This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Winkler, J. Articles by Snyder, R. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Winkler, J. Articles by Snyder, R. A. Agricola Articles by Winkler, J. Articles by Snyder, R. A.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl. Environ. Microbiol., Feb 1995, 448-455, Vol 61, No. 2
Copyright © 1995, American Society for Microbiology

Tracking the Response of Burkholderia cepacia G4 5223-PR1 in Aquifer Microcosms

J Winkler, KN Timmis and RA Snyder
Department of Microbiology, National Research Center for Biotechnology, D-38124 Braunschweig, Germany, and Center for Environmental Diagnostic and Bioremediation, University of West Florida, Pensacola, Florida 32514

The introduction of bacteria into the environment for bioremediation purposes (bioaugmentation) requires analysis and monitoring of microbial population dynamics to define persistence and activity from both efficacy and risk assessment perspectives. Burkholderia cepacia G4 5223-PR1 is a Tn5 insertion mutant which constitutively expresses a toluene ortho-monooxygenase that degrades trichloroethylene (TCE). This ability of G4 5223-PR1 to degrade TCE without aromatic induction may be useful for bioremediation of TCE-containing aquifers and groundwater. Thus, a simulated aquifer sediment system and groundwater microcosms were used to monitor the survival of G4 5223-PR1. The fate of G4 5223-PR1 in sediment was monitored by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy, a colony blot assay, and growth on selective medium. G4 5223-PR1 was detected immunologically by using a highly specific monoclonal antibody which reacted against the O-specific polysaccharide chain of the lipopolysaccharides of this organism. G4 5223-PR1 survived well in sterilized groundwater, although in nonsterile groundwater microcosms rapid decreases in the G4 5223-PR1 cell population were observed. Ten days after inoculation no G4 5223-PR1 cells could be detected by selective plating or immunofluorescence. G4 5223-PR1 survival was greater in a nonsterile aquifer sediment microcosm, although after 22 days of elution the number of G4 5223-PR1 cells was low. Our results demonstrate the utility of monoclonal antibody tracking methods and the importance of biotic interactions in determining the persistence of introduced microorganisms.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Fuller, M. E., Streger, S. H., Rothmel, R. K., Mailloux, B. J., Hall, J. A., Onstott, T. C., Fredrickson, J. K., Balkwill, D. L., DeFlaun, M. F. (2000). Development of a Vital Fluorescent Staining Method for Monitoring Bacterial Transport in Subsurface Environments. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 66: 4486-4496 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Robertson, B. R., Button, D. K., Koch, A. L. (1998). Determination of the Biomasses of Small Bacteria at Low Concentrations in a Mixture of Species with Forward Light Scatter Measurements by Flow Cytometry. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 64: 3900-3909 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Christensen, B. B., Sternberg, C., Andersen, J. B., Eberl, L., Møller, S., Givskov, M., Molin, S. (1998). Establishment of New Genetic Traits in a Microbial Biofilm Community. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 64: 2247-2255 [Abstract] [Full Text]