title: Improvement of bioremediation by Pseudomonas and Burkholderia by mutants of the Vitreoscilla hemoglobin gene (vgb) integrated into their chromosomes.
abstract: Using genetic engineering, the Vitreoscilla (bacterial) hemoglobin gene (vgb) was integrated stably into the chromosomes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia sp. strain DNT. This was done for both wild type vgb and two site-directed mutants of vgb that produce Vitreoscilla hemoglobin (VHb) with lowered oxygen affinities; in all cases functional VHb was expressed. Similar to previous results, the wild type VHb improved growth for both species and degradation of 2,4-dinitrotoluene (Burkholderia sp.) or benzoic acid (P. aeruginosa) under both normal and low aeration conditions. Both mutant vgbs enhanced these parameters compared to wild type vgb, and the improvement was seen in both species. The enhancements were generally greater at low aeration than at normal aeration. The results demonstrate the possibility that the positive effects provided by VHb may be augmented by protein engineering.
authors.affiliation: Biology Division, Department of Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Illinois Institute of Technology, IIT Center, Chicago, IL 60616, USA.
authors.forename: Yongsoon
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dale A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Webster
authors.forename: Benjamin C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Stark
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D019817:Benzoic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D019117:Burkholderia / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D004136:Dinitrobenzenes / Q000378:metabolism; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000379:methods; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009154:Mutation; D010100:Oxygen / Q000494:pharmacology; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D014170:Transformation, Genetic; D054793:Truncated Hemoglobins; D020589:Vitreoscilla / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004136:Dinitrobenzenes; D006454:Hemoglobins; D054793:Truncated Hemoglobins; C082613:hemoglobin protein, Vitreoscilla; C016403:2,4-dinitrotoluene; D019817:Benzoic Acid; D010100:Oxygen