Accelerated degradation of exogenous indole by Burkholderia unamae strain CK43B exposed to pyrogallol-type polyphenols

In modified Winogradsky's (MW) medium supplemented with excessive indole (1), Burkholderia unamae strain CK43B isolated from polyphenol-rich Shorea rhizosphere showed almost no cell growth, but it showed drastic cell growth given further supplementation of gallic acid, a simple plant polyphenol. This active cell growth of B. unamae CK43B was due to the stimulating effect of gallic acid on 1-degradation of bacterial cells, which acquired a nitrogen source in 1. Under aerobic culture conditions with appropriate concentrations (0.5-2.0 mM) of gallic acid, B. unamae CK43B started to decompose exogenous 1 in a dose-dependent manner, and finally accumulated catechol (5) via anthranilic acid (4). Pyrogallol also showed a cometabolic effect on decarboxylation-coupled oxidative deamination of B. unamae CK43B, producing 5 from 4, as gallic acid did. These results suggest that pyrogallol-type plant polyphenols act as stimulators on B. unamae CK43B, causing it to degrade an N-heterocyclic aromatic compound (NHAC) including nitrogen-containing humic substances.

Salkowski's reagent test as a primary screening index for functionalities of rhizobacteria isolated from wild dipterocarp saplings growing naturally on medium-strongly acidic tropical peat soil

Rhizobacteria isolated from wild dipterocarp saplings in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, were subjected to Salkowski's reagent test, which is often used in detecting indolic substances. Among 69 isolates grown in a low-nitrogen medium supplemented with L-tryptophan (TRP), culture fluids of 29 strains were positive to the test, in which 17 bacteria turned red and other 10 pink. All the red type rhizobacteria actively converted TRP into tryptophol (TOL), while some yielded indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) with TOL production. They also showed a capacity to decompose gallotannin into pyrogallol via gallic acid. On the other hand, an active IAA-producing Serratia sp. CK67, and three Fe-solubilizing Burkholderia spp. CK28, CK43, and Citrobacter sp. CK42, were all involved in pink type rhizobacteria, which were more effective, oxidative TRP-degraders than the red type rhizobacteria. Thus, Salkowski's reagent test should be a useful primary index in the screening of functional rhizobacteria in peatland ecosystem.