title: Isolation of a Xanthobacter sp. degrading dichloromethane and characterization of the gene involved in the degradation.
abstract: A bacterial strain able to degrade dichloromethane (DCM) as the sole carbon source was isolated from a wastewater treatment plant receiving domestic and pharmaceutical effluent. 16S rDNA studies revealed the strain to be a Xanthobacter sp. (strain TM1). The new isolated strain when grown aerobically on DCM showed Luong type growth kinetics, with 1(max) of 0.094 h(-1) and S (m) of 1,435 mg l(-1). Strain TM1 was able to degrade other aromatic and aliphatic halogenated compounds, such as halobenzoates, 2-chloroethanol and dichloroethane. The gene for DCM dehalogenase, which is the key enzyme in DCM degradation, was amplified through PCR reactions. Strain TM1 contains type A DCM dehalogenase (dcmAa), while no product could be obtained for type B dehalogense (dcmAb). The sequence was compared against 12 dcmAa from other DCM degrading strains and 98% or 99% similarity was observed with all other previously isolated DCM dehalogenase genes. This is the first time a Xanthobacter sp. is reported to degrade DCM.
authors.affiliation: Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Maria A E
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Emanuelsson
authors.forename: M Begoña
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Osuna
authors.forename: Ruben M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Ferreira Jorge
authors.forename: Paula M L
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Castro
mesh_terms: D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008752:Methylene Chloride / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*; D020584:Xanthobacter / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008752:Methylene Chloride