The utilization of organosulphonates by soil and freshwater bacteria

Utilization of the biogenic aliphatic organosulphonates taurine, isethionate, sulphoacetaldehyde and sulphoacetate was investigated in 100 soil and freshwater bacteria isolated on modified complete mineral salts medium. More than 90% could use all the compounds as sole sulphur sources, and some 10% used taurine and isethionate as sole carbon and energy, or sole carbon, energy and sulphur sources. None could mineralize sulphoacetaldehyde or sulphoacetate; however, two isolates capable of growth on sulphoacetate as sole carbon, energy and sulphur source were obtained by enrichment culture. The results suggest that in the majority of environmental bacteria the pathways of organosulphonate biodegradation may be independently controlled by the supply of carbon and sulphur to the cell, and that a number of routes may exist for cleavage of the organosulphonate C–S bond.     

Composition of humic acid-degrading estuarine and marine bacterial communities

We examined the bacterial decomposition of humic acids (HA) in two flow-through culture experiments, one inoculated by marine and one by estuarine bacterial communities. In both experiments, the cultures were fed with HA media of salinities of 28 and 14, close to their ambient and a distinctly different, foreign salinity. HA were decomposed to >?60% of the initial concentration within 70?days, and the foreign salinity yielded the highest decomposition. A detrended correspondence analysis of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) banding patterns showed that during incubation, the bacterial community composition underwent distinct changes. A phylogenetic analysis of DGGE bands excised and bacteria isolated at the end on HA as the sole carbon source showed that Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria largely dominated the communities in the marine flow-through cultures, whereas Gammaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria dominated the estuarine communities. Eleven of 13 isolates obtained from both experiments were able to grow on HA as the sole carbon source, seven on phenol and three, affiliated to the Roseobacter clade, on various aromatic acids. The bacteria retrieved from the flow-through cultures were closely (96-99%) affiliated to organisms capable of degrading humic matter, aromatic and aliphatic compounds and also to other bacteria reported previously from the Wadden Sea and Weser estuary.     

Differential utilization of pyrene as the sole source of carbon by Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains: role of biosurfactants in enhancing bioavailability

AIMS: Our goal is to compare the efficiency of utilization of pyrene as the sole source of carbon for growth and energy by two nonactinomycetous groups of bacteria viz., Bacillus subtilis DM-04 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa mucoid (M) and nonmucoid (NM) strains, isolated from a petroleum-contaminated soil sample of north-east India. METHODS AND RESULTS: Bacillus subtilis DM-04 and P. aeruginosa M and NM bacterial strains were capable of secreting biosurfactant in the culture medium while growing on pyrene and their pyrene utilizing efficiency was demonstrated by correlating the bacterial growth in the presence of pyrene as the sole source of carbon along with a concomitant decrease in pyrene content from the culture medium with respect to time. The biosurfactant secreted by the respective bacterial strains enhanced the apparent solubility of pyrene by factors of 5-7 and influenced the bacterial cell surface hydrophobicity resulting in higher uptake and utilization of pyrene by bacteria. The growth of B. subtilis DM-04 and P. aeruginosa M and NM strains at the expense of pyrene after 96 h showed an assimilation of about 48.0 +/- 1.1% (mean +/- SD) and 32.0 +/- 0.6% (mean +/- SD) of pyrene carbon, respectively, showing differences in metabolism of pyrene by these bacterial strains. CONCLUSIONS: Bacillus subtilis DM-04 strain exhibited higher utilization and cellular assimilation of pyrene compared with P. aeruginosa M and NM strains. Further, the biosurfactants produced by the bacteria under study are capable of enhancing the solubility of pyrene in aqueous media and can influence the cell surface hydrophobicity of the biosurfactant-producing strains that results in a higher uptake of pyrene. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: It may be suggested that the bacteria used in this study are suitable candidates for practical field application for effective in situ bioremediation of pyrene-contaminated sites.     

