• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.245-249
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• 2000

Catabolic pathways for the degradation of various aromatics by Sphingomonas yanoikuyae Bl are intertwined, joining at the level of substituted benzoates, which are further degraded vita ring cleavage reactions. The mutant strain EK497, which was constructed by deleting a large DNA region containing most of the genes for biphenyl, naphthalene, m-xylene, and m-toluate degradation, was unable to grow on all of the aromatics tested except for benzoate as the sole source of carbon and energy.S. yanoikuyae EK497 was found to possess only catechol ortho-ring cleavage activity due to deletion of the genes for the meta-cleavage pathway. Wild-type S. yanoikuyae Bl grown on benzoate has both catechol orthoand meta-cleavage activity. However, m-xylene and m-toluate, which are metabolized through methylbenzoate, and biphenyl, which is metabolized through benzoate, induce only the meta-cleavage pathway, suggesting the presence of a substrate-dependent induction mechanism.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.177-179
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• 2019

Pseudomonas kribbensis CHA-19 was isolated from a temperate forest soil (mid latitude) in New Jersey, USA, for its ability to degrade humic acids, a main component of humic substances (HS), and subsequently confirmed to be able to decolorize lignin (a surrogate for HS) and catabolize lignin-derived ferulic and vanillic acids. The draft genome sequence of CHA-19 was analyzed to discover the putative genes for depolymerization of polymeric HS (e.g., dye-decolorizing peroxidases and laccase-like multicopper oxidases) and catabolic degradation of HS-derived small aromatics (e.g., vanillate O-demethylase and biphenyl 2,3-dioxygenase). The genes for degradative activity were used to propose a HS degradation pathway of soil bacteria.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.167-172
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• 1996

The bacterial strain P2 degrading polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was isolated from the soil around the Shinchun stream in Taegu after enrichment culture in a media containing biphenyl as the sole carbon source. The isolate was identified as a strain of Pseudomonas sp. based on its morphological and physiological characteristics. The optimal conditions of initial pH of media and temperature for growth were 7.0 and $30^{\circ}C$, respectively. Degradation of biphenyl and PCBs was confirmed by GC during the culture of Pseudomonas sp. P2 in a media containing them at a concentration of 500 mg/I. It was observed that Pseudomonas sp. P2 could degrade 97.0$%$ of biphenyl and 60.0$%$ of PCBs after 160 h culture.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.302-311
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• 2004

Comamonas testosteroni (formerly Pseudomonas sp.) NCIMB 10643 can grow on biphenyl and alkylbenzenes $(C_2-C_7)$ via 3-substituted catechols. Thus, to identify the genes encoding the degradation, transposon-mutagenesis was carried out using pAG408, a promoter-probe mini-transposon with a green fluorescent protein (GFP), as a reporter. A mutant, NT-1, which was unable to grow on alkylbenzenes and biphenyl, accumulated catechols and exhibited an enhanced expression of GFP upon exposure to these substrates, indicating that the gfp had been inserted in a gene encoding a broad substrate range catechol 2,3-dioxygenase. The genes (2,826 bp) flanking the gfp cloned from an SphI-digested fragment contained three complete open reading frames that were designated bphCDorfl. The deduced amino acid sequences of bphCDorfl were identical to 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl 1,2-dioxygenase (BphC), 2-hydroxy-6-oxo-6-phenylhexa-2,4-dienoate hydrolase (BphD), and OrfI, respectively, that are all involved in the degradation of biphenyl/4-chlorobiphenyl (bph) by Ralstonia oxalatica A5. The deduced amino acid sequence of the orfl revealed a similarity to those of outer membrane proteins belonging to the OmpW family. The introduction of the bphCDorfl genes enabled the NT-l mutant to grow on aromatic hydrocarbons. In addition, PCR analysis indicated that the DNA sequence and gene organization of the bph operon were closely related to those in the bph operon from Tn4371 identified in strain A5. Furthermore, strain A5 was also able to grow on a similar set of alkylbenzenes as strain NCIMB 10643, demonstrating that, among the identified aromatic hydrocarbon degradation pathways, the bph degradation pathway related to Tn4371 was the most versatile in catabolizing a variety of aromatic hydrocarbons of mono- and bicyclic benzenes.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.657-663
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• 1996

Pseudomonas sp. P20 isolated from the polluted environment is capable of degrading biphenyl and 4-chlorobiphenyl. The pcbABCD genes responsible for degradation of biphenyl and 4-chlorobiphenyl were cloned using pBluescript SK(+) from the chromosomal DNA of Pseudomonas sp. P20 to construct pCK1 and pCK102, harbouring pcbABCD and pcbCD, respectively. The 2, 3-DHBP dioxygenase gene, pcbC, was cloned again from pCK102 by using pKT230 which is known as a shuttle vector and pKK1 hybrid plasmid was constructed. The E. coli KK1 transformant obtained by transforming the pKK1 into E. coli XL1-Blue showed 2, 3-DHBP dioxygenase activity. The specific 2, 3-DHBP dioxygenase activity of E. coli KK1 was similar to that of the E. coli CK102, but much higher than those of the natural isolates, Pseudomonas sp. DJ-12 and Pseudomonas sp. P20.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.129-134
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• 1993

