Molecular and phenotypic characterization of Acinetobacter strains able to degrade diesel fuel.
Characterization of bacterial communities in oil-contaminated soils and evaluation of their degradation capacities may serve as a guide for improving remediation of such environments. Using physiological and molecular methods, the aim of this work was to characterize 17 Acinetobacter strains (13 species) able to use diesel fuel oil as sole carbon and energy source. The strains were first tested for their ability to grow on different alkanes on minimal medium containing high NaCl concentrations. The envelope hydrophobicity of each strain was assessed by microbial adhesion to the hydrocarbon test (MATH) when grown in LB medium or minimal medium containing succinate or diesel fuel. Most strains were hydrophobic both in LB and minimal medium, except for strain Acinetobacter venetianus VE-C3 that was hydrophobic only in minimal medium. Furthermore, two A. venetianus strains, RAG-1(T) and LUH 7437, and strain ATCC 17905 (genomic species 13BJ) displayed biosurfactant activity. The alkM gene encoding alkane hydroxylase was detected in the chromosome of the 15 strains by PCR amplification, sequencing and Southern blot analysis. Phenotype microarray analysis performed on the five A. venetianus strains revealed that they differentially used purines as N-source and confirmed that they are unable to use carbohydrates.
Laboratory of Microbial and Molecular Evolution, Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Florence, Via Romana 17-19, 50125 Florence, Italy.
Kostlend
K
Mara
Francesca
F
Decorosi
Carlo
C
Viti
Luciana
L
Giovannetti
Maria Cristiana
MC
Papaleo
Isabel
I
Maida
Elena
E
Perrin
Marco
M
Fondi
Mario
M
Vaneechoutte
Alexandr
A
Nemec
Maria
M
van den Barselaar
Lenie
L
Dijkshoorn
Renato
R
Fani
D000150:Acinetobacter / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000737:chemistry; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D042926:Cytochrome P-450 CYP4A / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005742:Gasoline / Q000382:microbiology*; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000378:metabolism
D003470:Culture Media; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D005742:Gasoline; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D002244:Carbon; D042926:Cytochrome P-450 CYP4A