Successful phytoremediation of crude-oil contaminated soil at an oil exploration and production company by plants-bacterial synergism

Phytoremediation is a promising approach for the cleanup of soil contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons. This study aimed to develop plant-bacterial synergism for the successful remediation of crude oil-contaminated soil. A consortia of three endophytic bacteria was augmented to two grasses, Leptochloa fusca and Brachiaria mutica, grown in oil-contaminated soil (46.8 g oil kg^?1 soil) in the vicinity of an oil exploration and production company. Endophytes augmentation improved plant growth, crude oil degradation, and soil health. Maximum oil degradation (80%) was achieved with B. mutica plants augmented with the endophytes and it was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than the use of plants or bacteria individually. Moreover, endophytes showed more persistence, the abundance and expression of alkB gene in the rhizosphere as well as in the endosphere of the tested plants than in unvegetated soil. A positive relationship (r = 0.70) observed between gene expression and crude oil reduction indicates that catabolic gene expression is important for hydrocarbon mineralization. This investigation showed that the use of endophytes with appropriate plant is an effective strategy for the cleanup of oil-contaminated soil under field conditions.     

高效柴油降解菌Acinetobacter sp.W3分离鉴定及降解酶基因扩增分析

从柴油污染的海水样品中分离高效柴油降解细菌,分析菌株对柴油的降解能力及降解酶基因,为海洋柴油污染的生物修复奠定基础。选取浙江定海港柴油污染的海水样品,进行降解菌的富集培养;采用常规方法分离筛选高效柴油降解菌。利用革兰氏染色、形态学观察、生理生化鉴定及16S rDNA分析等方法对降解菌株进行种属鉴定。采用紫外吸收法测定菌株对柴油的降解率。采用PCR方法、核酸序列测定和比对,对其降解酶基因进行扩增分析。筛选出一株高效降解菌,形态学观察及生理生化鉴定初步确定为不动杆菌。16S rDNA序列分析及比对结果表明,其16S rDNA序列与威尼斯不动杆菌(Acinetobacter venetianus)属的序列同源性达到99.7%,命名为不动杆菌W3(Acinetobactersp.W3),该菌对柴油的7 d降解率达到84.7%。PCR方法从Acinetobactersp.W3菌株中的基因组DNA和质粒DNA上扩增到了大小为540 bp的烷烃羟化酶基因alkB和864 bp的CYP153A部分DNA片段,分别与Acinetobacter venetianus1-D-2的alkB和Acinetobactersp.OC4、Acinetobactersp.EB104的CYP153具有99%和98%的同源性。从定海港口柴油污染海水分离得到一株高效柴油降解菌Acinetobactersp.W3,该菌属于不动杆菌属,含有烷烃降解酶基因,能高效降解柴油污染物,有望应用于海水柴油污染的生物修复。     

Identification of different alkane hydroxylase systems in Rhodococcus ruber strain SP2B,an hexane‐degrading actinomycete

Aims: To investigate the alkane‐hydroxylating system of isolate SP2B, closely related to Rhodococcus ruber DSM 43338^T and uncharacterized so far for its alkane degradation genes. Methods and Results: Although isolate SP2B and reference strain can grow on by‐products from hexane degradation, the type strain R. ruber was unable, unlike SP2B isolate, to use short‐chain alkanes, as assessed by gas chromatography. Using PCR with specific or degenerated primers, inverse PCR and Southern blot, two alkane hydroxylase encoding genes (alkB) were detected in both bacteria, which is in agreement with their alkane range. The first AlkB was related to Rhodococcus AlkB7 enzymes and contains a nonbulky residue at a specific position, suggesting it might be involved in medium‐ and long‐chain alkane oxidation. The second partial alkB gene potentially belongs to alkB5‐type, which was found in bacteria unable to use hexane. Moreover, a partial P450 cytochrome alkane hydroxylase, thought to be responsible for the hexane degradation, was detected only in the isolated strain. Conclusions: Rhodococcus ruber SP2B should prove to be a promising candidate for bioremediation studies of contaminated sites because of its large degradation range of alkanes. Significance and Impact of the Study: This is the first thorough study on R.ruber alkane degradation systems.     

Isolation of Gram-positive n-alkane degraders from a hydrocarbon-contaminated Mediterranean shoreline

Aims:  To investigate the petroleum hydrocarbon (HC)-degrading potential of indigenous micro-organisms in a sandy Mediterranean coast, accidentally contaminated with petroleum-derived HCs.
Methods and Results:  Using culturable methods, a population of Gram-positive n -alkane degraders was detected in the contaminated soil. Five isolates, identified as one Nocardia , two Rhodococcus and two Gordonia strains, were able to degrade medium- and long-chain n -alkanes up to C₃₆ as assessed by growth assays and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Diverging alkane hydroxylase-encoding genes ( alkB ) were detected by PCR, using degenerated primers, in all the strains; multiple sequences were obtained from the Nocardia strain, while only one alkB gene was detected in the Rhodococcus and Gordonia strains. The majority of the alkB sequences were related to Rhodococcus alkB2 , but none was identical to it.
Conclusions:  Actinomycetes might have a key role in bioremediation of n -alkane-contaminated sites under dry, resource-limited conditions, such as those found in the Mediterranean shorelines.
Significance and Impact of the Study:  To our knowledge, this is the first study on the bioremediation potential in Mediterranean contaminated beaches.     

