Plasmid-encoded genes specifying aniline oxidation from Acinetobacter sp. strain YAA

γ-Glutamylation of Isopropylamine by Fermentation

Glutamylation yields N-functionalized amino acids in several natural pathways. γ-Glutamylated amino acids may exhibit improved properties for their industrial application, e. g., as taste enhancers or in peptide drugs. γ-Glutamyl-isopropylamide (GIPA) can be synthesized from isopropylamine (IPA) and l-glutamate. In Pseudomonas sp. strain KIE171, GIPA is an intermediate in the biosynthesis of l-alaninol (2-amino-1-propanol), a precursor of the fluorochinolone antibiotic levofloxacin and of the chloroacetanilide herbicide metolachlor. In this study, fermentative production of GIPA with metabolically engineered Pseudomonas putida KT2440 using γ-glutamylmethylamide synthetase (GMAS) from Methylorubrum extorquens was established. Upon addition of IPA during growth with glycerol as carbon source in shake flasks, the recombinant strain produced up to 21.8 mM GIPA. In fed-batch bioreactor cultivations, GIPA accumulated to a titer of 11 g L-1 with a product yield of 0.11 g g-1 glycerol and a volumetric productivity of 0.24 g L-1  h-1 . To the best of our knowledge, this is the first fermentative production of GIPA.

Unraveling the complexities of Cd-aniline composite pollution: Insights from standalone and joint toxicity assessments in a bacterial community

Cadmium (Cd) and aniline frequently co-occur in industrial settings but have rarely been addressed as composite toxicants in terms of the overall toxicity despite extensive knowledge of the environmental impact of each individual pollutant. In this study, we attempt to assess the relation of individual and combined toxic effects of Cd and aniline using a bacterial consortium cultured from soils as a model system. Results showed that the consortial bacteria exhibited drastically stronger tolerance to stand-alone Cd and aniline in comparison to literature data acquired from single species studies. When occurring simultaneously, the joint toxicity displayed a concentration-dependent behavior that wasn't anticipated based on individual chemical tests. Specifically, additive effects manifested with Cd and aniline at their IC10s, but changed to synergistic when the concentrations increased to IC20, and finally transitioned into antagonistic at IC30s and beyond. In addition, co-occurring aniline appeared to have retarded the cellular accumulation of Cd while increasing the enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase relative to that in Cd-alone treatments. Finally, the bacterial community experienced distinct compositional changes under solo and combined toxicities with several genera exhibiting inconsistent behavior between treatments of single and composite toxicants. Findings from this study highlight the complexity of bacterial response to composite pollutions and point to the need for more comprehensive references in risk and toxicology assessment at multi-chemical contamination sites.

Transcriptomic profiling reveals the molecular responses of Rhodococcus aetherivorans DMU1 to skatole stress

Skatole is a typical malodor compound in animal wastes. Several skatole-degrading bacterial strains have been obtained, whereas the molecular response of strains to skatole stress has not been well elucidated. Herein, the skatole degradation by a Gram-positive strain Rhodococcus aetherivorans DMU1 was investigated. Strain DMU1 showed high efficiency in skatole degradation under the conditions of 25-40 °C and pH 7.0-10.0. It could utilize various aromatics, including cresols, phenol, and methylindoles, as the sole carbon source for growth, implying its potential in the bioremediation application of animal wastes. Transcriptomic sequencing revealed that 328 genes were up-regulated and 640 genes were down-regulated in strain DMU1 when grown in the skatole-containing medium. Skatole increased the gene expression levels of antioxidant defense systems and heat shock proteins. The expression of ribosome-related genes was significantly inhibited which implied the growth inhibition of skatole. A rich set of oxidoreductases were changed, and a novel gene cluster containing the flavoprotein monooxygenase and ring-hydroxylating oxygenase genes was highly up-regulated, which was probably involved in skatole upstream degradation. The upregulation pattern of this gene cluster was further verified by qRT-PCR assay. Furthermore, skatole should be mainly degraded via the catechol ortho-cleavage pathway with cat25170 as the functional gene. The gene cat25170 was cloned and expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3). Pure enzyme assays showed that Cat25170 could catalyze catechol with Km 9.96 μmol/L and kcat 12.36 s-1.

Potential and limitations for monitoring of pesticide biodegradation at trace concentrations in water and soil

Pesticides application on agricultural fields results in pesticides being released into the environment, reaching soil, surface water and groundwater. Pesticides fate and transformation in the environment depend on environmental conditions as well as physical, chemical and biological degradation processes. Monitoring pesticides biodegradation in the environment is challenging, considering that traditional indicators, such as changes in pesticides concentration or identification of pesticide metabolites, are not suitable for many pesticides in anaerobic environments. Furthermore, those indicators cannot distinguish between biotic and abiotic pesticide degradation processes. For that reason, the use of molecular tools is important to monitor pesticide biodegradation-related genes or microorganisms in the environment. The development of targeted molecular (e.g., qPCR) tools, although laborious, allowed biodegradation monitoring by targeting the presence and expression of known catabolic genes of popular pesticides. Explorative molecular tools (i.e., metagenomics & metatranscriptomics), while requiring extensive data analysis, proved to have potential for screening the biodegradation potential and activity of more than one compound at the time. The application of molecular tools developed in laboratory and validated under controlled environments, face challenges when applied in the field due to the heterogeneity in pesticides distribution as well as natural environmental differences. However, for monitoring pesticides biodegradation in the field, the use of molecular tools combined with metadata is an important tool for understanding fate and transformation of the different pesticides present in the environment.

