Distinct bacterial consortia established in ETBE-degrading enrichments from a polluted aquifer

0510934 - BC 2020 RIV CH eng J - Journal Article
Kyselková, Martina - Salles, J.F. - Dumestre, A. - Benoit, Y. - Grundmann, G.L.
Distinct bacterial consortia established in ETBE-degrading enrichments from a polluted aquifer.
Applied Sciences-Basel. Roč. 9, č. 20 (2019), č. článku 4247. E-ISSN 2076-3417
Institutional support: RVO:60077344
Keywords : bacterial community * ETBE biodegradation * ethB gene * ethyl tert-butyl ether * fuel oxygenates * polluted aquifer
OECD category: Microbiology
Impact factor: 2.474, year: 2019
Method of publishing: Open access
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/9/20/4247

Ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE) is a gasoline additive that became an important aquifer pollutant. The information about natural bacterial consortia with a capacity for complete ETBE degradation is limited. Here we assess the taxonomical composition of bacterial communities and diversity of the ethB gene (involved in ETBE biodegradation) in ETBE-enrichment cultures that were established from a gasoline-polluted aquifer, either from anoxic ETBE-polluted plume water (PW), or from an upstream non-polluted water (UW). We used a 16S rRNA microarray, and 16S rRNA and ethB gene sequencing. Despite the dissimilar initial chemical conditions and microbial composition, ETBE-degrading consortia were obtained from both PW and UW. The composition of ETBE-enrichment cultures was distinct from their initial water samples, reflecting the importance of the rare biosphere as a reservoir of potential ETBE degraders. No convergence was observed between the enrichment cultures originating from UW and PW, which were dominated by Mesorhizobium and Hydrogenophaga, respectively, indicating that distinct consortia with the same functional properties may be present at one site. Conserved ethB genes were evidenced in both PW and UW ETBE-enrichment cultures and in PW water. Our results suggest that the presence of ethB genes rather than the taxonomical composition of in situ bacterial communities indicate the potential for the ETBE degradation at a given site.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0301292