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Diversity and Activity of Bacterial Biofilm Communities Growing on Hexachlorocyclohexane

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Abstract

γ-Hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH) persists in the environment and is recalcitrant to microbial degradation. To determine the extent of the microbial potential for the degradation of γ-HCH the diversity of bacteria from 12 soil samples collected around insecticide- and pesticide-producing factories in Egypt were assessed and compared with biofilm communities grown on γ-HCH microcrystals. From all samples, highly diverse microbes were isolated, able to grow on γ-HCH as sole source of carbon. The same soil samples were used to inoculate γ-HCH microcrystals on a substratum in microcosms to grow biofilm communities. All soil samples formed multispecies biofilms on γ-HCH. Biofilms stained with Nile Red showed distinct cell clusters of high hydrophobicity, and it is speculated that these aggregates have a substantial role in the degradation of the hydrophobic substrate. While many Bacillus species were isolated, this group was almost absent in the different biofilm communities. The finding of cells with highly hydrophobic envelopes together with the differences in species composition between isolates and interacting microbial communities points to fundamental differences in the interaction with hydrophobic substrates of single strains and microbial communities.

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Acknowledgements

We are indebted to Jennifer Skerra and Esther Surges for all their help in the laboratory and to Dr. Maximiliano G. Gutierrez for his efforts in the microscopic studies. A.S.G. acknowledges a Ph.D. stipend from the Egyptian mission government.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. HZI—Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Chemical Microbiology, Inhoffenstraße 7, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany

    Ahmed Shawky Gebreil & Wolf-Rainer Abraham

  2. Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt

    Ahmed Shawky Gebreil

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  1. Ahmed Shawky Gebreil
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  2. Wolf-Rainer Abraham
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Correspondence to Wolf-Rainer Abraham.

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Gebreil, A.S., Abraham, WR. Diversity and Activity of Bacterial Biofilm Communities Growing on Hexachlorocyclohexane. Water Air Soil Pollut 227, 295 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-016-2988-7

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