一株聚丁二酸丁二醇酯（PBS）降解菌株的筛选鉴定及降解特性

从活性污泥中分离得到一株能以聚丁二酸丁二醇酯（PBS）颗粒为唯一碳源的降解菌株HX01。通过形态特征和16SrDNA序列测定分析,该菌初步鉴定为红球菌属（Rhodococcussp．）。PBS颗粒经过HX01菌株14d的降解培养,失重法测定其降解率可达7．26％,颗粒表面发生显著的色泽变化。进一步研究发现该菌株以PBS颗粒为唯一碳源生长的最适温度和pH分别为30℃和8．0,最适降解的PBS颗粒加入量为30粒于50mL（约15g／L）,在此条件下PBS颗粒降解率达到13．75％。     

Biodegradation of crude oil by soil microorganisms in the tropic

Five microorganisms, three bacteria and two yeasts, capable of degrading Tapis light crude oil were isolated from oil-contaminated soil in Bangkok, Thailand. Soil enrichment culture was done by inoculating the soil in mineral salt medium with 0.5% v/v Tapis crude oil as the sole carbon source. Crude oil biodegradation was measured by gas chromatography method. Five strains of pure microorganisms with petroleum degrading ability were isolated: three were bacteria and the other two were yeasts. Candida tropicalis strains 7Y and 15Y were identified as efficient oil degraders. Strain 15Y was more efficient, it was able to reduce 87.3% of the total petroleum or 99.6% of n-alkanes within the 7-day incubation period at room temperature of 25 ± 2 °C.     

Evaluation of the coal-degrading ability of Rhizobium and Chelatococcus strains isolated from the formation water of an Indian coal bed

The rise in global energy demand has prompted researches on developing strategies for transforming coal into a cleaner fuel. This requires isolation of microbes with the capability to degrade complex coal into simpler substrates to support methanogenesis in the coal beds. In this study, aerobic bacteria were isolated from an Indian coal bed that can solubilize and utilize coal as the sole source of carbon. The six bacterial isolates capable of growing on coal agar medium were identified on the basis of their 16S rRNA gene sequences, which clustered into two groups; Group I isolates belonged to the genus Rhizobium, whereas Group II isolates were identified as Chelatococcus species. Out of the 4 methods of whole genome fingerprinting (ERIC-PCR, REP-PCR, BOX-PCR, and RAPD), REPPCR showed maximum differentiation among strains within each group. Only Chelatococcus strains showed the ability to solubilize and utilize coal as the sole source of carbon. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence and the ability to utilize different carbon sources, the Chelatococcus strains showed maximum similarity to C. daeguensis. This is the first report showing occurrence of Rhizobium and Chelatococcus strains in an Indian coal bed, and the ability of Chelatococcus isolates to solubilize and utilize coal as a sole source of carbon for their growth.     

Glyphosate degradation byAgrobacterium radiobacter isolated from activated sludge

Summary Two species of bacteria capable of growth onN-phosphonomethylglycine (glyphosate) were isolated from a bench scale sequencing batch reactor degrading a waste stream containing glyphosate. The enrichment and isolation medium contained defined salts and glyphosate as the sole carbon and energy source. Glyphosate was stoichiometrically degraded to aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA). The bacteria have been identified asAgrobacterium radiobacter andAchromobacter Group V D.     

Bioremediation of Organometallic Compounds by Bacterial Degradation

The use of organometallic compounds in the environment is constantly increasing with increased technology and progress in scientific research. But since these compounds are fairly stable, as metallic bonds are stable, they are difficult to degrade or decompose naturally. The aim of this work was to isolate and characterize heterotrophic bacteria that can degrade organometallic compounds (in this case ‘ferrocene’ and its derivatives). A Gram-negative coccobacillus was isolated from a rusting iron pipe draining into a freshwater lake, which could utilize ferrocene as a sole source of carbon. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA sequence suggested that the isolated organism resembled an environmental isolate of Bordetella. Ferrocene degradation was confirmed by plotting the growth curve of the bacterium in a medium with ferrocene as the sole source of carbon. Further confirmation of degradation of ferrocene and its derivatives was done using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy. Since the bacterium degraded organometallic compounds and released the metal in liquid medium, it could be suggested that this organism can also be used for extracting metal ions from organo-metal containing wastes.     

Isolation and identification of Sphingomonas sp. that yields tert-octylphenol monoethoxylate under aerobic conditions

Topsoil samples were collected from eight golf courses in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, and enrichment cultures were carried out with a basal-salt medium containing 0.2% 4-tert-octylphenol polyethoxylate (OPPEO) as sole carbon source. OPPEO-degrading activity was detected in one of the samples, from which a strain of OPPEO-degrading bacterium was isolated. The isolated bacterium grew on a nutritionally enriched medium (NE medium) containing 0.2% OPPEO as sole carbon source, and accumulated 4-tert-octylphenol diethoxylate (OP2EO) (63%), 4-tert-octylphenol triethoxylate (OP3EO) (14%), and 4-tert-octylphenol monoethoxylate (OP1EO) (2%) after 7 d cultivation under aerobic conditions. The addition of clay mineral (vermiculite) to the medium accelerated the degradation of OP2EO (40%) and OP3EO (4%) to OP1EO (23%). This is the first report about bacteria that can degrade OPPEO to OP1EO under aerobic conditions. The strain was identified as Sphingomonas macrogoltabidus, based on the homology of a 16S rDNA sequence.     

乙酸驱动条件下粪产碱杆菌Y5的碳氮共脱除特性

【目的】研究微生物的碳氮共脱除特性及其关键影响因素。【方法】以乙酸为唯一碳源分离获得的碳氮共脱除菌株Y5为模式菌株,分析菌株Y5的16S r RNA基因序列、碳源和氮源去除动力学,以及碳源种类、碳氮比(C/N)、溶解氧浓度(DO)、温度和p H等影响效果。【结果】菌株Y5归属于粪产碱杆菌。与葡萄糖及多种有机酸相比,菌株Y5在以乙酸为唯一碳源的条件下具有较高的TOC和NH4+-N去除速率。在好氧条件下,当起始TOC浓度为1 000 mg/L,氨氮浓度为110 mg/L时,菌株Y5的NH4+-N、TOC和总氮(TN)去除率分别达99.54%、92.95%和86.55%,最大NH4+-N、TOC和TN去除速率分别为903.58、505.81和406.03 mg/(L·d)。【结论】粪产碱杆菌Y5在以乙酸为唯一碳源的条件下具有较强的碳氮共脱除能力,其最佳反应条件为:C/N=10,p H 7.0-8.0,溶氧6.20 mg/L,反应温度为30°C。     

Factors Affecting the Salinity Tolerance of the Freshwater Cryptomonad Chilomonas paramecium

ABSTRACT. The capacity of the freshwater cryptomonad Chilomonas paramecium to develop a tolerance for seawater in the growth medium was investigated as part of a research program exploring potential microbial food sources for estuarine bivalve mollusks. By gradually increasing the percentage of estuarine seawater included in a freshwater culture medium over the course of 10 years, strains were obtained that tolerate from 16 to 32% seawater (highest salinity 10.5 ppt), achieving equivalent final densities with similar gross biochemical composition. However, after subculture in seawater-containing media for over 20 years, growth rates in more-saline media remained appreciably slower than in low-salinity media. Reduction of C. paramecium growth rate by seawater was found to be exacerbated in media with an initial pH of 3.5 as compared with pH 4.0–5.0, suggesting either a specific H⁺ effect upon metabolism of the medium carbon source (lactic acid) or a general cation effect upon nutrient uptake or cell metabolism. By contrast, depression of growth rates at high salinity was ameliorated by eliminating sodium-phosphate enrichments in growth media. This suggests that cations in the phosphate salt were contributing to cation-mediated growth inhibition. Results indicate a potential for C. paramecium , cultured in moderately saline media with no phosphate enrichments, to be used as a carbohydrate supplement for laboratory and hatchery feeding of estuarine bivalve mollusks.     

Tributyltin-resistant bacteria from estuarine and freshwater sediments.

Resistance to tributyltin (TBT) was examined in populations from TBT-polluted sediments and nonpolluted sediments from an estuary and from fresh water as well as in pure cultures isolated from those sediments. The 50% effective concentrations (EC50s) for populations were higher at a TBT-polluted freshwater site than at a site without TBT, suggesting that TBT selected for a TBT-resistant population. In contrast, EC50s were significantly lower for populations from a TBT-contaminated estuarine site than for those from a site without TBT, suggesting that other factors in addition to TBT determine whether populations become resistant. EC50s for populations from TBT-contaminated freshwater sediments were nearly 30 times higher than those for populations from TBT-contaminated estuarine sediments. We defined a TBT-resistant bacterium as one which grows on trypticase soy agar containing 8.4 microM TBT, a concentration which prevented the growth of 90% of the culturable bacteria from these sediments. The toxicity of TBT in laboratory media was influenced markedly by the composition of the medium and whether it was liquid or solid. Ten TBT-resistant isolates from estuarine sediments and 19 from freshwater sediments were identified to the genus level. Two isolates, each a Bacillus sp., may be the first gram-positive bacteria isolated from fresh water in the presence of a high concentration of TBT. There was a high incidence of resistance to heavy metals: metal resistance indices were 0.76 for estuarine isolates and 0.68 for freshwater isolates.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Biodegradability of end-groups of the biocide polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) assessed using model compounds

Polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB), a biocide used in a wide variety of disinfection and preservation applications, is a polydisperse mixture in which the end-groups may be any combination of amine, guanidine and cyanoguanidine. Using PHMB model compounds (1,6-diaminohexane; 1,6-diguanidinohexane; 1,6-di(cyanoguanidino)hexane; 4-guanidinobutyric acid), we have determined the biodegradation characteristics of each end-group in several strains of bacteria isolated for their ability to utilise PHMB as a sole source of nitrogen. Bacteria were screened for growth at the expense of each model compound (at non-inhibitory concentrations) as sole nitrogen source. None of the isolated bacteria was capable of utilising a cyanoguanidine end-group as growth substrate, whereas several bacteria were shown to utilise amine or guanidine end-groups. In particular, a strain of Pseudomonas putida was capable of extensive growth with 1,6-diguanidinohexane as a sole nitrogen source, with complete removal of guanidine groups from culture medium within 2 days, and with concomitant formation of unsubstituted urea, which in turn was also utilised by the organism. We conclude that whilst amine and guanidine end-groups in PHMB are likely to be susceptible to biodegradation, cyanoguanidine end-groups are likely to be recalcitrant.     

Degradation of malathion by salt-marsh microorganisms.

Numerous bacteria from a salt-marsh environment are capable of degrading malathion, an organophosphate insecticide, when supplied with additional nutrients as energy and carbon sources. Seven isolates exhibited ability (48 to 90%) to degrade malathion as a sole carbon source. Gas and thin-layer chromatography and infrared spectroscopy confirmed malathion to be degraded via malathion-monocarboxylic acid to the dicarboxylic acid and then to various phosphothionates. These techniques also identified desmethyl-malathion, phosphorthionates, and four-carbon dicarboxylic acids as degradation products formed as a result of phosphatase activity.     

Bacterial Oxidation of Dibromomethane and Methyl Bromide in Natural Waters and Enrichment Cultures

Bacterial oxidation of ¹⁴CH₂Br₂ and ¹⁴CH₃Br was measured in freshwater, estuarine, seawater, and hypersaline-alkaline samples. In general, bacteria from the various sites oxidized similar amounts of ¹⁴CH₂Br₂ and comparatively less ¹⁴CH₃Br. Bacterial oxidation of ¹⁴CH₃Br was rapid in freshwater samples compared to bacterial oxidation of ¹⁴CH₃Br in more saline waters. Freshwater was also the only site in which methyl fluoride-sensitive bacteria (e.g., methanotrophs or nitrifiers) governed brominated methane oxidation. Half-life calculations indicated that bacterial oxidation of CH₂Br₂ was potentially significant in all of the waters tested. In contrast, only in freshwater was bacterial oxidation of CH₃Br as fast as chemical removal. The values calculated for more saline sites suggested that bacterial oxidation of CH₃Br was relatively slow compared to chemical and physical loss mechanisms. However, enrichment cultures demonstrated that bacteria in seawater can rapidly oxidize brominated methanes. Two distinct cultures of nonmethanotrophic methylotrophs were recovered; one of these cultures was able to utilize CH₂Br₂ as a sole carbon source, and the other was able to utilize CH₃Br as a sole carbon source.     

