Isolation and characterization of bacteria capable of degrading phenol and reducing nitrate under low-oxygen conditions.
Nitrate-reducing bacteria capable of degrading phenol were isolated from natural and contaminated environments under low-oxygen conditions with nitrate-containing media, using phenol as a sole carbon and energy source. A total of 27 bacteria able to degrade phenol and reduce nitrate under low-oxygen conditions were isolated from all of the inoculum samples, regardless of previous phenol contamination. For all of these bacteria, oxygen was an essential requirement for phenol degradation. Nitrate reduction by 19 of the strains was insensitive to 10 mM sodium azide, and these strains were placed into the alpha- and beta-subclasses of Proteobacteria and two were Gram-positive bacteria. To date, the order of Rhizobiales has hardly been reported to have an ability to degrade aromatic compounds. Interestingly, our study showed that all isolates that were placed into the alpha-subclass of Proteobacteria are in the order of Rhizobiales. Furthermore, the genus Agrobacterium was isolated from most inoculum samples and one genus of Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus, was also isolated. In the case of the remaining eight strains, nitrate reduction was inhibited by 10 mM sodium azide. Of these strains, seven were placed into the gamma-subclass of Proteobacteria.
Baek
Seung-Hun
SH
Department of Biological Sciences, Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 373-1 Kusong-Dong, Yusong-Gu, Taejon 305-701, Republic of Korea.
Kim
Kyoung-Ho
KH
Yin
Cheng-Ri
CR
Jeon
Che Ok
CO
Im
Wan-Taek
WT
Kim
Kwang-Kyu
KK
Lee
Sung-Taik
ST
D020561:Alphaproteobacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D020562:Betaproteobacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned / Q000737:chemistry; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D020563:Gammaproteobacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009566:Nitrates / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D019800:Phenol / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012231:Rhizobium / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D019810:Sodium Azide / Q000494:pharmacology; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism
D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009566:Nitrates; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D019800:Phenol; D019810:Sodium Azide