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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, August 1998, p. 2864-2868, Vol. 64, No. 8
0099-2240/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Aerobic Degradation of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene by Enterobacter cloacae PB2 and by Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate Reductase

Christopher E. French,1,dagger Stephen Nicklin,2 and Neil C. Bruce1,*

Institute of Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QT,1 and Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, Fort Halstead, Sevenoaks, Kent TN14 7BP,2 United Kingdom

Received 17 February 1998/Accepted 2 June 1998

Enterobacter cloacae PB2 was originally isolated on the basis of its ability to utilize nitrate esters, such as pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) and glycerol trinitrate, as the sole nitrogen source for growth. The enzyme responsible is an NADPH-dependent reductase designated PETN reductase. E. cloacae PB2 was found to be capable of slow aerobic growth with 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) as the sole nitrogen source. Dinitrotoluenes were not produced and could not be used as nitrogen sources. Purified PETN reductase was found to reduce TNT to its hydride-Meisenheimer complex, which was further reduced to the dihydride-Meisenheimer complex. Purified PETN reductase and recombinant Escherichia coli expressing PETN reductase were able to liberate nitrogen as nitrite from TNT. The ability to remove nitrogen from TNT suggests that PB2 or recombinant organisms expressing PETN reductase may be useful for bioremediation of TNT-contaminated soil and water.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Institute of Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Rd., Cambridge, CB2 1QT, United Kingdom. Phone: 44 (0) 1223 334168. Fax: 44 (0) 1223 334162. E-mail: n.bruce{at}biotech.cam.ac.uk.

dagger Present address: Institute of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, United Kingdom.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, August 1998, p. 2864-2868, Vol. 64, No. 8
0099-2240/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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