Comparative Investigation of Fifteen Xenobiotic Metabolizing N-Acetyltransferase (NAT) Homologs from Bacteria

Arylamines constitute a large group of industrial chemicals detoxified by certain bacteria through conjugation reactions catalyzed by N-acetyltransferase (NAT) enzymes. NAT homologs, mostly from pathogenic bacteria, have been the subject of individual studies that do not facilitate direct comparisons. By implementing a practicable pipeline, we present comparative investigation of fifteen NAT homologs from ten bacteria, mainly bacilli, streptomycetes, and one alphaproteobacterium. The new homologs were characterized for their sequence, phylogeny, predicted structural features, substrate specificity, thermal stability, and interaction with components of the enzymatic reaction. Bacillus NATs demonstrated the characteristics of xenobiotic metabolizing N-acetyltransferases, with the majority of homologs generating high activities. Non-pathogenic bacilli are thus proposed as suitable mediators of arylamine bioremediation. Of the Streptomyces homologs, the NAT2 isoenzyme of S. venezuelae efficiently transformed highly toxic arylamines, while the remaining homologs were inactive or generated low activities suggesting that xenobiotic metabolism may not be their primary role. The functional divergence of Streptomyces NATs was consistent with their observed sequence, phylogenetic, and structural variability. These and previous findings support classification of microbial NATs into three groups. The first includes xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes with dual acetyl-/propionyl-CoA selectivity. Homologs of the second group are more rarely encountered, acting as malonyltransferases mediating specialized ecological interactions. Homologs of the third group effectively lack acyltransferase activity and their study may represent an interesting research area. Comparative NAT enzyme screens from a broad microbial spectrum may guide rational selection of homologs likely to share similar biological functions, allowing their combined investigation and use in biotechnological applications. IMPORTANCE Arylamines are encountered as industrial chemicals or byproducts of agrochemicals that may constitute highly toxic contaminants of soils and groundwaters. Although such chemicals may be recalcitrant to biotransformation, they can be enzymatically converted into less toxic forms by some bacteria. Therefore, exploitation of the arylamine detoxification capabilities of microorganisms is investigated as an effective approach for bioremediation. Among microbial biotransformations of arylamines, enzymatic conjugation reactions have been reported, including NAT-mediated N-acetylation. Comparative investigations of NAT enzymes across a range of microorganisms can be laborious and expensive, so here we present a streamlined methodology for implementing such work. We compare fifteen NAT homologs from non-pathogenic, free-living bacteria of potential biotechnological utility, mainly Terrabacteria known for their rich secondary and xenobiotic metabolism. The analysis allowed insights into the evolutionary and functional divergence of bacterial NAT homologs, combined with assessment of their fundamental structural and enzymatic differences and similarities.

Desulfatiglans anilini Initiates Degradation of Aniline With the Production of Phenylphosphoamidate and 4-Aminobenzoate as Intermediates Through Synthases and Carboxylases From Different Gene Clusters

The anaerobic degradation of aniline was studied in the sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfatiglans anilini. Our aim was to identify the genes and their proteins that are required for the initial activation of aniline as well as to characterize intermediates of this reaction. Aniline-induced genes were revealed by comparison of the proteomes of D. anilini grown with different substrates (aniline, 4-aminobenzoate, phenol, and benzoate). Most genes encoding proteins that were highly abundant in aniline- or 4-aminobenzoate-grown D. anilini cells but not in phenol- or benzoate-grown cells were located in the putative gene clusters ani (aniline degradation), hcr (4-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA reductase) and phe (phenol degradation). Of these putative gene clusters, only the phe gene cluster has been studied previously. Based on the differential proteome analysis, four candidate genes coding for kinase subunits and carboxylase subunits were suspected to be responsible for the initial conversion of aniline to 4-aminobenzoate. These genes were cloned and overproduced in E. coli. The recombinant proteins were obtained in inclusion bodies but could be refolded successfully. Two subunits of phenylphosphoamidate synthase and two carboxylase subunits converted aniline to 4-aminobenzoate with phenylphosphoamidate as intermediate under consumption of ATP. Only when both carboxylase subunits, one from gene cluster ani and the other from gene cluster phe, were combined, phenylphosphoamidate was converted to 4-aminobenzoate in vitro, with Mn²⁺, K⁺, and FMN as co-factors. Thus, aniline is degraded by the anaerobic bacterium D. anilini only by recruiting genes for the enzymatic machinery from different gene clusters. We conclude, that D. anilini carboxylates aniline to 4-aminobenzoate via phenylphosphoamidate as an energy rich intermediate analogous to the degradation of phenol to 4-hydroxybenzoate via phenylphosphate.

Bioengineered Graphene Oxide Microcomposites Containing Metabolically Versatile Paracoccus sp. MKU1 for Enhanced Catechol Degradation

Paracoccus sp. MKU1, a metabolically versatile bacterium that encompasses diverse metabolic pathways in its genome for the degradation of aromatic compounds, was investigated for catechol bioremediation here for the first time to our knowledge. Paracoccus sp. MKU1 degraded catechol at an optimal pH of 7.5 and a temperature of 37 °C, wherein 100 mg/L catechol was completely mineralized in 96 h but required 192 h for complete mineralization of 500 mg/L catechol. While investigating the molecular mechanisms of its degradation potential, it was unveiled that Paracoccus sp. MKU1 employed both the ortho and meta pathways by inducing the expression of catechol 1,2-dioxygenase (C12O) and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase (C23O), respectively. C23O expression at transcriptional levels was significantly more abundant than C12O, which indicated that catechol degradation was primarily mediated by extradiol cleavage by MKU1. Furthermore, poly(MAA-co-BMA)-GO (PGO) microcomposites containing Paracoccus sp. MKU1 were synthesized, which degraded catechol (100 mg/L) completely within 48 h with excellent recycling performance for three cycles. Thus, PGO@Paracoccus microcomposites proved to be efficient in catechol degradation at not only faster rates but also with excellent recycling performances than free cells. These findings accomplish that Paracoccus sp. MKU1 could serve as a potential tool for bioremediation of catechol-polluted industrial wastewater and soil.

Community Structure Analysis and Biodegradation Potential of Aniline-Degrading Bacteria in Biofilters

Aniline has aroused general concern owing to its strong toxicity and widespread distribution in water and soil. In the present study, the bacterial community composition before and after aniline acclimation was investigated. High-throughput Illumina MiSeq sequencing analysis illustrated a large shift in the structure of the bacterial community during the aniline acclimation period. Bacillus, Lactococcus, and Enterococcus were the dominant bacteria in biologically activated carbon before acclimation. However, the proportions of Pseudomonas, Thermomonas, and Acinetobacter increased significantly and several new bacterial taxa appeared after aniline acclimation, indicating that aniline acclimation had a strong impact on the bacterial community structure of biological activated carbon samples. Strain AN-1 accounted for the highest number of colonies on incubation plates and was identified as Acinetobacter sp. according to phylogenetic analysis of the 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene sequence. Strain AN-1 was able to grow on aniline at pH value 4.0-10.0 and showed high aniline-degrading ability at neutral pH.

