Medium-chain alkane biodegradation and its link to some unifying attributes of alkB genes diversity

Fenibo, Emmanuel O.; Selvarajan, Ramganesh; Abia, Akebe Luther King; Matambo, Tonderayi

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162951

Cited by 13 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 199 publications

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“…These particular genes are known for their role in the production of enzymes that convert alkanes into alcohols. These alcohols are then further processed into fatty acids and finally broken down via the bacterial β-oxidation pathway (Rojo 2009 ; Fenibo et al 2023a ). In this study, all genes related to degradation were identified, suggesting that microorganisms capable of degrading petroleum hydrocarbons might display a biogeographic distribution of functional genes associated with degradation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterization and identification of long-chain hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial communities in long-term chronically polluted soil in Ogoniland: an integrated approach using culture-dependent and independent methods

Okoye,

Selvarajan,

Chikere

et al. 2024

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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Escalating oil consumption has resulted in an increase in accidental spills of petroleum hydrocarbons, causing severe environmental degradation, notably in vulnerable regions like the Niger Delta. Complex mixture of these hydrocarbons particularly long-chain alkanes presents unique challenges in restoration of polluted environment due to their chemical properties. This study aimed to investigate the long-chain hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial communities within long-term chronically polluted soil in Ogoniland, by utilizing both traditional cultivation methods and modern culture-independent techniques. Results revealed that surface-polluted soil (SPS) and subsurface soil (SPSS) exhibit significantly higher total organic carbon (TOC) ranging from 5.64 to 5.06% and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) levels ranging from 36,775 ppm to 14,087 ppm, compared to unpolluted soil (UPS) with 1.97% TOC and 479 ppm TPH, respectively. Analysis of carbon chain lengths reveals the prevalence of longer-chain alkanes (C20-28) in the surface soil. Culture-dependent methods, utilizing crude oil enrichment (COE) and paraffin wax enrichment (PWE), yield 47 bacterial isolates subjected to a long-chain alkane degradation assay. Twelve bacterial strains demonstrate significant degradation abilities across all enriched media. Three bacterial members, namely Pseudomonas sp. (almA), Marinomonas sp. (almA), and Alteromonas (ladA), exhibit genes responsible for long-chain alkane degradation, demonstrating efficiency between 50 and 80%. Culture-independent analysis reveals that surface SPS samples exhibit greater species richness and diversity compared to subsurface SPSS samples. Proteobacteria dominates as the phylum in both soil sample types, ranging from 22.23 to 82.61%, with Firmicutes (0.2–2.22%), Actinobacteria (0.4–3.02%), and Acidobacteria (0.1–3.53%) also prevalent. Bacterial profiles at genus level revealed that distinct variations among bacterial populations between SPS and SPSS samples comprising number of hydrocarbon degraders and the functional predictions also highlight the presence of potential catabolic genes (nahAa, adh2, and cpnA) in the polluted soil. However, culture-dependent analysis only captured a few of the dominant members found in culture-independent analysis, implying that more specialized media or environments are needed to isolate more bacterial members. The findings from this study contribute valuable information to ecological and biotechnological aspects, aiding in the development of more effective bioremediation applications for restoring oil-contaminated environments.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%