Bioremediation and Phytoremediation of Pesticides: Recent Advances

The use of genetically modified or native microorganisms and plants to degrade or remove pollutants has emerged as a powerful technology for in situ remediation. An understanding of the genetic basis of the mechanisms of how microorganisms and plants biodegrade pollutants and how they interact with the environment is important for successful implementation of this technology. Recent studies have demonstrated that microbes and transgenic plants produce pesticide-degradaing enzymes that can mineralize different groups of pesticides and their metabolites with greater efficiency. This review describes the most recent progress in biotechnological approaches for enhancing the capability of microorganisms and plants through the characterization and transfer of pesticide-degrading genes, induction of catabolic pathways, and display of cell surface enzymes.