The many roles of glutamate in metabolism

The amino acid glutamate is a major metabolic hub in many organisms and as such is involved in diverse processes in addition to its role in protein synthesis. Nitrogen assimilation, nucleotide, amino acid, and cofactor biosynthesis, as well as secondary natural product formation all utilize glutamate in some manner. Glutamate also plays a role in the catabolism of certain amines. Understanding glutamate's role in these various processes can aid in genome mining for novel metabolic pathways or the engineering of pathways for bioremediation or chemical production of valuable compounds.

Bacterial degradation of monocyclic aromatic amines

Aromatic amines are an important group of industrial chemicals, which are widely used for manufacturing of dyes, pesticides, drugs, pigments, and other industrial products. These compounds have been considered highly toxic to human beings due to their carcinogenic nature. Three groups of aromatic amines have been recognized: monocyclic, polycyclic, and heterocyclic aromatic amines. Bacterial degradation of several monocyclic aromatic amines has been studied in a variety of bacteria, which utilizes monocyclic aromatic amines as their sole source of carbon and energy. Several degradation pathways have been proposed and the related enzymes and genes have also been characterized. Many reviews have been reviewed toxicity of monocyclic aromatic amines; however, there is lack of review on biodegradation of monocyclic aromatic amines. The aim of this review is to summarize bacterial degradation of monocyclic aromatic amines. This review will increase our current understanding of biochemical and molecular basis of bacterial degradation of monocyclic aromatic amines.

Function of a glutamine synthetase-like protein in bacterial aniline oxidation via γ-glutamylanilide

Acinetobacter sp. strain YAA has five genes (atdA1 to atdA5) involved in aniline oxidation as a part of the aniline degradation gene cluster. From sequence analysis, the five genes were expected to encode a glutamine synthetase (GS)-like protein (AtdA1), a glutamine amidotransferase-like protein (AtdA2), and an aromatic compound dioxygenase (AtdA3, AtdA4, and AtdA5) (M. Takeo, T. Fujii, and Y. Maeda, J. Ferment. Bioeng. 85:17-24, 1998). A recombinant Pseudomonas strain harboring these five genes quantitatively converted aniline into catechol, demonstrating that catechol is the major oxidation product from aniline. To elucidate the function of the GS-like protein AtdA1 in aniline oxidation, we purified it from recombinant Escherichia coli harboring atdA1. The purified AtdA1 protein produced gamma-glutamylanilide (γ-GA) quantitatively from aniline and l-glutamate in the presence of ATP and MgCl2. This reaction was identical to glutamine synthesis by GS, except for the use of aniline instead of ammonia as the substrate. Recombinant Pseudomonas strains harboring the dioxygenase genes (atdA3 to atdA5) were unable to degrade aniline but converted γ-GA into catechol, indicating that γ-GA is an intermediate to catechol and a direct substrate for the dioxygenase. Unexpectedly, a recombinant Pseudomonas strain harboring only atdA2 hydrolyzed γ-GA into aniline, reversing the γ-GA formation by AtdA1. Deletion of atdA2 from atdA1 to atdA5 caused γ-GA accumulation from aniline in recombinant Pseudomonas cells and inhibited the growth of a recombinant Acinetobacter strain on aniline, suggesting that AtdA2 prevents γ-GA accumulation that is harmful to the host cell.

Metabolic regulation and chromosomal localization of carbaryl degradation pathway in Pseudomonas sp. strains C4, C5 and C6

Pseudomonas sp. strains C4, C5 and C6 degrade carbaryl (1-naphthyl N-methylcarbamate) via 1-naphthol, 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene, salicylate and gentisate. Carbon source-dependent metabolic studies suggest that enzymes responsible for carbaryl degradation are probably organized into 'upper' (carbaryl to salicylate), 'middle' (salicylate to gentisate) and 'lower' (gentisate to TCA cycle) pathway. Carbaryl and 1-naphthol were found to induce all carbaryl pathway enzymes, while salicylate and gentisate induce middle and lower pathway enzymes. The strains were found to harbor plasmid(s), and carbaryl degradation property was found to be stable. Genes encoding enzymes of the degradative pathway such as 1-naphthol 2-hydroxylase, salicylaldehyde dehydrogenase, salicylate 5-hydroxylase and gentisate 1,2-dioxygenase were amplified from chromosomal DNA of these strains. The gene-specific PCR products were sequenced from strain C6, and phylogenetic tree was constructed. Southern hybridization and PCR analysis using gel eluted DNA as template supported the presence of pathway genes onto the chromosome and not on the plasmid(s).

Real-time PCR for rapidly detecting aniline-degrading bacteria in activated sludge

We developed a detection method that uses quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and the TaqMan system to easily and rapidly assess the population of aniline-degrading bacteria in activated sludge prior to conducting a biodegradability test on a chemical compound. A primer and probe set for qPCR was designed by a multiple alignment of conserved amino acid sequences encoding the large (α) subunit of aniline dioxygenase. PCR amplification tests showed that the designed primer and probe set targeted aniline-degrading strains such as Acidovorax sp., Gordonia sp., Rhodococcus sp., and Pseudomonas putida, thereby suggesting that the developed method can detect a wide variety of aniline-degrading bacteria. There was a strong correlation between the relative copy number of the α-aniline dioxygenase gene in activated sludge obtained with the developed qPCR method and the number of aniline-degrading bacteria measured by the Most Probable Number method, which is the conventional method, and a good correlation with the lag time of the BOD curve for aniline degradation produced by the biodegradability test in activated sludge samples collected from eight different wastewater treatment plants in Japan. The developed method will be valuable for the rapid and accurate evaluation of the activity of inocula prior to conducting a ready biodegradability test.

Carbon and nitrogen isotope effects associated with the dioxygenation of aniline and diphenylamine

Dioxygenation of aromatic rings is frequently the initial step of biodegradation of organic subsurface pollutants. This process can be tracked by compound-specific isotope analysis to assess the extent of contaminant transformation, but the corresponding isotope effects, especially for dioxygenation of N-substituted, aromatic contaminants, are not well understood. We investigated the C and N isotope fractionation associated with the biodegradation of aniline and diphenylamine using pure cultures of Burkholderia sp. strain JS667, which can biodegrade both compounds, each by a distinct dioxygenase enzyme. For diphenylamine, the C and N isotope enrichment was normal with ε(C)- and ε(N)-values of -0.6 ± 0.1‰ and -1.0 ± 0.1‰, respectively. In contrast, N isotopes of aniline were subject to substantial inverse fractionation (ε(N) of +13 ± 0.5‰), whereas the ε(C)-value was identical to that of diphenylamine. A comparison of the apparent kinetic isotope effects for aniline and diphenylamine dioxygenation with those from abiotic oxidation by manganese oxide (MnO(2)) suggest that the oxidation of a diarylamine system leads to distinct C-N bonding changes compared to aniline regardless of reaction mechanism and oxidant involved. Combined evaluation of the C and N isotope signatures of the contaminants reveals characteristic Δδ(15)N/Δδ(13)C-trends for the identification of diphenylamine and aniline oxidation in contaminated subsurfaces and for the distinction of aniline oxidation from its formation by microbial and/or abiotic reduction of nitrobenzene.

