Factors limiting aliphatic chlorocarbon degradation by Nitrosomonas europaea: Cometabolic inactivation of ammonia monooxygenase and substrate specificity

Journal Article · Tue Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States)

OSTI ID:6003453

Rasche, M E; Hyman, M R; Arp, D J ^[1]

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1. Oregon State Univ., Corvallis (United States)

The soil nitrifying bacterium Nitrosomonas europaea is capable of degrading trichloroethylene (TCE) and other halogenated hydrocarbons. TCE cometabolism by N. europaea resulted in an irreversible loss of TCE biodegradative capacity, ammonia-oxidizing activity, and ammonia-dependent O{sub 2} uptake by the cells. Inactivation was not observed in the presence of allylthiourea, a specific inhibitor of enzyme ammonia monooxygenase, or under anaerobic conditions, indicating that the TCE-mediated inactivation required ammonia monooxygenase activity. When N. europaea cells were incubated with ({sup 14}C)TCE under conditions which allowed turnover of ammonia monooxygenase, a number of cellular proteins were covalently labeled with {sup 14}C. Treatment of cells with allylthiourea or acetylene prior to incubation with ({sup 14}C)TCE prevented incorporation of {sup 14}C into proteins. The ammonia-oxidizing activity of cells inactivated in the presence of TCE could be recovered through a process requiring de novo protein synthesis. In addition to TCE, a series of chlorinated methanes, ethanes, and other ethylenes were screened as substrates for ammonia monooxygenase and for their ability to inactivate the ammonia-oxidizing system of N. europaea. The chlorocarbons would be divided into three classes depending on their biodegradability and inactivating potential: (1) compounds which were not biodegradable by N. europaea and which had no toxic effect on the cells (2) compounds which were cooxidized by N. europaea and had little or no toxic effect on the cells; and (3) compounds which were cooxidized and produced a turnover-dependent inactivation of ammonia oxidation by N. europaea.

• OSTI ID: 6003453
• Journal Information: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; (United States), Vol. 57:10; ISSN 0099-2240
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
BIODEGRADATION
TOXICITY
AMMONIA
BACTERIA
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
ENZYME INHIBITORS
INACTIVATION
METABOLISM
OXYGENASES
SUBSTRATES
TRACER TECHNIQUES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
ENZYMES
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MICROORGANISMS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDOREDUCTASES
PROTEINS
540220* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology