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Isolation of Rhodococcus sp. CMGCZ Capable to Degrade High Concentration of Fluoranthene

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Abstract

A bacterial strain CMGCZ was isolated from an abandoned oil field soil sample and identified as Rhodococcus sp. by 16S rRNA sequencing. Rhodococcus sp. CMGCZ was investigated for the degradation of model polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Iranian light crude oil (ILCO) as a sole carbon source in minimal medium. Biodegradation enhancement was attained by supplementing the minimal medium with yeast extract (YE). Rhodococcus sp. CMGCZ was capable to degrade 13.2 % naphthalene (Nap), 13.1 % phenanthrene (Phe), and 99.3 % fluoranthene (Fla) in 1 week and 11 % aliphatic fraction of ILCO in 2 weeks as a sole carbon and energy source. Effect of YE supplementation on degradation potential of Rhodococcus sp. CMGCZ depended upon the added hydrocarbon in the medium. YE completely inhibited Nap degradation, slightly enhanced degradation of Phe (14.8 %) and ILCO aliphatics (13.2 %), and promoted a more rapid degradation of Fla (100 %). YE addition promoted rapid degradation of Fla and eliminated delay of 24 h in Fla degradation that was observed in minimal medium. Rhodococcus sp. CMGCZ was capable to degrade high concentrations of Fla (1000 mg l−1). Rieske [Fe2-S2] center was amplified in Rhodococcus sp. CMGCZ that exhibited homology with Rieske [Fe2-S2] domain protein of Mycobacterium species and pahAC gene of uncultured bacterium clones.

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Abbreviations

ARHDs:

Aromatic-ring-hydroxylating dioxygenases

Fla:

Fluoranthene

HMW:

High molecular weight

ILCO:

Iranian light crude oil

LB:

Luria Bertani

LMW:

Low molecular weight

MSM:

Minimal salt medium

Nap:

Naphthalene

PAHs:

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

PCB:

Polychlorinated biphenyl

Phe:

Phenanthrene

Pyr:

Pyrene

YE:

Yeast extract

YMSM:

MSM supplemented with 0.05 % YE

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Higher Education Commission, Pakistan, under the program International Research Support Initiative Program.

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  1. Rifat Zubair Ahmed

    Present address: Department of Postgraduate Studies and Research, National Institute of Blood Disease and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Karachi, 73300, Pakistan

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  1. Centre for Molecular Genetics, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan

    Rifat Zubair Ahmed & Nuzhat Ahmed

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Ahmed, R.Z., Ahmed, N. Isolation of Rhodococcus sp. CMGCZ Capable to Degrade High Concentration of Fluoranthene. Water Air Soil Pollut 227, 162 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-016-2857-4

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