Crude oil-degradation and plasmid profile of nitrifying bacteria isolated from oil-impacted mangrove sediment in the Niger Delta of Nigeria

The crude oil degradability and plasmid profile of autotrophic nitrifying bacteria, Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter species, isolated from mangrove sediment in the Niger Delta of Nigeria were studied. The effects of temperature, pH and optical density on the utilization of different carbon sources by the bacteria were also investigated. Results showed that nitrifying bacteria could utilize kerosene, diesel oil, jet fuel and engine oil as carbon sources. None utilized hexane and xylene but moderate growth was observed in benzene, phenol and toluene. However, their ability to utilized crude oil varied both in rates of utilization and in growth profiles. Mixed culture of the isolates degrades 52 % of crude oil introduced into the medium followed by Nitrosomonas sp. with 40 % degradation. The least was Nitrobacter sp. with 20 % degradation. The ability of the autotrophs to degrade crude oil was found to be plasmid-mediated through curing experiment and electrophoresis. The size of the plasmid involved was estimated to be 23 kb. The high crude oil utilization of the mixed culture implies that nitrifying bacteria isolated from contaminated ecosystem are excellent crude oil degraders and can be harnessed for bioremediation purposes.

Role of IncP-1β plasmids pWDL7::rfp and pNB8c in chloroaniline catabolism as determined by genomic and functional analyses

Broad-host-range catabolic plasmids play an important role in bacterial degradation of man-made compounds. To gain insight into the role of these plasmids in chloroaniline degradation, we determined the first complete nucleotide sequences of an IncP-1 chloroaniline degradation plasmid, pWDL7::rfp and its close relative pNB8c, as well as the expression pattern, function, and bioaugmentation potential of the putative 3-chloroaniline (3-CA) oxidation genes. Based on phylogenetic analysis of backbone proteins, both plasmids are members of a distinct clade within the IncP-1β subgroup. The plasmids are almost identical, but whereas pWDL7::rfp carries a duplicate inverted catabolic transposon, Tn6063, containing a putative 3-CA oxidation gene cluster, dcaQTA1A2BR, pNB8c contains only a single copy of the transposon. No genes for an aromatic ring cleavage pathway were detected on either plasmid, suggesting that only the upper 3-CA degradation pathway was present. The dcaA1A2B gene products expressed from a high-copy-number vector were shown to convert 3-CA to 4-chlorocatechol in Escherichia coli. Slight differences in the dca promoter region between the plasmids and lack of induction of transcription of the pNB8c dca genes by 3-CA may explain previous findings that pNB8C does not confer 3-CA transformation. Bioaugmentation of activated sludge with pWDL7::rfp accelerated removal of 3-CA, but only in the presence of an additional carbon source. Successful bioaugmentation requires complementation of the upper pathway genes with chlorocatechol cleavage genes in indigenous bacteria. The genome sequences of these plasmids thus help explain the molecular basis of their catabolic activities.

Rhizobium borbori sp. nov., aniline-degrading bacteria isolated from activated sludge

Three aniline-degrading bacteria, strains DN316T, DN316-1 and DN365, were isolated from activated sludge. According to 16S rRNA gene sequence-based phylogenetic analysis, the isolates belonged to the genus Rhizobium, with Rhizobium ( = Agrobacterium) radiobacter LMG 140T as the closest relative, with 96.5 % sequence similarity. Phylogenetic analysis of the representative strain DN316T using sequences of the glnA, thrC and recA genes and the 16S–23S intergenic spacer region confirmed the phylogenetic arrangement obtained from analysis of the 16S rRNA gene. DNA–DNA relatedness between DN316T and R. radiobacter LMG 140T was 43.7 %, clearly indicating that the representative strain DN316T represents a novel species. Phenotypic and biochemical characterization of the isolates and insertion sequence-PCR fingerprinting patterns showed several distinctive features that differentiated them from closely related species. The major components of the cellular fatty acids were C18 : 1ω7c (57.10 %), C16 : 0 (11.31 %) and C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c (10.13 %). Based on our taxonomic analysis, the three isolates from activated sludge represent a novel species of the genus Rhizobium, for which the name Rhizobium borbori sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DN316T ( = CICC 10378T  = LMG 23925T).

Synergistic removal of aniline by carbon nanotubes and the enzymes of Delftia sp. XYJ6

Synergistic removal of aniline by carbon nanotubes and the enzymes of Delftia sp. XYJ6, a newly isolated bacterial strain for biodegrading aniline, was investigated. It showed that biodegradation rate of aniline was increased with the augment of protein concentration in cell-free extract of Delftia sp. XYJ6. The adsorption amount of aniline by multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was slightly higher than that by single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), however the adsorption amount of protein of Delftia sp. XYJ6 by MWCNTs was lower than that by SWCNTs. Much more amount of aniline could be removed by CE of Delftia sp. XYJ6 in the presence of SWCNTs than MWCNTs, which indicated that an efficient reaction between aniline and enzymes of Delftia sp. XYJ6 on the surface of SWCNTs played a key role in the rapid enzymatic biodegradation of aniline. This study is not previously reported and may be useful in basic research and the removal of aniline from wastewater.

Biodegradation of aniline by Candida tropicalis AN1 isolated from aerobic granular sludge

Aniline-degrading microbes were cultivated and acclimated with the initial activated sludge collected from a chemical wastewater treatment plant. During the acclimation processes, aerobic granular sludge being able to effectively degrade aniline was successfully formed, from which a preponderant bacterial strain was isolated and named as AN1. Effects of factors including pH, temperature, and second carbon/nitrogen source on the biodegradation of aniline were investigated. Results showed that the optimal conditions for the biodegradation of aniline by the strain AN1 were at pH 7.0 and 28-35 degrees C. At the optimal pH and temperature, the biodegradation rate of aniline could reach as high as 17.8 mg/(L x hr) when the initial aniline concentration was 400 mg/L. Further studies revealed that the addition of 1 g/L glucose or ammonium chloride as a second carbon or nitrogen source could slightly enhance the biodegradation efficiency from 93.0% to 95.1%-98.5%. However, even more addition of glucose or ammonium could not further enhance the biodegradation process but delayed the biodegradation of aniline by the strain AN1. Based on morphological and physiological characteristics as well as the phylogenetic analysis of 26S rDNA sequences, the strain AN1 was identified as Candida tropicalis.

