title: Molecular detection of catabolic genes for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the reed rhizosphere of Sunchon Bay.
abstract: This study focused on detecting catabolic genes for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) distributed in the reed rhizosphere of Sunchon Bay, Korea. These marsh and mud environments were severely affected by human activities, including agriculture and fisheries. Our previous study on microbial roles in natural decontamination displayed the possibility that PAH-degrading bacteria, such as Achromobacter sp., Alcaligenes sp., Burkholderia sp. and Pseudomonas sp. play an important decontamination role in a reed rhizosphere. In order to gain further fundamental knowledge on the natural decontamination process, catabolic genes for PAH metabolism were investigated through PCR amplification of dioxygenase genes using soil genomic DNA and sequencing. Comparative analysis of predicted amino acid sequences from 50 randomly selected dioxygenase clones capable of hydroxylating inactivated aromatic nuclei indicated that these were divided into three groups, two of which might be originated from PAH-degrading bacteria. Amino acid sequences of each dioxygenase clone were a part of the genes encoding enzymes for initial catabolism of naphthalene, phenanthrene, or pyrene that might be originated from bacteria in the reed rhizosphere of Sunchon Bay.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Education, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, Republic of Korea. kahng@sunchon.ac.kr
authors.forename: Hyung-Yeel
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Kahng
authors.forename: Kye-Heon
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Oh
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics*; D049308:Dioxygenases / Q000235:genetics; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D007723:Korea; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010802:Phylogeny; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000382:microbiology; D006109:Poaceae / Q000382:microbiology*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017385:Sequence Homology; D012988:Soil Microbiology
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D049308:Dioxygenases