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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, May 1999, p. 2163-2169, Vol. 65, No. 5
Center for Microbial
Ecology,1 Department of
Microbiology,2 and Department of Crop
and Soil Sciences,3 Michigan State
University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1325
Received 25 September 1998/Accepted 11 March 1999
Cloning and expression of the aromatic ring dehalogenation genes in
biphenyl-growing, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-cometabolizing Comamonas testosteroni VP44 resulted in recombinant
pathways allowing growth on ortho- and
para-chlorobiphenyls (CBs) as a sole carbon source. The
recombinant variants were constructed by transformation of strain VP44
with plasmids carrying specific genes for dehalogenation of
chlorobenzoates (CBAs). Plasmid pE43 carries the Pseudomonas aeruginosa 142 ohb genes coding for the terminal
oxygenase (ISPOHB) of the ortho-halobenzoate
1,2-dioxygenase, whereas plasmid pPC3 contains the Arthrobacter
globiformis KZT1 fcb genes, which catalyze the
hydrolytic para-dechlorination of 4-CBA. The parental
strain, VP44, grew only on low concentrations of 2- and 4-CB by using the products from the fission of the nonchlorinated ring of the CBs
(pentadiene) and accumulated stoichiometric amounts of the corresponding CBAs. The recombinant strains VP44(pPC3) and VP44(pE43) grew on, and completely dechlorinated high concentrations (up to 10 mM), of 4-CBA and 4-CB and 2-CBA and 2-CB, respectively. Cell protein
yield corresponded to complete oxidation of both biphenyl rings, thus
confirming mineralization of the CBs. Hence, the use of CBA
dehalogenase genes appears to be an effective strategy for construction
of organisms that will grow on at least some congeners important for
remediation of PCBs.
0099-2240/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Construction and Characterization of Two Recombinant Bacteria
That Grow on ortho- and para-Substituted
Chlorobiphenyls

*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: A540 Plant and
Soils Sciences Building, Center for Microbial Ecology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1325. Phone: (517) 353-7858; (517)
432-1536. Fax: (517) 353-2917. E-mail:
tiedjej{at}pilot.msu.edu; tsoi{at}pilot.msu.edu.
Present address: The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Labs,
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1015.
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