title: Degradation of 2-Chloroethylvinylether by Ancylobacter aquaticus AD25 and AD27.
abstract: Incubation of five different beta-chloroethers with slurries prepared from brackish water sediment or activated sludge revealed that bis(2-chloroethyl)ether and 2-chloroethylvinylether (2-CVE) were biodegradable under aerobic conditions. After enrichment, two different cultures of Ancylobacter aquaticus that are capable of growth on 2-CVE were isolated. Both cultures were also able to grow on 1,2-dichloroethane. The cells contained a haloalkane dehalogenase that dehalogenated 2-CVE, 2-chloroethylmethylether, 2-bromoethylethylether, and epichlorohydrin. Experiments with cell extracts indicated that an alcohol dehydrogenase and an aldehyde dehydrogenase were also involved in the degradation of 2-CVE. This suggests that 2-CVE is metabolized via 2-hydroxyethylvinylether and vinyloxyacetaldehyde to vinyloxyacetic acid. Enzymatic ether cleavage was not detected. 2-CVE was also degraded by chemical ether cleavage, leading to the formation of 2-chloroethanol and acetaldehyde, both of which supported growth. We propose that A. aquaticus strains may be important for the detoxification and degradation of halogenated aliphatic compounds in the environment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: van den Wijngaard
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prins
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Smal
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Janssen