Conjugal transfer of plasmid pNB2 to activated sludge bacteria leads to 3-chloroaniline degradation in enrichment cultures.
OBJECTIVE
The involvement of the aniline-degradative plasmid pNB2 in degradation of 3-chloroaniline (3-CA) was investigated.


RESULTS
Plate matings of a Pseudomonas putida strain containing pNB2 with a mixed bacterial culture derived from activated sludge was carried out. After inoculation of the mating mixtures into batch cultures containing 3-CA, degradation of the compound was observed. A total of five different transconjugant strains could be isolated from one of the batch cultures and two of them were able to degrade 3-CA. These two isolates were identified as Comamonas testosteroni by partial 16S rDNA sequencing.


CONCLUSIONS
It can be assumed that pNB2 carries a part of the genes involved in the catabolism of 3-CA, but that completion of the pathway must be provided by chromosomal genes in the host strain.


CONCLUSIONS
pNB2 is a candidate plasmid which can be used in plasmid-mediated bioaugmentation of wastewater bacteria involved in degradation of chlorinated anilines.
Bathe
S
S
Institute of Water Quality Control and Waste Management, Technical University of Munich, Am Coulombwall, Garching, Germany. stephan.bathe@bv.tum.de
D000814:Aniline Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D020604:Comamonas testosteroni / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D020459:Genes, rRNA / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D010957:Plasmids; D016958:Pseudomonas putida / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology*
D000814:Aniline Compounds; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012722:Sewage; C031392:3-chloroaniline