Simultaneous degradation of chloro- and methylaromatics via ortho pathway by genetically engineered bacteria and natural soil isolates

Abstract

The simultaneous bacterial metabolism of chloro- and methylaromatics via ortho- or metapathway, normally results in incomplete degradation and death of the organisms. This is caused by misrouting of central intermediates. i.e. substituted catechols into unproductive pathways and suicide inactivation of the key enzyme of meta pathway, (catechol 2,3-dioxygenase). The meta pathway proved to be definitely unsuited for productive metabolism of chloroaromatics. Therefore two strategies were used for simultaneous degradation of mixtures of chloro- and methylaromatics via ortho pathways: Methyllactons or certain mixtures of chloro- and methylaromatics were used as enrichment substrates, yielding strains which metabolized these compounds almost exclusively via the desired pathway. Alternatively relevant enzymes from five different catabolic pathways of three distinct soil bacteria were combined in a patchwork fashion generating a functional ortho cleavage route for methylaromatics coexisting with the ortho cleavage pathway of chloroaromatics.