Morphological adaptation of Pseudomonas nautica strain 617 to growth on eicosane and modes of eicosane uptake

The transfer of Pseudomonas nautica 617 from a hydrophilic growth substrate (acetate) to a solid hydrocarbon substrate (eicosane) induced major morphological changes. The cell surface was covered by extracellular vesicles, and filamentous structures were observed. Adherence and emulsification were the two main modes of transfer of hydrocarbon to the cell surface. Growth on eicosane was associated with biosurfactant production.     

Effects of oxygen on Pseudomonas nautica growth on n-alkane with or without nitrate

The denitrifying marine bacterium, Pseudomonas nautica 617, can grow on lactate aerobically or anaerobically in presence of nitrate with generation times of 1.5 and 3 h respectively. The growth on heptadecane occurs only in presence of oxygen whatever its concentration with a genrration time of 8.5 h. The influence of oxygen, carbon sources (lactate or heptadecane) and nitrate was examined on O₂, NO₃ ^-, NO₂ ^- consumption, on nitrate and nitrite reductases activities, on cell yields, and on the ratio of CO₂ produced per unit of biomass. Pseudomonas nautica metabolizes hydrocarbons under denitrifying conditions in the presence of oxygen. Nitrate and nitrite are used during growth on lactate and heptadecane up to oxygen concentrations corresponding to 50 and 30% of air-saturation, respectively. When growth on n-alkane was not oxygen-limited (above 50% of air-saturation) the catabolism decreases in favour of carbon incorporation into the cell. Nitrate and nitrite reductases were strongly inhibited after 20% of airsaturation in the presence of lactate as growth substrate. With n-alkane, only the nitrate reductase activity was greatly reduced.     

Enhanced biodegradation of phenanthrene by a marine bacterium in presence of a synthetic surfactant

The biodegradation of phenanthrene by the marine strain Sphingomonas sp. 2MPII (DSMZ 11572) was enhanced by the solubilizating properties of the nonionic surfactant Tween 80. After 197 h of incubation, 85 +/- 4% of the initial amount of phenanthrene (0.4 g l-1) was biodegraded in presence of Tween 80 (0.5 g l-1) as opposed to 52 +/- 5% without this synthetic surfactant. These results confirm that the activity of the strain 2MPII is limited by the bioavailability of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) substrate in the aqueous phase. Tween 80 appears to be efficient in increasing the bioavailability of hydrophobic compounds such as PAHs.     

Degradation of phenanthrene,methylphenanthrenes and dibenzothiophene by a Sphingomonas strain 2mpII

Strain Sphingomonassp. (2MPII), isolated from marine sediment, was able to utilize phenanthrene (P) or 2-methylphenanthrene (2MP) as the sole carbon source. However, 9-methylphenanthrene (9MP) and dibenzothiophene (DBT) were weakly degraded. The degradation rates of 9MP and DBT increased in the presence of 2MP, whilst the degradation rate of 2MP increased in the presence of 9MP. However, the presence of DBT inhibited the degradation of 2MP. DBT sulfone, a DBT metabolite, was not assimilated by the bacteria and its presence also decreased the degradation rate of 2MP.     

Un cytochrome de type P450 dans le spadice d'arum

A cytochrome of the P₄₅₀ type has been shown to exist in the microsomal fraction derived from Arum spadices. It appears to be present in greater quantities than the cytochrome b₅. It is transformed, partially at least, into a pigment of type P₄₅₀ under the action of salts and detergents.     

Effect of a synthetic surfactant on phenanthrene and n-eicosane utilization by two pure marine strains grown separately in batch cultures with or without sand particles

The effect of Tween 80, a nonionic surfactant, on the extent of biodegradation of phenanthrene by Sphingomonas sp. 2MPII and n-eicosane by Corynebacterium sp. 8 was investigated. This surfactant was beneficial only for phenanthrene biodegradation, where it increased the extent of degradation from 54 to 74%. It appears to be used as carbon source by Corynebacterium sp. 8 but the extent of biodegradation decreases from 43 to 20%. In sand-containing cultures, the phenanthrene sorption observed only in the presence of Tween reduced the biodegradation extent to 35%. On the other hand, for n-eicosane, which remains in the aqueous phase, the biodegradation extent was markedly enhanced to 74%.     

Induction d'un cytochrome du type P450 et de péroxydase durant la survie du tubercule de pomme de terre

During the ageing of potato tubers, a labile cytochrome of the P₄₅₀ type appears, always accompanied by the presence of P₄₂₀-type pigment. This induction of P₄₅₀ coincides with an increase in peroxidase activity together with an increase in the amount of cytochrome b₅.