediator capable of degrading glufosinate can provide a potential means of soil treatment. Phosphinothricin accetyl transferase (PAT) is an enzyme known for facilitating glufosinate degradation. We evaluated B. japonicum’s ability to breakdown and utilize glufosinate as a nitrogen source in a nitrogen-free environment. Using a microtiter plate assay, we assessed the growth of B. japonicum in nitrogen-free media with or without 200 μM glufosinate. Growth was monitored over a period exceeding 60h with OD values recorded every 2h. Speculatively, bacterial growth in the absence of nitrogen would affirm B. japonicum’s ability to degrade glufosinate, attributed to the presence of the PAT enzyme within its genome. In conclusion, this study suggests B. japonicum’s potential as a biodegrader for glufosinate.
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