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Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Agrobacterium-Mediated Genetic Transformation, Transgenic Production, and Its Application for the Study of Male Reproductive Development in Rice
Published on: October 6, 2020
Transgenic rice containing human CYP2B6 detoxifies various classes of herbicides
Sakiko Hirose1, Hiroyuki Kawahigashi, Kenjirou Ozawa
1Plant Biotechnology Department, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, 2-1-2, Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8602, Japan. junmai@affrc.go.jp
Abstract:
The human gene for CYP2B6, a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase that inactivates xenobiotic chemicals, was introduced into Oryza sativa cv. Nipponbare by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. At germination, R(1) seeds of transgenic rice plants expressing CYP2B6 (CYP2B6 rice) showed a high tolerance to 5 microM metolachlor, a preemergence herbicide that is degraded by CYP2B6. Thin-layer chromatography after culture with (14)C-labeled metolachlor revealed that the amounts of residual metolachlor decreased in plant tissues and the medium of CYP2B6 rice faster than those of untransformed Nipponbare. CYP2B6 rice plants were able to grow in the presence of 13 out of 17 herbicides: five chloroacetamides and mefenacet, pyributicarb, amiprofos-methyl, trifluralin, pendimethalin, norflurazon, and chlorotoluron. These herbicides differ in their modes of action and chemical structures. Transgenic rice expressing a xenobiotic-degrading human CYP2B6, which has broad substrate specificity, should be good not only for developing herbicide tolerant rice but also for reducing the environmental impact of agrochemicals.
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