Cloning and nucleotide sequences of carbazole degradation genes from marine bacterium Neptuniibacter sp. strain CAR-SF

The marine bacterium Neptuniibacter sp. strain CAR-SF utilizes carbazole as its sole carbon and nitrogen sources. Two sets of clustered genes related to carbazole degradation, the upper and lower pathways, were obtained. The marine bacterium genes responsible for the upper carbazole degradation pathway, carAa, carBa, carBb, and carC, encode the terminal oxygenase component of carbazole 1,9a-dioxygenase, the small and large subunits of the meta-cleavage enzyme, and the meta-cleavage compound hydrolase, respectively. The genes involved in the lower degradation pathway encode the anthranilate dioxygenase large and small subunit AntA and AntB, anthranilate dioxygenase reductase AntC, 4-oxalocrotonate tautomerase, and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction confirmed the involvement of the isolated genes in carbazole degradation. Escherichia coli cells transformed with the CarAa of strain CAR-SF required ferredoxin and ferredoxin reductase for biotransformation of carbazole. Although carAc, which encodes the ferredoxin component of carbazole 1,9a-dioxygenase, was not found immediately downstream of carAaBaBbC, the carAc-like gene may be located elsewhere based on Southern hybridization. This is the first report of genes involved in carbazole degradation isolated from a marine bacterium.

A new classification system for bacterial Rieske non-heme iron aromatic ring-hydroxylating oxygenases

BACKGROUND

Rieske non-heme iron aromatic ring-hydroxylating oxygenases (RHOs) are multi-component enzyme systems that are remarkably diverse in bacteria isolated from diverse habitats. Since the first classification in 1990, there has been a need to devise a new classification scheme for these enzymes because many RHOs have been discovered, which do not belong to any group in the previous classification. Here, we present a scheme for classification of RHOs reflecting new sequence information and interactions between RHO enzyme components.

RESULT

We have analyzed a total of 130 RHO enzymes in which 25 well-characterized RHO enzymes were used as standards to test our hypothesis for the proposed classification system. From the sequence analysis of electron transport chain (ETC) components of the standard RHOs, we extracted classification keys that reflect not only the phylogenetic affiliation within each component but also relationship among components. Oxygenase components of standard RHOs were phylogenetically classified into 10 groups with the classification keys derived from ETC components. This phylogenetic classification scheme was converted to a new systematic classification consisting of 5 distinct types. The new classification system was statistically examined to justify its stability. Type I represents two-component RHO systems that consist of an oxygenase and an FNRC-type reductase. Type II contains other two-component RHO systems that consist of an oxygenase and an FNRN-type reductase. Type III represents a group of three-component RHO systems that consist of an oxygenase, a [2Fe-2S]-type ferredoxin and an FNRN-type reductase. Type IV represents another three-component systems that consist of oxygenase, [2Fe-2S]-type ferredoxin and GR-type reductase. Type V represents another different three-component systems that consist of an oxygenase, a [3Fe-4S]-type ferredoxin and a GR-type reductase.

CONCLUSION

The new classification system provides the following features. First, the new classification system analyzes RHO enzymes as a whole. RwithSecond, the new classification system is not static but responds dynamically to the growing pool of RHO enzymes. Third, our classification can be applied reliably to the classification of incomplete RHOs. Fourth, the classification has direct applicability to experimental work. Fifth, the system provides new insights into the evolution of RHO systems based on enzyme interaction.

A novel and complete gene cluster involved in the degradation of aniline by Delftia sp. AN3

A recombinant strain, Escherichia coli JM109-AN1, was obtained by constructing of a genomic library of the total DNA of Delftia sp. AN3 in E. coli JM109 and screening for catechol 2,3-dioxygenase activity. This recombinant strain could grow on aniline as sole carbon, nitrogen and energy source. Enzymatic assays revealed that the exogenous genes including aniline dioxygenase (AD) and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase (C230) genes could well express in the recombinant strain with the activities of AD and C230 up to 0.31 U/mg wet cell and 1.92 U/mg crude proteins, respectively. The AD or C230 of strain AN3 could only catalyze aniline or catechol but not any other substituted substrates. This recombinant strain contained a recombinant plasmid, pKC505-AN1, in which a 29.7-kb DNA fragment from Delftia sp. AN3 was inserted. Sequencing and open reading frame (orfs) analysis of this 29.7 kb fragment revealed that it contained at least 27 orfs, among them a gene cluster (consisting of at least 16 genes, named danQTA1A2BRDCEFG1HIJKG2) was responsible for the complete metabolism of aniline to TCA-cycle intermediates. This gene cluster could be divided into two main parts, the upper sequences consisted of 7 genes (danQTAIA2BRD) were predicted to encode a multi-component aniline dioxygenase and a LysR-type regulator, and the central genes (danCEFGIHIJKG2) were expected to encode meta-cleavage pathway enzymes for catechol degradation to TCA-cycle intermediates. Unlike clusters tad from Delftia tsuruhatensis AD9 and tdn from Pseudomonas putida UCC22, in this gene cluster, all the genes were in the same transcriptional direction. There was only one set of C230 gene (danC) and ferredoxin-like protein gene (danD). The presence of only one set of these two genes and specificity of AD and C230 might be the reason for strain AN3 could only degrade aniline. The products of danQTAIA2BRDC showed 99%-100% identity to those from Delftia acidovorans 7N, and 50%-85% identity to those of tad cluster from D. tsuruhatensis AD9 in amino acid residues. Besides this dan cluster, the 29.7 kb fragment also contained genes encoding the trans-membrane transporter and transposases which might be needed for transposition of the gene cluster. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and plasmid curing experiments suggested that the dan cluster might be encoded on the chromosome of strain AN3. The GenBank accession number for the dan cluster of Delftia sp. AN3 is DQ661649.

