skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Biodegradation of variable-chain-length alkanes at low temperatures by a psychrotrophic Rhodococcus sp.

Abstract

The psychrotroph Rhodococcus sp. strain Q15 was examined for its ability to degrade individual n-alkanes and diesel fuel at low temperatures, and its alkane catabolic pathway was investigated by biochemical and genetic techniques. At 0 and 5 C, Q15 mineralized the short-chain alkanes dodecane and hexadecane to a greater extent than that observed for the long-chain alkanes octacosane and dotriacontane. Q15 utilized a broad range of aliphatics (C{sub 10} to C{sub 21} alkanes, branched alkanes, and a substituted cyclohexane) present in diesel fuel at 5 C. Mineralization of hexadecane at 5 C was significantly greater in both hydrocarbon-contaminated and pristine soil microcosms seeded with Q15 cells than in uninoculated control soil microcosms. The detection of hexadecane and dodecane metabolic intermediates (1-hexadecanol and 2-hexadecanol and 1-do-decanol and 2-dodecanone, respectively) by solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and the utilization of potential metabolic intermediates indicated that Q15 oxidizes alkanes by both the terminal oxidation pathway and the subterminal oxidation pathway. Genetic characterization by PCR and nucleotide sequence analysis indicated that Q15 possesses an aliphatic aldehyde dehydrogenase gene highly homologous to the Rhodococcus erythropolis thcA gene. Rhodococcus sp. strain Q15 possessed two large plasmids of approximately 90 and 115 kb (shown to mediate Cd resistance)more » which were not required for alkane mineralization, although the 90-kb plasmid enhanced mineralization of some alkanes and growth on diesel oil at both 5 and 25 C.« less

Authors:
; ; ; ;  [1];  [2]
  1. NRC-Biotechnology Research Inst., Montreal, Quebec (Canada)
  2. Univ. of Waterloo, Ontario (Canada). Dept. of Biology
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
642326
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Applied and Environmental Microbiology
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 64; Journal Issue: 7; Other Information: PBD: Jul 1998
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; BIODEGRADATION; REMEDIAL ACTION; ALKANES; DIESEL FUELS; RHODOCOCCUS; SOILS

Citation Formats

Whyte, L G, Hawari, J, Zhou, E, Bourbonniere, L, Greer, C W, and Inniss, W E. Biodegradation of variable-chain-length alkanes at low temperatures by a psychrotrophic Rhodococcus sp.. United States: N. p., 1998. Web.
Whyte, L G, Hawari, J, Zhou, E, Bourbonniere, L, Greer, C W, & Inniss, W E. Biodegradation of variable-chain-length alkanes at low temperatures by a psychrotrophic Rhodococcus sp.. United States.
Whyte, L G, Hawari, J, Zhou, E, Bourbonniere, L, Greer, C W, and Inniss, W E. 1998. "Biodegradation of variable-chain-length alkanes at low temperatures by a psychrotrophic Rhodococcus sp.". United States.
@article{osti_642326,
title = {Biodegradation of variable-chain-length alkanes at low temperatures by a psychrotrophic Rhodococcus sp.},
author = {Whyte, L G and Hawari, J and Zhou, E and Bourbonniere, L and Greer, C W and Inniss, W E},
abstractNote = {The psychrotroph Rhodococcus sp. strain Q15 was examined for its ability to degrade individual n-alkanes and diesel fuel at low temperatures, and its alkane catabolic pathway was investigated by biochemical and genetic techniques. At 0 and 5 C, Q15 mineralized the short-chain alkanes dodecane and hexadecane to a greater extent than that observed for the long-chain alkanes octacosane and dotriacontane. Q15 utilized a broad range of aliphatics (C{sub 10} to C{sub 21} alkanes, branched alkanes, and a substituted cyclohexane) present in diesel fuel at 5 C. Mineralization of hexadecane at 5 C was significantly greater in both hydrocarbon-contaminated and pristine soil microcosms seeded with Q15 cells than in uninoculated control soil microcosms. The detection of hexadecane and dodecane metabolic intermediates (1-hexadecanol and 2-hexadecanol and 1-do-decanol and 2-dodecanone, respectively) by solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and the utilization of potential metabolic intermediates indicated that Q15 oxidizes alkanes by both the terminal oxidation pathway and the subterminal oxidation pathway. Genetic characterization by PCR and nucleotide sequence analysis indicated that Q15 possesses an aliphatic aldehyde dehydrogenase gene highly homologous to the Rhodococcus erythropolis thcA gene. Rhodococcus sp. strain Q15 possessed two large plasmids of approximately 90 and 115 kb (shown to mediate Cd resistance) which were not required for alkane mineralization, although the 90-kb plasmid enhanced mineralization of some alkanes and growth on diesel oil at both 5 and 25 C.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/642326}, journal = {Applied and Environmental Microbiology},
number = 7,
volume = 64,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1998},
month = {Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1998}
}