Comparative analysis of phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of two desulfurizing bacterial strains, Mycobacterium phlei SM120-1 and Mycobacterium phlei GTIS10.
OBJECTIVE
To compare few phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of two desulfurizing bacterial strains, Mycobacterium phlei SM120-1 and Mycobacterium phlei GTIS10.


RESULTS
In the present study, dibenzothiophene (DBT) desulfurizing activity, composition of fatty acids of cell membranes, DBT sulfone monoxygenase gene (bdsA) and the selection pressure applied during the growth and enrichment of the bacterial strains M. phlei SM120-1 and M. phlei GTIS10 were compared in our laboratory. The DBT desulfurization activity of M. phlei SM120-1 was found to be 0.17 +/- 0.02 micromol 2-HBP min(-1) (gram dry cell weight)(-1) and that of the bacterial strain M. phlei GTIS10 was 1.09 +/- 0.05 micromol 2-HBP min(-1) (gram dry cell weight)(-1). Fatty acid methyl ester analysis of cell membranes of these two bacterial strains in the presence of light gas oil showed that both the strains had different fatty acid profiles in their cell membranes. Comparison of the full gene sequences of the desulfurization gene bdsA in the two bacterial strains showed significant difference in the bdsA gene sequences. There was a significant difference observed in the selection pressure applied during the growth and enrichment of the two bacterial strains.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the comparative study of the bacterial strains, M. phlei SM120-1 and M. phlei GTIS10 showed that there were considerable differences in the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of these two strains.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study would broaden the understanding of biodesulfurization trait at intra-species level.
Srinivasaraghavan
K
K
Center of Bioresources and Biotechnology, TERI school of Advanced Studies, New Delhi, India.
Sarma
P M
PM
Lal
B
B
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009168:Mycobacterium phlei / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D010105:Oxygenases / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000378:metabolism
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D005227:Fatty Acids; D013876:Thiophenes; D010105:Oxygenases; C421210:dibenzothiophene sulfone monooxygenase; C016366:dibenzothiophene