title: Biodegradation ability and catabolic genes of petroleum-degrading Sphingomonas koreensis strain ASU-06 isolated from Egyptian oily soil.
abstract: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are serious pollutants and health hazards. In this study, 15 PAHs-degrading bacteria were isolated from Egyptian oily soil. Among them, one Gram-negative strain (ASU-06) was selected and biodegradation ability and initial catabolic genes of petroleum compounds were investigated. Comparison of 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain ASU-06 to published sequences in GenBank database as well as phylogenetic analysis identified ASU-06 as Sphingomonas koreensis. Strain ASU-06 degraded 100, 99, 98, and 92.7% of 100 mg/L naphthalene, phenanthrene, anthracene, and pyrene within 15 days, respectively. When these PAHs present in a mixed form, the enhancement phenomenon appeared, particularly in the degradation of pyrene, whereas the degradation rate was 98.6% within the period. This is the first report showing the degradation of different PAHs by this species. PCR experiments with specific primers for catabolic genes alkB, alkB1, nahAc, C12O, and C23O suggested that ASU-06 might possess genes for aliphatic and PAHs degradation, while PAH-RHDαGP gene was not detected. Production of biosurfactants and increasing cell-surface hydrophobicity were investigated. GC/MS analysis of intermediate metabolites of studied PAHs concluded that this strain utilized these compounds via two main pathways, and phthalate was the major constant product that appeared in each day of the degradation period.
authors.affiliation: Genetics Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University, Assiut 71516, Egypt ; Biology Department, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 61321, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abd El-Latif
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4410-2001
authors.initials: Ael-L
authors.lastname: Hesham
authors.affiliation: Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Assiut 71516, Egypt.
authors.forename: Asmaa M M
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2485-8725
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mawad
authors.affiliation: Egyptian Petroleum Research Institute, Nasr City, Cairo 11727, Egypt.
authors.forename: Yasser M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Mostafa
authors.affiliation: Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Assiut 71516, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shoreit
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D004534:Egypt; D008660:Metabolism; D010578:Petroleum / Q000382:microbiology*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000378:metabolism*; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity; D020578:Sphingomonas / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D010578:Petroleum; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D012989:Soil Pollutants