Decolourisation and detoxification of synthetic molasses melanoidins by individual and mixed cultures of Bacillus spp

The decolourisation of synthetic melanoidins (i.e., GGA, GAA, SGA, and SAA) by three Bacillus isolates (Bacillus thuringiensis (MTCC 4714), Bacillus brevis (MTCC 4716) and Bacillus sp. (MTCC 6506)) was studied. Significant reduction in the values of physicochemical parameters was noticed alongwith the decolourisation of all four melanoidins (10% v/v). B. thuringiensis (MTCC 4714) caused maximum decolourisation followed by B. brevis (MTCC 4716) and Bacillus sp. (MTCC 6506). A mixed culture comprised of these three strains was capable of decolourising all four melanoidins. The medium that contained glucose as a sole carbon source showed 15% more decolourisation than that containing both carbon and nitrogen sources. Melanoidin SGA was maximally decolourised (50%) while melanoidin GAA was decolourised least ( approximately 06%) in the presence of glucose as a sole energy source. The addition of 1% glucose as a supplementary carbon source was essential for co-metabolism of melanoidin complex. The decolourisation of synthetic melanoidin by three Bacillus spp. significantly reduced the toxicity to the tubificid worm (Tubifex tubifex, Müller).     

以葡萄糖为唯一碳源合成聚-4-羟基丁酸的重组大肠杆菌的构建

为实现重组大肠杆菌以葡萄糖为唯一碳源合成均聚的P( 4HB) ,PCR扩增大肠杆菌编码谷氨酸:琥珀酰半缩醛转氨基酶基因(gabT) ,谷氨酸脱羧酶基因(gadA)以及富养罗尔斯通氏菌(Ralstoniaeutropha)H16的4_羟基丁酸脱氢酶基因(gadB) ,并组装到携带富养罗尔斯通氏菌(Ralstoniaeutropha)H16的PHA聚合酶基因(phaC)和克氏梭菌(Clostridiumkluyveri)中编码4_羟基丁酸:CoA转移酶基因(orfZ)的重组质粒pKESS5 3上,形成一个大的操纵元。携带重组质粒的大肠杆菌获得从三羧酸循环的中间物———α_酮戊二酸到P( 4HB)的代谢途径。结果表明,重组大肠杆菌可以以葡萄糖为唯一碳源合成均聚的P( 4HB) ,当向以葡萄糖为唯一碳源的无机培养基添加蛋白胨、酵母提取物、酪蛋白水解物时,P( 4HB)的含量可以高达菌体干重的30 %。     

一株聚氨酯降解菌的分离及其降解特性解析

利用微生物对聚氨酯 (Polyurethane,PUR) 类污染物进行生物降解是目前的研究热点之一。寻找能高效降解聚氨酯的微生物是该类研究的重要前提。文中从塑料垃圾填埋场中分离培养了1株PUR高效降解菌株P10。基于菌落形态观察和16S rDNA系统发育分析,鉴定其为短芽孢杆菌属Brevibacillus的细菌。通过PUR的模式底物水性聚氨酯 (Impranil DLN) 比浊法,确定了该菌株能在6 d内降解71.4%的Impranil DLN。此外,菌株P10能够利用商业聚氨酯海绵作为唯一碳源进行生长;通过降解条件的优化,在5% (V/V) LB作为额外碳源的辅助下实现了6 d内对50 mg PUR泡沫的降解。以上结果表明Brevibacillus sp. P10在聚氨酯废弃物的生物降解过程中具有一定的应用潜力。     

Characterization of the phenol monooxygenase gene from Chromobacterium violaceum: Potential use for phenol biodegradation

In this work, the biodegradation mechanism of phenol and sub products (such as catechol and hydroquinone) in Chromobacterium violaceum was investigated by cloning and molecular characterization of a phenol monooxygenase gene in Escherichia coli. This gene (Cvmp) is very similar (74 and 59% of similarity and identity, respectively) to the ortholog from Ralstonia eutropha bacteria capable of utilizing phenol as the sole carbon source. The phenol biodegradation ability of E. coli recombinant strains was tested by cell-growth in a minimal medium containing phenol as the sole source of carbon and release of intermediary metabolites (catechol and hydroquinone). Interestingly, during the growth of these strains on phenol, catechol, and hydroquinone accumulated transiently in the medium. These metabolites were further analyzed by HPLC. These results indicated that phenol can be initially orto or para hydroxylated to produce cathecol or hydroquinone, respectively, followed by meta-cleavage of aromatic rings. To verify this information, the metabolites obtained from HPLC were submitted to LC/MS to confirm their chemical structure, thereby indicating that the recombinant strains utilize two different routes simultaneously, leading to different ring-fission substrates for the metabolism of phenol.