Conjugative transfer of preferential utilization of aromatic compounds from Pseudomonas putida CSV86

Pseudomonas putida CSV86 utilizes naphthalene (Nap), salicylate (Sal), benzyl alcohol (Balc), and methylnaphthalene (MN) preferentially over glucose. Methylnaphthalene is metabolized by ring-hydroxylation as well as side-chain hydroxylation pathway. Although the degradation property was found to be stable, the frequency of obtaining Nap(-)Sal(-)MN(-)Balc(-) phenotype increased to 11% in the presence of curing agents. This property was transferred by conjugation to Stenotrophomonas maltophilia CSV89 with a frequency of 7 x 10(-8) per donor cells. Transconjugants were Nap(+)Sal(+)MN(+)Balc(+) and metabolized MN by ring- as well as side-chain hydroxylation pathway. Transconjugants also showed the preferential utilization of aromatic compounds over glucose indicating transfer of the preferential degradation property. The transferred properties were lost completely when transconjugants were grown on glucose or 2YT. Attempts to detect and isolate plasmid DNA from CSV86 and transconjugants were unsuccessful. Transfer of degradation genes and its subsequent loss from the transconjugants was confirmed by PCR using primers specific for 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene dioxygenase and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase (C23O) as well as by DNA-DNA hybridizations using total DNA as template and C23O PCR fragment as a probe. These results indicate the involvement of a probable conjugative element in the: (i) metabolism of aromatic compounds, (ii) ring- and side-chain hydroxylation pathways for MN, and (iii) preferential utilization of aromatics over glucose.

Probing the molecular determinants of aniline dioxygenase substrate specificity by saturation mutagenesis

Aniline dioxygenase is a multicomponent Rieske nonheme-iron dioxygenase enzyme isolated from Acinetobacter sp. strain YAA. Saturation mutagenesis of the substrate-binding pocket residues, which were identified using a homology model of the alpha subunit of the terminal dioxygenase (AtdA3), was used to probe the molecular determinants of AtdA substrate specificity. The V205A mutation widened the substrate specificity of aniline dioxygenase to include 2-isopropylaniline, for which the wild-type enzyme has no activity. The V205A mutation also made 2-isopropylaniline a better substrate for the enzyme than 2,4-dimethylaniline, a native substrate of the wild-type enzyme. The I248L mutation improved the activity of aniline dioxygenase against aniline and 2,4-dimethylaniline approximately 1.7-fold and 2.1-fold, respectively. Thus, it is shown that the alpha subunit of the terminal dioxygenase indeed plays a part in the substrate specificity as well as the activity of aniline dioxygenase. Interestingly, the equivalent residues of V205 and I248 have not been previously reported to influence the substrate specificity of other Rieske dioxygenases. These results should facilitate future engineering of the enzyme for bioremediation and industrial applications.

Potential of predominant activated sludge bacteria as recipients in conjugative plasmid transfer

We investigated the possibility of conjugative plasmid transfer to the predominant bacteria in activated sludge and the factors influencing the transfer frequency in the activated sludge process. We performed conjugative transfers of a self-transmissible, broad-host-range plasmid RP4 from Escherichia coli C600 to activated sludge bacteria by broth mating. Most of the activated sludge bacteria tested could acquire plasmid RP4, although the transfer frequencies varied from 8.8 x 10(-7) to 1.3 x 10(-2) transconjugants per recipient. The transfer frequencies in several strains were similar to, or higher than, that in intraspecific transfer to E. coli HB101. Matings under various environmental conditions showed that factors relevant to physiological activity, such as temperature and nutrient conditions, seemed to affect the transfer frequency. In addition, conjugative transfer was detected even in filtered raw and treated wastewaters. Thus, the predominant activated sludge bacteria seem to have sufficient potential as recipients in conjugative plasmid transfer under the conditions likely to occur in the activated sludge process. Transfer frequency was reduced by agitation in the presence of suspended solid. This may suggest that conjugative plasmid transfer is physically inhibited in aeration tanks.

Chromosome-encoded gene cluster for the metabolic pathway that converts aniline to TCA-cycle intermediates in Delftia tsuruhatensis AD9

Delftia tsuruhatensis AD9 was isolated as an aniline-degrading bacterium from the soil surrounding a textile dyeing plant. The gene cluster involved in aniline degradation was cloned from the total DNA of strain AD9 into Escherichia coli JM109. After shotgun cloning, two recombinant E. coli strains showing aniline oxidation activity or catechol meta-cleavage activity were obtained by simple plate assays. These strains contained 9.3 kb and 15.4 kb DNA fragments, respectively. Sequence analysis of the total 24.7 kb region revealed that this region contains a gene cluster (consisting of at least 17 genes, named tadQTA1A2BRD1C1D2C2EFGIJKL) responsible for the complete metabolism of aniline to TCA-cycle intermediates. In the gene cluster, the first five genes (tadQTA1A2B) and the subsequent gene (tadR) were predicted to encode a multi-component aniline dioxygenase and a LysR-type regulator, respectively, while the others (tadD1C1D2C2EFGIJKL) were expected to encode meta-cleavage pathway enzymes for catechol degradation. In addition, it was found that the gene cluster is surrounded by two IS1071 sequences, indicating that it has a class I transposon-like structure. PFGE and Southern hybridization analyses confirmed that the tad gene cluster is encoded on the chromosome of strain AD9 in a single copy. These results suggest that, in strain AD9, aniline is degraded via catechol through a meta-cleavage pathway by the chromosome-encoded tad gene cluster. The tad gene cluster showed significant similarity in nucleotide sequence and genetic organization to the plasmid-encoded aniline degradation gene cluster of Pseudomonas putida UCC22.

Differential organization and transcription of the cat2 gene cluster in aniline-assimilating Acinetobacter lwoffii K24

CatABC genes encode proteins that are responsible for the first three steps of one branch of the beta-ketoadipate pathway involved in the degradation of various aromatic compound by bacteria. Aniline-assimilating Acinetobacter lwoffii K24 is known to have the two-catABC gene clusters (cat1 and cat2) on the chromosome (Kim et al., J. Bacteriol., 179: 5226-5231, 1997). The order of the cat2 gene cluster is catB2A2C2, which has not been found in other bacteria. In this report, we analyzed the transcriptional pattern of the cat2 gene cluster and completely sequenced a 5.8 kbp fragment containing the compactly clustered catB2A2C2 genes and four ORFs. Similar to the ORF(R1) of the cat1 gene cluster, an ORF highly homologous with the catR gene was found 102 by upstream of the catB2 gene and was designated as ORF(R2). Three ORFs, one putative reductase component (ORF(X2)) and two putative LysR family regulatory proteins (ORF(Y2), ORF(Z2)) were located next to the catC2 gene in the opposite direction of the cat2 gene cluster. Two ORFs, ORF(X2) and ORF(Y2), were significantly homologous with tdnB and tdnR of the aniline oxygenase complex of Pseudomonas putida UCC22. RT-PCR analysis and Northern blotting revealed that the catB2 gene is independently transcribed and that the catA2C2 genes are cotranscribed. A primer extension assay revealed that transcription of the catA2C2 gene starts in the C-terminal region of the catB2 gene. These results suggest that the cat2 gene cluster may be under a different gene adaptation from other cat gene clusters.

