Unraveling the early molecular and physiological mechanisms involved in response to phenanthrene exposure

Background Higher plants have to cope with increasing concentrations of pollutants of both natural and anthropogenic origin. Given their capacity to concentrate and metabolize various compounds including pollutants, plants can be used to treat environmental problems - a process called phytoremediation. However, the molecular mechanismsunderlying the stabilization, the extraction, the accumulation and partial or complete degradation of pollutants by plants remain poorly understood.