title: Isolation and characterization of Rhodococcus sp. strains TMP2 and T12 that degrade 2,6,10,14-tetramethylpentadecane (pristane) at moderately low temperatures.
abstract: Branched alkanes including 2,6,10,14-tetramethylpentadecane (pristane) are more resistant to biological degradation than straight-chain alkanes especially under low-temperature conditions, such as 10 degrees C. Two bacterial strains, TMP2 and T12, that are capable of degrading pristane at 10 degrees C were isolated and characterized. Both strains grew optimally at 30 degrees C and were identified as Rhodococcus sp. based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences. Strain T12 degraded comparable amounts of pristane in a range of temperatures from 10 to 30 degrees C and strain TMP2 degraded pristane similarly at 10 and 20 degrees C but did not degrade it at 30 degrees C. These data suggest that the strains have adapted their pristane degradation system to moderately low-temperature conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Material and Life Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Namio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kunihiro
authors.forename: Mitsuru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haruki
authors.forename: Kazufumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morikawa
authors.forename: Shigenori
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kanaya
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012240:Rhodococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013696:Temperature; D013729:Terpenes / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D013729:Terpenes; C009042:pristane