Jitka Navrátilová

Characterization of Rhodococcus wratislaviensis strain J3 that degrades 4-nitrocatechol and other nitroaromatic compounds

The bacterial strain J3 was isolated from soil by selective enrichment on mineral medium containing 4-nitrocatechol as the sole carbon and energy source. This strain was identified as Rhodococcus wratislaviensis on the basis of morphology, biochemical, physiological and chemotaxonomic characterization and complete sequencing of the 16S rDNA gene. The isolated bacterium could utilize 4-nitrocatechol, 3-nitrophenol and 5-nitroguaiacol as sole carbon and energy sources. Stoichiometric release of nitrites was measured during degradation of 4-nitrocatechol both in growing cultures and for stationary phase cells. The J3 strain was unable to degrade 4-nitroguaiacol, 2-nitrophenol, 4-nitrophenol, 2,4-dinitrobenzoic acid, 4,5-dimethoxy-2-nitrobenzoic acid and 2,3-difluoro-6-nitrophenol. The J3 strain is deposited in the Czech Collection of Microorganisms as CCM 4930.

Degradation of 5-nitroguaiacol by soil bacteria of the genusRhodococcus

Two bacterial strains were isolated from forest soil by selective enrichment of the mineral medium containing 4-nitropyrocatechol as the sole carbon and energy source. Both strains could utilize 4-nitropyrocatechol and 5-nitroguaiacol. Degradation of 5-nitroguaiacol and stoichiometric release of nitrites was measured during its degradation both in growing culture and for resting cells. Both strains were unable to degrade other nitroaromatic compounds such as 4-nitroguaiacol, 2-nitrophenol, 3-nitrophenol, 4-nitrophenol, 2,4-dinitrobenzoic acid, 4,5-dimethyoxy-2-nitrobenzoic acid and 2,3-difluoro-6-nitrophenol. One strain was identified asRhodococcus opacus and the second one asRhodococcus sp.