Abstract
Six strains of aerobic Gram negative bacteria degrading toluene, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetate, 2,2-dichloropropionate or 3-chlorobenzoate were freeze-dried and liquid-dried in the presence or absence of a protective agent. Survival and maintenance of the biodegradation capability was checked before and after drying, and after storage of the ampoules for one year at 4° or 25°C. In many cases, stability of the degradation potential was low although viability was high. Survival and stability of all strains was always highest after preservation by liquid drying in the presence of myo-inositol and activated charcoal as protective agents. Losses of biodegradation abilities were highest after freeze-drying using no protective agents. Cells grown on complex medium were less sensitive to drying than cells grown under selective pressure (on mineral medium with a special compound as the sole carbon source). A choice of the most appropriate preservation method and the use of an effective protectant is recommended to avoid genetic alterations, and to maintain biodegradation capacities during long-term preservation.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ashwood-Smith, M & Grant, E (1976) Mutation induction in bacteria by freeze-drying. Cryobiology 13: 206
Bedard, DL (1992) Bacterial transformation of polychlorinated biphenyls. In: Kamely, D, Chakrabarty, A & Omenn, GS (Eds) Biotechnology and biodegradation (pp. 369–388). Gulf Publishing Co., Houston
Brunner, W, Staub, D & Leisinger, T (1980) Bacterial degradation of dichloromethane. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 40: 950–958
Cerniglia, CE (1992) Biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Biodegradation 3: 351–368
Crosa, JH & Falkow, S (1981) Plasmids. In: Gerhardt, P, Murray, RGE, Costilow, RN, Nester, EW, Wood, WA, Krieg, NR & Phillips, GB (Eds) Manual of Methods for General Bacteriology (pp. 269–270). American Society for Microbiology, Washington D.C.
Hardman, DJ (1991) Biotransformation of halogenated compounds. Crit. Rev. Biotechnol. 11: 1–40
Keshavarz, T, Lilly, MD, Clarke, PH (1985) Stability of a catabolic plasmid in continuous culture. J. Gen. Microbiol. 131: 1193–1203
Malik, KA (1976) Preservation of Knallgas bacteria. In: Delliveg, H (Ed) Proceedings of Fifth International Fermentation Symposition. (pp. 180). Westkreuz Druckerei and Verlag, Bonn
Malik, KA (1978) Microbial removal of organic sulfur from crude oil and the environment: Some new perspectives. Process Biochemistry 13: 10
Malik, KA (1979) Ne protentials in microbial fuel production, recoveries and cleaning A critical out look. Process Biochemistry 14: 4–9
Malik, KA (1988a) A new freeze-drying method for the preservation of nitrogen-fixing and other fragile bacteria. J. Microbiol. Methods 8: 259–271
Malik, KA (1988b) Long-term preservation of some Rhodospirillaceae by freeze-drying. J. Microbiol. Methods 8: 273–280
Malik, KA (1990) A simplified liquid-drying method for the preservation of microorganisms sensitive to freezing and freeze-drying. J. Microbiol Methods 12: 125–132
Malik, KA & Claus, D (1976) Microbial degradation of dibenzothiophene. In: Dellweg, H (Ed) Proceedings of Fifth International Fermentation Symposium (pp 421). Westkreuz Druckerei und Verlag, Bonn
Miwa, K, Nakamori, S, Sano, K, Momose, H (1984) Stability of recombinant plasmids carrying the threonine operon in Escherichia coli. Agric. Biol Chem. 48: 2233–2237
Nierman, WC & Feldblym, T (1980) Cryopreservation of cultures that contain plasmids. Dev. Ind. Microbiol. 26: 423–434
Sakane, T, Banno, I & Iijima, T (1983) Compounds protecting L-dried cultures from mutation. IFO Res. Comm. 11: 14–24
Salkinoja-Salonen, MS, Väisänen, E, Paterson, A (1979) Involvement of plasmids in the bacterial degradation of lignin-derived compounds. In: Timmis, KN, Pühler, A (Eds.) Plasmids of medical, environmental and commercial importance (pp. 301–314). Elsevier/North-Holland Biomedical Press, Amsterdam
Sayler, GS, Hooper, SW, Layton, AC & King, J (1990) Catabolic plasmids of environmental and ecological significance. J. Microb. Ecol. 19: 1–20
Sherratt, DJ (1982) The maintenance and propagation of plasmid genes in bacterial populations. J. Gen. Microbiol. 128: 655–661
Sidyakina, TM & Golimbet, VE (1991) Viability and genetic stability of the bacterium Escherichia coli HB101 with the recombinant plasmid during preservation by various methods. Cryobiology 28: 251–254
Simione, F (1992) Key issues relating to the genetic stability and preservation of cells and cell banks. J. Parent. Sci. Technol. 46: 226–232
Smith, MR (1990) The biodegradation of aromatic hydrocarbons by bacteria. Biodegradation 1: 191–206
Snell, JJS (1991) General introduction to maintenance methods. In: Kirsop, BE & Doyle, A (Eds) (1991) Maintenance of microorganisms and cultured cells (pp. 21–30). Academic Press, London
Wouters, JTM & vanAndel, JG (1983) Persistence of the R6 plasmid in Escherichia coli grown in chemostat cultures. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 16: 169–174
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lang, E., Malik, K.A. Maintenance of biodegradation capacities of aerobic bacteria during long-term preservation. Biodegradation 7, 65–71 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00056559
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00056559