Characterization of bacterial strains capable of desulphurisation in soil and sediment samples from Antarctica.
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Date
2010
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Abstract
The presence of sulphur in fossil fuels and the
natural environment justifies the study of sulphur-utilising
bacterial species and genes involved in the biodesulphurisation
process. Technology has been developed based on
the natural ability of microorganisms to remove sulphur
from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon chains. This biotechnology
aims to minimise the emission of sulphur oxides
into the atmosphere during combustion and prevent the
formation of acid rain. In this study, the isolation and
characterization of desulphurising microorganisms in rhizosphere
and bulk soil samples from Antarctica that were
either contaminated with oil or uncontaminated was
described. The growth of selected isolates and their
capacity to utilise sulphur based on the formation of the
terminal product of desulphurisation via the 4S pathway,
2-hydroxybiphenyl, was analysed. DNA was extracted
from the isolates and BOX-PCR and DNA sequencing
were performed to obtain a genomic diversity profile of
cultivable desulphurising bacterial species. Fifty isolates
were obtained showing the ability of utilising dibenzothiophene
as a substrate and sulphur source for maintenance
and growth when plated on selective media.
However, only seven genetically diverse isolates tested
positive for sulphur removal using the Gibbs assay. DNA
sequencing revealed that these isolates were related to the
genera Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas.
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Keywords
Antarctic microbiology, Biodesulphurisation, Dibenzothiophene, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter
Citation
BONIEK, D. et al. Characterization of bacterial strains capable of desulphurisation in soil and sediment samples from Antarctica. Extremophiles, v. 14, p. 475-481, 2010. Disponível em: <http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00792-010-0326-3>. Acesso em: 19 fev. 2017.