title: Aerobic biodegradation of hopanes and other biomarkers by crude oil-degrading enrichment cultures.
abstract: The degradation of petroleum biomarkers was examined using mixed cultures of microorganisms enriched from surface soils at four different hydrocarbon-contaminated sites. These cultures degraded C30 17alpha(H),21beta(H)-hopane and the C31-C34 extended hopanes in Bonny Light crude oil after 21 days of incubation at 30 degrees C. The C35 extended hopanes were conserved, and no 25-norhopanes were detected during the incubation. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of the enrichment cultures demonstrated distinct microbial community profiles. Additional studies with the LC culture demonstrated a consistent biomarker degradation pattern after growth on three crude oils: a Nigerian Bonny Light crude, a Venezuelan crude oil, and Alaskan North Slope 521. The onset of biomarker degradation was observed between days 14 and 21 but only at 30 degrees C and at oil concentrations below 6 mg/mL. The biomarker profiles following degradation by these enrichment cultures are similar to numerous field observations and may represent the dominant biodegradation pattern found in many hydrocarbon-contaminated aerobic surface environments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston 29412, USA.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Frontera-Suau
authors.forename: F Daniel
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Bost
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: Pamela J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Morris
mesh_terms: D001420:Bacteria, Aerobic / Q000502:physiology; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D010578:Petroleum / Q000378:metabolism*; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D010578:Petroleum; D014315:Triterpenes; C025206:hopane