title: Isolation and characterization of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa from a virgin Brazilian Amazon region with potential to degrade atrazine.
abstract: The use of pesticides to increase agricultural production can result in the contamination of the environment, causing changes in the genetic structure of organisms and in the loss of biodiversity. This practice is also inducing changes in the rainforest ecosystem. In this work, a Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from a preservation soil area of the Brazilian Amazon Forest, without usage of any pesticide, was evaluated for its potential to degrade atrazine. This isolate presented all responsible genes (atzA, atzB, atzC, atzD, atzE, and atzF) for atrazine mineralization and demonstrated capacity to use atrazine as a nitrogen source, having achieved a reduction of 44 % of the initial concentration of atrazine after 24 h. These results confirm gene dispersion and/or a possible contamination of the area with the herbicide, which reinforces global concern of the increase and intensive use of pesticides worldwide.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Toxicológicas e Bromatológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, USP-Ribeirão Preto, Av. do Café S/N. Monte Alegre, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil, 14040-903.
authors.forename: Ana Flavia Tonelli
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Michelle Barbosa Partata
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Vinicius Vicente
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Carlos Eduardo Saraiva
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.forename: Eliana Guedes
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Stehling
mesh_terms: D001280:Atrazine / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001938:Brazil; D017753:Ecosystem; D006540:Herbicides / Q000378:metabolism*; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000378:metabolism; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006540:Herbicides; D001280:Atrazine