Abstract
A denitrifying bacterium was isolated from a river sediment after enrichment on 3-chlorobenzoate under anoxic, denitrifying conditions. The bacterium, designated strain 3CB-1, degraded 3-chlorobenzoate, 3-bromobenzoate, and 3-iodobenzoate with stoichiometric release of halide under conditions supporting anaerobic growth by denitrification. The 3-halobenzoates and 3-hydroxybenzoate were used as growth substrates with nitrate as the terminal electron acceptor. The doubling time when growing on 3-halobenzoates ranged from 18 to 25 h. On agar plates with 1 mM 3-chlorobenzoate as the sole carbon source and 30 mM nitrate as the electron acceptor, strain 3CB-1 formed small colonies (1–2 mm in diameter) in 2 to 3 weeks. Anaerobic degradation of both 3-chlorobenzoate and 3-hydroxybenzoate was dependent on nitrate as an electron acceptor and resulted in nitrate reduction corresponding to the stoichiometric values for complete oxidation of the substrate to CO2. 3-Chlorobenzoate was not degraded in the presence of oxygen. 3-Bromobenzoate and 3-iodobenzoate were also degraded under denitrifying conditions with stoichiometric release of halide, but 3-fluorobenzoate was not utilized by the bacterium. Utilization of 3-chlorobenzoate was inducible, while synthesis of enzymes for 3-hydroxybenzoate degradation was constitutively low, but inducible. Degradation was specific to the position of the halogen substituent, and strain 3CB-1 did not utilize 2- or 4-chlorobenzoate.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received: 6 November 1998 / Accepted: 19 January 1999
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Häggblom, M., Young, L. Anaerobic degradation of 3-halobenzoates by a denitrifying bacterium. Arch Microbiol 171, 230–236 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002030050704
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002030050704