Cloning of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus chromosomal region involved in catechin degradation

Acinetobacter calcoaceticus utilizes catechin as sole carbon source. The chromosomal region involved in catechin catabolism was cloned in Escherichia coli DH5alpha from the genomic DNA of A. calcoaceticus. A recombinant E. coli containing 9.2 kb DNA fragment of A. calcoaceticus inserted in pUC19 showed a halo zone around the colony in plate assays, indicating the catechin utilizing ability of the clone. Enzyme assays revealed the expression of the cloned DNA fragment of A. calcoaceticus. High performance thin layer chromatography confirmed protocatechuic acid and phloroglucinol carboxylic acid as cleavage products of catechin in A. calcoaceticus and the catechin degrading ability of the clones. A. calcoaceticus followed the beta-ketoadipate pathway for catechin degradation. The sub-clone (pASCI) of this insert was sequenced and analyzed. The sequence showed three major ORFs but only ORF 2 showed similarities to other aromatic oxygenases and the sequence of ORF 2 was submitted to GenBank (AF369935).

The biosynthetic gene cluster for the beta-lactam carbapenem thienamycin in Streptomyces cattleya

beta-lactam ring formation in carbapenem and clavam biosynthesis proceeds through an alternative mechanism to the biosynthetic pathway of classic beta-lactam antibiotics. This involves the participation of a beta-lactam synthetase. Using available information from beta-lactam synthetases, we generated a probe for the isolation of the thienamycin cluster from Streptomyces cattleya. Genes homologous to carbapenem and clavulanic acid biosynthetic genes have been identified. They would participate in early steps of thienamycin biosynthesis leading to the formation of the beta-lactam ring. Other genes necessary for the biosynthesis of thienamycin have also been identified in the cluster (methyltransferases, cysteinyl transferases, oxidoreductases, hydroxylase, etc.) together with two regulatory genes, genes involved in exportation and/or resistance, and a quorum sensing system. Involvement of the cluster in thienamycin biosynthesis was demonstrated by insertional inactivation of several genes generating thienamycin nonproducing mutants.

Plasmids spread very fast in heterogeneous bacterial communities

Conjugative plasmids can mediate gene transfer between bacterial taxa in diverse environments. The ability to donate the F-type conjugative plasmid R1 greatly varies among enteric bacteria due to the interaction of the system that represses sex-pili formations (products of finOP) of plasmids already harbored by a bacterial strain with those of the R1 plasmid. The presence of efficient donors in heterogeneous bacterial populations can accelerate plasmid transfer and can spread by several orders of magnitude. Such donors allow millions of other bacteria to acquire the plasmid in a matter of days whereas, in the absence of such strains, plasmid dissemination would take years. This "amplification effect" could have an impact on the evolution of bacterial pathogens that exist in heterogeneous bacterial communities because conjugative plasmids can carry virulence or antibiotic-resistance genes.

Chloroplast-type Ferredoxin Involved in Reactivation of Catechol 2,3-Dioxygenase from Pseudomonas sp.S-47

Pseudomonas sp. S-47 is capable of degrading catechol and 4-chlorocatechol via the meta-cleavage pathway. XylTE products catalyze the dioxygenation of the aromatics. The xylT of the strain S-47 is located just upstream of the xylE gene. XylT is a typical chloroplast-type ferredoxin, which is characterized by 4 cystein residues that are located at positions 41, 46, 49, and 81. The chloroplast-type ferredoxin of Pseudomonas sp. S-47 exhibited a 98% identity with that of P. putida mt-2 (TOL plasmid) in the amino acid sequence, but only about a 40 to 60% identity with the corresponding enzymes from other organisms. We constructed two recombinant plasmids (pRES1 containing xylTE and pRES101 containing xylE without xylT) in order to examine the function of XylT for the reactivation of the catechol 2,3-dioxygenase (XylE) that is oxidized with hydrogen peroxide. The pRES1 that was treated with hydrogen peroxide was recovered in the catechol 2,3-dioxygenase (C23O) activity about 4 minutes after incubation, but the pRES101 showed no recovery. That means that the typical chloroplast-type ferredoxin (XylT) of Pseudomonas sp. S-47 is involved in the reactivation of the oxidized C23O in the dioxygenolytic cleavage of aromatic compounds.

Complete nucleotide sequence and overexpression of cat1 gene cluster, and roles of the putative transcriptional activator CatR1 in Acinetobacter lwoffii K24 capable of aniline degradation

The aniline-assimilating bacterium Acinetobacter lwoffii K24 has two cat gene clusters (cat1 and cat2). In this study, we completely sequenced 10-kb DNA fragment of cat1 genes of A. lwoffii K24, which had been cloned in plasmid pCD1-1. Sequence analysis revealed that the order of genes in the cat1 operon-containing gene cluster was ORF porin, catR1, catB1C1A1D, ORF1, and ORF2. Two ORFs located immediately downstream catD were most similar with two ORFs in cat gene cluster of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus ADP1 but the gene structure of catR1B1C1A1 was closest to that found in Frateurua sp. ANA-18 or Pseudomonas putida PRS2000. CatA1 gene product was significantly overexpressed and detected in SDS-PAGE when four cat1 genes (catB1C1A1D) were placed under the control of a lac promoter in pUC118 while overexpressions of other cat genes were accomplished under the control of a lac promoter in pET vector system. All gene products were verified by N-terminal amino acid sequencing. Gel retardation assay revealed that the putative regulatory gene activator CatR1 for the catB1C1A1 operon could bind the promoter region of catB2 as well as catB1, suggesting that transcription of catB1 or catB2 might be controlled by the putative gene activator CatR1. However, the promoter regions of catA1 and catA2 were found to have no affinity with catR1.