Assessing the role of alkane hydroxylase genotypes in environmental samples by competitive PCR

AIMS: A molecular tool for extensive detection of prokaryotic alkane hydroxylase genes (alkB) was developed. AlkB genotypes involved in the degradation of short-chain alkanes were quantified in environmental samples in order to assess their occurrence and ecological importance. METHODS AND RESULTS: Four primer pairs specific for distinct clusters of alkane hydroxylase genes were designed, allowing amplification of alkB-related genes from all tested alkane-degrading strains and from six of seven microcosms. For the primer pair detecting alkB genes related to the Pseudomonas putida GPo1 alkB gene and the one targeting alkB genes of Gram-positive strains, both involved in short-chain alkane degradation (alkB-containing strains. AlkB genes of the two groups were then quantified in hydrocarbon-contaminated and pristine freshwater and soil samples, and their respective frequency was compared to degradation rates of short-chain n-alkanes. Pseudomonas putida-related alkB genes were prevalent in freshwater samples, but Gram-positive alkB-containing strains were more consistently related to alkane degradation activities. The latter genotype was more abundant in soils, although both genotypes increased in the most contaminated soils studied. CONCLUSIONS: Predominance of alkB genotypes depends on the ecosystem and environmental conditions, but alkane exposure generally leads to an increase of both studied genotypes. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The study illustrates the distribution of two different alkB genotypes in two types of ecosystems, and highlights their respective roles in the environment.     

Degradation of isooctane by Mycobacterium austroafricanum IFP 2173: growth and catabolic pathway

AIMS: Isooctane (2,2,4-trimethylpentane), a major component of gasoline formulations, is recalcitrant to biodegradation probably because of the quaternary carbon group it contains. Information on the biodegradability of this hydrocarbon is essential to evaluate its fate in the environment. For these reasons, the degradation kinetics and the catabolic pathway of isooctane were investigated in Mycobacterium austroafricanum IFP 2173, the only strain characterized to use it as sole carbon and energy source. METHODS AND RESULTS: The selected strain exhibited a rather moderate maximum growth rate (micromax = 0.053 h(-1)) but degraded isooctane up to 99% with a mineralization yield of 45%, indicating attack of the quaternary carbon group. The GC/MS identification of metabolites, 2,4,4-trimethylpentanoic and dimethylpropanoic (pivalic) acids, which transiently accumulated in the cultures indicated that degradation started from the isopropyl extremity of the molecule and subsequently proceeded by catabolism of the tert-butyl moiety. The degradation of putative metabolic intermediates was investigated. The initial isooctane oxidation system was tentatively characterized. CONCLUSIONS: The isooctane-degrading strain harboured two candidate systems for initial alkane oxidation. Although a cytochrome P450 was induced by isooctane degradation, the functional oxidation system was probably a nonheme alkane monooxygenase as indicated by PCR amplification and RT-PCR expression of an alkB gene. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Isooctane is a recalcitrant branched alkane. A plausible pathway of its degradation by Myco. austroafricanum was put forward.     

一株不动杆菌降解石油烃的特性及关键烷烃降解基因分析

【背景】Acinetobacter sp. Tust-DM21 (GenBank登录号KX390866)是本实验室前期从渤海湾海洋石油勘探船废油收集区采集的水油混合样中分离出的一株高效石油降解菌,其对短、中、长链烷烃均表现出很强的降解能力,有较好的应用前景。【目的】从应用层面探究其最佳降解条件,同时从生物信息层面探究其降解基因的作用。【方法】将其在不同温度、pH下培养144h,通过GC-MS内标法测定石油烃各组分的变化情况,计算出其最佳降解条件;同时,通过生物信息学手段确定基因组中的降解基因,每个基因分别选择7个同源基因,对它们的蛋白序列进行比较;最后对2个降解基因在0-144 h的表达情况进行了Real-time PCR分析。【结果】Acinetobacter sp. Tust-DM21最佳降解条件为35°C、pH 8.5,该条件下对石油降解率可达97.5%,其中,对长链烷烃降解率达98.5%,对环烃为81%,对芳香烃为87%;同时,研究发现基因组中含有常见烷烃降解基因alk B(GenBank登录号MH368539)和长链烷烃降解基因alm A (GenBank登录号MH357335),2个降解基因的蛋白经比较均与其同源蛋白表现出一定的相似性,同属菌的相似性最高;通过Real-timePCR发现这2个基因在0-144 h的相对表达量随时间逐步提高。【结论】Acinetobacter sp. Tust-DM21在最佳降解条件下对石油各组分都显示出了优良的降解能力,特别对长链烷烃的降解能力尤为突出;将2个降解基因的相对表达量结合该时间段的生长趋势,证明了菌株Acinetobacter sp. Tust-DM21的生长和降解与alk B和alm A基因的上调表达存在关联。