The pchAB genes of Pseudomonas sp. DJ-12 produce the enzymes of 4-chlorobipheny] (4CB) dioxygenase and dihydrodiol dehydrogenase which act on the first and second steps in degradation of 4CB and biphenyl. The genes were cloned in E coli XLI-Blue. The pcbAB genes of about 2.2 kb in size were contained in the pCUlO1 hybrid plasmid in the cloned cell of CUIOI. The genes were found to have their own promoter and three restriction sites for HindlII. 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl was detected by the resting cell assay, as the metabolite transformed from biphenyl by the cloned cell of CUIOI. This means that the pcbAB genes are well expressed in E. coli. But dechlorination was unlikely involved in the pchAB gene expression but was believed to occur by functioning on 4CBA produced after ring-cleavage of 4CB.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.185-192
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• 1999

A phenanthrene-degrading bacterium was isolated from an oil-spilled intertidal sediment sample and identified as Sphingomonas sp. KH3-2. The strain degraded polycyclic aromatic compounds such naphthalene, fluorene, biphenyl, and dibenzothiophene. When strain KH3-2 was cultured for 28 days at 25C, a total of 500 ppm of phenanthrene was degrated with a concomitant production of biomass and Folin-Ciocalteau reactive aromatic intermediates. Analysis of intermediates during phenanthrene degradation using high-performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry indicated that Sphingomonas sp. KH3-2 primarily degrades phenanthrene to 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (1H2NA) and further metabolizes 1H2NA through the degradation pathway of naphthalene.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.147-156
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• 2014

Objectives: This study was carried out to examine whether the apparent photolysis with or without sensitizers [NaOH and humic acid (HA)] was prompted photodegradation of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) in aqueous solution. Methods: PCBs photodegradation occurred using fluorescence black lamps at ${\lambda}_{max}=300nm$. PCB congeners were exposed in 10 ppm HA or 0.05N NaOH solutions, to investigate the decreasing profile of PCB concentration with time. The PCBs were then analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Reductive degradation profile of PCB congeners in the presence of both sensitizers under oxygen-saturated protic conditions was described using the wind-rose diagrams. Results: Use of HA or NaOH decreased PCB concentration with time in the dark and on irradiation, indicating that photolysis underwent through reductive dechlorination through energy transfer and possibly with reactive oxygens. The dechlorination was marked by a chromatographic shift, observed in the GC-MS plots. Therefore it is logical to assume that increasing the dose of sensitizers would increase the photodegradation rates of PCBs. The half-lives of pentachloro-PCB (penta-3) in 0.05N NaOH and 10 ppm HA were estimated at about 47 hours and 39 hours, respectively, under the same experimental conditions of photolysis. It was found that the rate of photolysis of pentachloro-PCB in aqueous solution followed apparent first-order kinetics compared to other congeners. Conclusion: Photochemical degradation (using 328 nm UV light) of penta- and hexa-PCBs in HA or alkaline solution is a viable method for pretreatment method. The results are helpful for the further comprehension of the reaction mechanism for photolytic dechlorination of PCBs in aquatic system.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.952-957
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• 2008

A Gram-negative bacterium, named LY402, was isolated from contaminated soil. 16S rDNA sequencing and measurement of the physiological and biochemical characteristics identified it as belonging to the genus Enterohacter. Degradation experiments showed that LY402 had the ability to aerobically transform 79 of the 91 major congeners of Aroclor 1242, 1254, and 1260. However, more interestingly, the strain readily degraded certain highly chlorinated and recalcitrant polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Almost all the tri- and tetra-chlorobiphenyls (CBs), except for 3,4,3',4'-CB, were degraded in 3 days, whereas 73% of 3,4,3',4'-, 92% of the penta-, 76% of the hexa-, and 37% of the hepta-CBs were transformed after 6 days. In addition, among 12 octa-CBs, 2,2',3,3',5,5',6,6-CB was obviously degraded, and 2,2',3,3',4,5,6,6'- and 2,2',3,3',4,5,5',6'-CB were slightly transformed. In a metabolite analysis, mono- and dichlorobenzoic acids (CBAs) were identified, and parts of them were also transformed by strain LY402. Analysis of PCB degradation indicated that strain LY402 could effectively degrade PCB congeners with chlorine substitutions in both ortho- and para-positions. Consequently, this is the first report of an Enterobacteria that can efficiently degrade both low and highly chlorinated PCBs under aerobic conditions.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.487-494
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• 2003

2,3-Dihydroxybiphenyl 1,2-dioxygenase (23DBDO), an enzyme of the biphenyl biodegradation pathway encoded by the bphC gene of Comnmonas sp. SMN4, was expressed and purified using column chromatographies. SDS-PAGE of purified 23DBDO showed a single band with a molecular mass of 32 kDa, which was consistent with the data from the gel filtration chromatography (GFC). The purified enzyme exhibited a maximum 23DBDO activity at pH 9.0 and was stable at pH 8.0. The enzyme showed maximum activity at $40^{\circ}C$ and maintained activity at $30^{\circ}C$ for 24 h. Kinetic parameters represented by Michaelis-Menten constants such as $K_m\;and\;V_{max}$ values for various substrates were determined by Lineweaver-Burk plots: The purified enzyme 23DBDO from Comamonas sp. SMN4 had the highest catalytic activity for 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl and 3-methylcatechol, and had very poor activity with catechol and 4-methylcatechol.