AtzABC Catabolic Gene Probe from Novel Atrazine-Degrading Rhodococcus Strain Isolated from a Nigerian Agricultural Soil

Ahmed Faruk Umar, Fatimah Tahir, Michael J. Larkin, Olubukola Mojisola Oyawoye, Balarabe Lawal Musa, Mohammed Bello Yerima, Ediga Bede Agbo

Biological Sciences Programme, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Nigeria.
Microbiology Department, Usmanu Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, Nigeria.
Queens University Environmental and Genomic Research (QUESTOR) Center, Queens University of Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK.

DOI: 10.4236/aim.2012.24077                

Abstract

A batch enrichment technique was used to isolate atrazine-degrading Rhodococcus sp strain from an agricultural land with history of atrazine application in Bauchi state, Northeastern Nigeria. The strain was identified on the basis of physiological, biochemical and 16S r RNA gene sequencing. Growth studies and HPLC analysis showed that the strain has potential of atrazine degradation. An investigation into the catabolic genes Atz ABC, which transform atrazine to cyanuric acid, confirms the chromosomal DNA of strain to harbor BC genes, as compared with the positive control, Rhodococcus jostii RHA1. The strain does not possess the Atz A in all catabolic gene probe carried out. The isolation and characterization of the Rhodococcus sp strain showed that catabolic genes may have evolved from a single origin with widespread global distribution, with possible potential in atrazine bioremediation.

Keywords

Enrichment; Catabolic Genes; Bioremediation; Atrazine

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	R. D. Fletcher, “Bioremediation of Aviation Oil Spill: An Environmental Alternative,” Journal of Industrial Microbial, Vol. 7, No. 1, 2002, pp. 28-111.
[2]	J. K. Struthers, K. Jayachandranand and T. B. Moorman, “Biodegradation of Atrazine by Agrobacterium radiobacter J14a and Use of This Strain in Bioremediation of Sediments and Surface Water,” American Chemical Society, Vol. 42, No. 2, 1998, pp. 432-436.
[3]	M. L. De Souza, J. S. Martinez, M. J. B. Sadousky and L. P. Wackett, “The Atrazine Catabolism Genes atz ABC Are Widespread and Highly Conserved,” Journal of Bacteriology, American Society of Microbiology, Vol. 180, No. 7, 1998, pp. 1951-1954.
[4]	P. K. Donelly, J. A. Entry and D. L. Crawford, “Degradation of Atrazine and 2, 4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid by Mycorrhizal Fungi at Three Nitrogen Concentrations in Vitro,” Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Vol. 59, 1993, pp. 2642-2647.
[5]	Y. Zeng, L. S. Collin, S. Stephen and P. Kothar, “Atrazine Degradation Pathway,” 2006. http://umbb.msi.umn.edu./atr/map.html
[6]	P. A. Vaishampayan, P. P. Kanekar and P. K. Dhakephalkar, “Isolation and Characterization of Athrobacter sp Strain MCM B-436, an Atrazine-Degrading Bacterium, from Rhizospheric Soil,” International Biodeterioration, Vol. 60, 2007, pp. 273-278 doi:10.1016/j.ibiod.2007.05.001
[7]	V. Garcia-Gonzalez, F. Gorantes, O. Porrua and E. Santero, “Regulation of the Pseudomonas sp Strain ADP Cyanuric Acid Degradation Operon,” Journal of Bacteriology, Vol. 187, No. 1, 2006, pp. 155-167. doi:10.1128/JB.187.1.155-167.2005
[8]	M. Fazlurrahmam, M. Batra, J. Pandey, C. R. Suri and R. K. Jain, “Isolation and Characterization of an Atrazine-Degrading Rhodococcus sp Strain MP-P1 from Contaminated Soil,” Letters in Applied Microbiology, Vol. 49, No. 6, 2009, pp. 721-729.
[9]	E. L. Kruger, J. C. Anhal, D. Sorensen, B. Nelson, A. L. Chouhy, T. A. Anderson and J. R. Coats, “Atrazine Degradation in Pesticide-Contaminated Soils, Phytoremediation,” American Chemical Society of Symposium Series 664,Washington DC, 1997, pp. 54-64.
[10]	R. T. Mandelbaum, D. L. Allan and L. P. Wackett, “Isolation and Characterization of a Pseudomonas sp. That Mineralizes the S-Triazine Herbicide Atrazine,” Journal of Applied and Environmental Microbiology, American Society for Microbiology, Vol. 61, No. 4, 1995, pp. 1451-1457.
[11]	M. Radosevich and O. H. Tuovinen, “Microbial Degradation of Atrazine in Soils, Sediments and Surface Water,” American Chemical Society, Vol. 42, No. 2, 2002, pp. 432-436.
[12]	Z. Arbelli and C. Fuentes, “Prevalence of the Genes trzN and Biogeographic Patterns among Atrazine-Degrading Bacteria Isolated from 13 Colombian Agricultural Soils. Federation of European Microbiological Societies,” Microbial Ecology, Vol. 72, 2010, pp. 611-623.
[13]	M. De Souza, J. Seffernick, B. Martinez, M. J. Sadousky and L. P. Wackett, “The Atrazine Catabolism Genes atz ABC Are Widespread and Highly Conserved,” Journal of Bacteriology, American Society for Microbiology, 1998, pp. 1951-1954.