Characterization of the role of the FluG protein in asexual development of Aspergillus nidulans

We showed previously that a DeltafluG mutation results in a block in Aspergillus nidulans asexual sporulation and that overexpression of fluG activates sporulation in liquid-submerged culture, a condition that does not normally support sporulation of wild-type strains. Here we demonstrate that the entire N-terminal region of FluG ( approximately 400 amino acids) can be deleted without affecting sporulation, indicating that FluG activity resides in the C-terminal half of the protein, which bears significant similarity with GSI-type glutamine synthetases. While FluG has no apparent role in glutamine biosynthesis, we propose that it has an enzymatic role in sporulation factor production. We also describe the isolation of dominant suppressors of DeltafluG(dsg) that should identify components acting downstream of FluG and thereby define the function of FluG in sporulation. The dsgA1 mutation also suppresses the developmental defects resulting from DeltaflbA and dominant activating fadA mutations, which both cause constitutive induction of the mycelial proliferation pathway. However, dsgA1 does not suppress the negative influence of these mutations on production of the aflatoxin precursor, sterigmatocystin, indicating that dsgA1 is specific for asexual development. Taken together, our studies define dsgA as a novel component of the asexual sporulation pathway.

Genetic diversity among 3-chloroaniline- and aniline-degrading strains of the Comamonadaceae

We examined the diversity of the plasmids and of the gene tdnQ, involved in the oxidative deamination of aniline, in five bacterial strains that are able to metabolize both aniline and 3-chloroaniline (3-CA). Three strains have been described and identified previously, i.e., Comamonas testosteroni I2 and Delftia acidovorans CA28 and BN3.1. Strains LME1 and B8c were isolated in this study from linuron-treated soil and from a wastewater treatment plant, respectively, and were both identified as D. acidovorans. Both Delftia and Comamonas belong to the family Comamonadaceae. All five strains possess a large plasmid of ca. 100 kb, but the plasmids from only four strains could be transferred to a recipient strain by selection on aniline or 3-CA as a sole source of carbon and/or nitrogen. Plasmid transfer experiments and Southern hybridization revealed that the plasmid of strain I2 was responsible for total aniline but not 3-CA degradation, while the plasmids of strains LME1 and B8c were responsible only for the oxidative deamination of aniline. Several transconjugant clones that had received the plasmid from strain CA28 showed different degradative capacities: all transconjugants could use aniline as a nitrogen source, while only some of the transconjugants could deaminate 3-CA. For all four plasmids, the IS1071 insertion sequence of Tn5271 was found to be located on a 1.4-kb restriction fragment, which also hybridized with the tdnQ probe. This result suggests the involvement of this insertion sequence element in the dissemination of aniline degradation genes in the environment. By use of specific primers for the tdnQ gene from Pseudomonas putida UCC22, the diversity of the PCR-amplified fragments in the five strains was examined by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). With DGGE, three different clusters of the tdnQ fragment could be distinguished. Sequencing data showed that the tdnQ sequences of I2, LME1, B8c, and CA28 were very closely related, while the tdnQ sequences of BN3.1 and P. putida UCC22 were only about 83% identical to the other sequences. Northern hybridization revealed that the tdnQ gene is transcribed only in the presence of aniline and not when only 3-CA is present.

Characterization of strain HY99, a novel microorganism capable of aerobic and anaerobic degradation of aniline

We have characterized a novel microorganism, strain HY99, which is capable of aerobic and anaerobic degradation of aniline. Strain HY99 was found to aerobically metabolize aniline via catechol and 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde intermediates, and to transform aniline via p-aminobenzoate in anaerobic environments. Physiological and biochemical tests revealed that strain HY99 was most similar to Delftia acidovorans, but unlike D. acidovorans, strain HY99 was able to metabolize aniline under anaerobic conditions linked with nitrate reduction. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA sequencing also revealed that strain HY99 was closely related to D. acidovorans, with 96% overall similarity.

Adsorption of bacterial cells onto activated sludge flocs

The adsorption of 9 species of bacteria onto laboratory-activated sludge flocs were investigated and a kinetic model describing the adsorption process was proposed in order to design an effective bioaugmentation strategy. The typical time course of bacterial adsorption, which is a triphasic process, consisted of lag, rapid adsorption, and stationary phases. The equilibrium of the cells in the stationary phase obeyed the Freundlich isotherm. The reversible and nonlinear model could describe the process to a certain degree and the Freundlich parameters and specific sorption rates were estimated for each bacterial strain. There was no apparent relationship between the estimated parameters and characteristics of the bacterial strains, such as specific growth rate, hydrophobicity of the cells, and flocculation activity against kaolin clays. However, the high floc formation ability of the bacterial strains was observed to be related to high cell concentrations although a longer lag time was required.

Design of PCR primers and gene probes for the general detection of bacterial populations capable of degrading aromatic compounds via catechol cleavage pathways

For the general detection of bacterial populations capable of degrading aromatic compounds, two PCR primer sets were designed which can, respectively, amplify specific fragments from a wide variety of catechol 1,2-dioxygenase (C12O) and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase (C23O) genes. The C12O-targeting primer set (C12O primers) was designed based on the homologous regions of 11 C12O genes listed in the GenBank, while the C23O-targeting one (C23O primers) was designed based on those of 17 known C23O genes. Oligonucleotide probes (C12Op and C23Op) were also designed from the internal homologous regions to identify the amplified fragments. The specificity of the primer sets and probes was confirmed using authentic bacterial strains known to carry the C12O and/or C23O genes used for the primer and probe design. Various authentic bacterial strains carrying neither C12O nor C23O genes were used as negative controls. PCR with the C12O primers amplified DNA fragments of the expected sizes from 5 of the 6 known C12O-carrying bacterial strains tested, and positive signals were obtained from 4 of the 5 amplified fragments on Southern hybridization with the C12Op. The C23O primers amplified DNA fragments of the expected size from all the 11 tested C23O-carrying bacterial strains used for their design, while the C23Op detected positive signals in the amplified fragments from 9 strains. On the other hand, no DNA fragments were amplified from the negative controls. To evaluate the applicability of the designed primers and probes for the general detection of aromatic compound-degrading bacteria, they were applied to wild-type phenol- and/or benzoate-degrading bacteria newly isolated from a variety of environments. The C12O and/or C23O primers amplified DNA fragments of the expected sizes from 69 of the 106 wild-type strains tested, while the C12Op and/or C23Op detected positive signals in the amplified fragments from 63 strains. These results suggest that our primer and probe systems can detect a considerable proportion of bacteria which can degrade aromatic compounds via catechol cleavage pathways.