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Differences between 4-fluoroaniline degradation and autoinducer release by Acinetobacter sp. TW: implications for operating conditions in bacterial bioaugmentation

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Abstract

To develop a bacterial bioaugmentation system for fluorine-containing industrial wastewater treatment, optimal conditions for 4-fluoroaniline (4-FA) degradation and autoinducer release in Acinetobacter sp. TW were determined. Quorum sensing in biofilms of strain TW was also investigated. Different optimal conditions exist for 4-FA degradation and autoinducer release, particularly with regard to pH. Quorum sensing modulates extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) secretion and biofilm formation in the strain but plays no role in 4-FA degradation. Under optimal conditions for 4-FA degradation, the release of N-3-oxo-hexanoyl-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C6-HSL) and N-hexanoyl-homoserine lactone (C6-HSL) in strain TW was significantly lower than required for quorum sensing. Under optimal conditions for autoinducer release, on the other hand, 3-oxo-C6-HSL and C6-HSL levels exceeded the quorum sensing thresholds, thereby inducing EPS secretion and biofilm formation. We conclude that the optimal conditions for autoinducer release (25 °C, pH 5, 800 mg L−1 4-FA, and 0 % NaCl) are suitable for bacterial colonization in bioaugmentation, while those for 4-FA degradation (25–30 °C, pH 8 and 800 mg L−1 4-FA) maximize the system performance after colonization.

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Abbreviations

AHLs:

Acylated homoserine lactones

C6-HSL:

N-Hexanoyl-homoserine lactone

EPS:

Extracellular polymeric substances

4-FA:

4-Fluoroaniline

β-Gal:

β-Galactosidase

HPLC:

High-performance liquid chromatography

ISM:

Inorganic salt medium

LB:

Luria-Bertani

3-oxo-C6-HSL:

N-3-oxo-hexanoyl-homoserine lactone

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation of China (grant no. 21107095), the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province (grant no. Y5110019), and the Special Foundation of Young Scientists of Zhejiang Gongshang University (grant no. QZ11-7).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, 310012, China

    Meizhen Wang, Junjie Xu, Juehua Wang, Shuo Wang, Huajun Feng, Jiali Shentu & Dongsheng Shen

  2. Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, Hangzhou, 310012, China

    Meizhen Wang, Huajun Feng, Jiali Shentu & Dongsheng Shen

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  1. Meizhen Wang
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  2. Junjie Xu
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  3. Juehua Wang
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  4. Shuo Wang
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  7. Dongsheng Shen
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Correspondence to Meizhen Wang.

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Wang, M., Xu, J., Wang, J. et al. Differences between 4-fluoroaniline degradation and autoinducer release by Acinetobacter sp. TW: implications for operating conditions in bacterial bioaugmentation. Environ Sci Pollut Res 20, 6201–6209 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-1660-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-1660-7

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