Bacterial Strain Improvement for Bioremediation.

Abstract

The gene (vgb) for the bacterial hemoglobin from Vitreoscilla has been cloned in Burkholderia strain DNT which can degrade 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT). The new strain,I YVl, expressed vgb, grew better, survived longer, and degraded DNT faster than - strain DNT. The addition of surfactants and succinate or yeast extract also stimulated DNT degradation up to 99.5%. Measurements of the oxygen kinetics for DNT degradation showed that for all strains the kinetics of oxygen uptake were bip- hasic but could be resolved into two components. Purified VHb added to cell-free extracts of strain DNT stimulated DNT degradation, but not control bovine Rb. Regarding biodegradation of DNT in a soil slurry spiked with DNT, YVl showed a slightly higher degradation rate (ranging from 5 to 18%). When vgb was cloned into E.coli containing the gene for DNT dioxygenase the resultant strain exhibited - enhanced growth, viability, and degraded twice as much DNT under low aeration condi- tions. DNT dioxygenase has been partially purified by gel chromatography; it requir%. NADIl, is stimulated by phospholipids, and inhibited at high ionic strength. Probin the oxygen binding site of VHb using site-directed mutagenesis showed%that the residue GlnE7 was not involved in stabilizing the bound oxygen.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 31, 1998
Accession Number
ADA343644

Entities

People

  • Dale A. Webster

Organizations

  • Illinois Institute of Technology

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aeration
  • Air Force
  • Amino Acids
  • Bacteria
  • Batch Reactors
  • Biodegradation
  • Bioremediation
  • Chromatography
  • Degradation
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Fungi
  • Kinetics
  • Measurement
  • Physical Sciences
  • Succinates
  • Surface Active Substances
  • Viability

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Agricultural Chemistry/Soil Science
  • Microbial Pathology
  • Molecular Genetics

Technology Areas

  • Biotechnology
  • Biotechnology - Bioremediation