Diversity of hydrocarbon-degrading Klebsiella strains isolated from hydrocarbon-contaminated estuaries.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the diversity and the catabolic capacity of oil-degrading Klebsiella strains isolated from hydrocarbon-contaminated sediments in Santos-São Vicente estuary systems in Brazil.


RESULTS
Klebsiella strains obtained from the estuary were characterized using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and BOX-PCR patterns, testing their catabolic capacity to degrade toluene, xylene, naphthalene and nonane, and identifying the catabolic genes present in the oil-degrading strains. Results show that Klebsiella strains were widespread in the estuary. Twenty-one isolates from the Klebsiella genus were obtained; 14 had unique BOX patterns and were further investigated. Among four distinct catabolic genes tested (todC1, ndoB, xylE and alkB1), only the todC1 gene could be amplified in two Klebsiella strains. The biodegradation assay showed that most of the strains had the ability to degrade all of the tested hydrocarbons; however, the strains displayed different efficiencies.


CONCLUSIONS
The oil-degrading Klebsiella isolates obtained from the estuary were closely related to Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella ornithinolytica. The isolates demonstrated a substantial degree of catabolic plasticity for hydrocarbon degradation.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study show that several strains from the Klebsiella genus are able to degrade diverse hydrocarbon compounds. These findings indicate that Klebsiella spp. can be an important part of the oil-degrading microbial community in estuarine areas exposed to sewage.
Rodrigues
D F
DF
Environmental Engineering Department, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8286, USA. debora.rodrigues@yale.edu
Sakata
S K
SK
Comasseto
J V
JV
Bícego
M C
MC
Pellizari
V H
VH
D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001938:Brazil; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000378:metabolism*; D007709:Klebsiella / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D045483:Rivers / Q000382:microbiology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D014050:Toluene / Q000378:metabolism; D014992:Xylenes / Q000378:metabolism
D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D009281:Naphthalenes; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014992:Xylenes; C031721:naphthalene; D014050:Toluene