title: Metabolism of the herbicide atrazine by Rhodococcus strains.
abstract: Rhodococcus strains were screened for their ability to degrade the herbicide atrazine. Only rhodococci that degrade the herbicide EPTC (s-ethyl-dipropylthiocarbamate) metabolized atrazine. Rhodococcus strain TE1 metabolized atrazine under aerobic conditions to produce deethyl- and deisopropylatrazine, which were not degraded further and which accumulated in the incubation medium. The bacterium also metabolized the other s-triazine herbicides propazine, simazine, and cyanazine. The N dealkylation of triazine herbicides by Rhodococcus strain TE1 was associated with a 77-kb plasmid previously shown to be required for EPTC degradation.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Land and Biological Resources Research, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Behki
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Topp
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dick
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Germon
mesh_terms: D001280:Atrazine / Q000378:metabolism*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D010957:Plasmids; D012240:Rhodococcus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D001280:Atrazine