title: Aerobic biotransformation of decalin (decahydronaphthalene) by Rhodococcus spp.
abstract: Mixed bacterial cultures aerobically transformed decalin (decahydronaphthalene) dissolved in an immiscible carrier phase (heptamethylnonane; HMN) in liquid medium. Conversion was enhanced in the presence of decane, a readily degraded n-alkane, and/or HMN. Four Rhodococcus spp. isolates purified from one of the mixed cultures were active against decalin in the presence of n-decane, but their ability to use decalin as a sole carbon source for growth could not be sustained. Isolate Iso 1a oxidized decalin under co-metabolic conditions with decane vapours as the primary carbon source. Mass spectrometry and comparison to authentic standards showed that the oxidized products of decalin biotransformation were 2-decahydronaphthol and 2-decalone. Some evidence of ring-opening was obtained, but the possible ring-opened product was not definitively identified. These results are consistent with co-metabolic oxidation of decalin by enzymes active toward n-alkanes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G6, Canada.
authors.forename: Kathlyn M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kirkwood
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chernik
authors.forename: Julia M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Foght
authors.forename: Murray R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Gray
mesh_terms: D000332:Aerobiosis; D000473:Alkanes; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001711:Biotransformation; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010578:Petroleum / Q000378:metabolism; D012240:Rhodococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012996:Solutions; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D000473:Alkanes; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D009281:Naphthalenes; D010578:Petroleum; D012996:Solutions; C007229:decalin; C059167:2,2,4,4,6,8,8-heptamethylnonane