Monitoring of alkane-degrading bacteria in a sea-water microcosm during crude oil degradation by polymerase chain reaction based on alkane-catabolic genes

• Published in: Environmental microbiology Vol. 5; no. 6; pp. 517 - 522
• Main Authors: Sei, Kazunari, Sugimoto, Yoshiro, Mori, Kazuhiro, Maki, Hideaki, Kohno, Tetsuro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science Ltd 01-06-2003
• Subjects: Alkanes - metabolism; Bacteria - genetics; Bacteria - metabolism; Biodegradation, Environmental; Cytochrome P-450 CYP4A - genetics; Cytochrome P-450 CYP4A - metabolism; DNA, Bacterial - analysis; DNA, Ribosomal - analysis; Petroleum - metabolism; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Seawater; Water Microbiology
• ISSN: 1462-2912; 1462-2920
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1462-2920.2003.00447.x

Summary
Behaviour of microbial populations responsible for degrading n‐alkanes, a major component of crude oil, was monitored during crude oil degradation in a sea‐water microcosm by both traditional colony culturing and molecular techniques. A DNA extraction method applicable to crude oil‐amended sea‐water samples was developed to obtain DNA applicable to most probable number (MPN) polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The population of alkane‐degrading bacteria responsible for degradation of n‐alkanes in a crude oil‐amended microcosm altered, so that shorter alkanes were degraded first by alkane‐degrading bacteria possessing alkane hydroxylase genes from group I (Kohno et al., 2002, Microb Environ 17: 114–121) and longer ones afterwards by those possessing alkane hydroxylase genes from group II. Thus, the degradation mechanism of the n‐alkanes can be clarified during crude oil degradation. Application of the method of detecting different types of alkane‐catabolic genes, as shown in the present study, enabled bacterial groups preferring alkanes of either shorter or longer chain lengths to be enumerated selectively.