The genome of Polaromonas sp. strain JS666: insights into the evolution of a hydrocarbon- and xenobiotic-degrading bacterium, and features of relevance to biotechnology.
Polaromonas sp. strain JS666 can grow on cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cDCE) as a sole carbon and energy source and may be useful for bioremediation of chlorinated solvent-contaminated sites. Analysis of the genome sequence of JS666 (5.9 Mb) shows a bacterium well adapted to pollution that carries many genes likely to be involved in hydrocarbon and xenobiotic catabolism and metal resistance. Clusters of genes coding for haloalkane, haloalkanoate, n-alkane, alicyclic acid, cyclic alcohol, and aromatic catabolism were analyzed in detail, and growth on acetate, catechol, chloroacetate, cyclohexane carboxylate, cyclohexanol, ferulate, heptane, 3-hydroxybenzoate, hydroxyquinol, gentisate, octane, protocatechuate, and salicylate was confirmed experimentally. Strain JS666 also harbors diverse putative mobile genetic elements, including retrons, inteins, a miniature inverted-repeat transposable element, insertion sequence transposases from 14 families, eight genomic islands, a Mu family bacteriophage, and two large (338- and 360-kb) plasmids. Both plasmids are likely to be self-transferable and carry genes for alkane, alcohol, aromatic, and haloacid metabolism. Overall, the JS666 genome sequence provides insights into the evolution of pollutant-degrading bacteria and provides a toolbox of catabolic genes with utility for biotechnology.
Mattes
Timothy E
TE
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 4105 Seamans Center, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA. tim-mattes@uiowa.edu
Alexander
Anne K
AK
Richardson
Paul M
PM
Munk
A Christine
AC
Han
Cliff S
CS
Stothard
Paul
P
Coleman
Nicholas V
NV
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D042621:Comamonadaceae / Q000235:genetics*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D004798:Enzymes / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000378:metabolism; D020071:Interspersed Repetitive Sequences; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D015262:Xenobiotics / Q000378:metabolism
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004798:Enzymes; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D015262:Xenobiotics