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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, January 2006, p. 428-436, Vol. 72, No. 1
0099-2240/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.72.1.428-436.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Growth of Dehalobacter and Dehalococcoides spp. during Degradation of Chlorinated Ethanes

Ariel Grostern¹ and Elizabeth A. Edwards^2*

Department of Botany,¹ Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada²

Received 28 July 2005/ Accepted 21 October 2005

Mixed anaerobic microbial subcultures enriched from a multilayered aquifer at a former chlorinated solvent disposal facility in West Louisiana were examined to determine the organism(s) involved in the dechlorination of the toxic compounds 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCA) and 1,1,2-trichloroethane (1,1,2-TCA) to ethene. Sequences phylogenetically related to Dehalobacter and Dehalococcoides, two genera of anaerobic bacteria that are known to respire with chlorinated ethenes, were detected through cloning of bacterial 16S rRNA genes. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis of 16S rRNA gene fragments after starvation and subsequent reamendment of culture with 1,2-DCA showed that the Dehalobacter sp. grew during the dichloroelimination of 1,2-DCA to ethene, implicating this organism in degradation of 1,2-DCA in these cultures. Species-specific real-time quantitative PCR was further used to monitor proliferation of Dehalobacter and Dehalococcoides during the degradation of chlorinated ethanes and showed that in fact both microorganisms grew simultaneously during the degradation of 1,2-DCA. Conversely, Dehalobacter grew during the dichloroelimination of 1,1,2-TCA to vinyl chloride (VC) but not during the subsequent reductive dechlorination of VC to ethene, whereas Dehalococcoides grew only during the reductive dechlorination of VC but not during the dichloroelimination of 1,1,2-TCA. This demonstrated that in mixed cultures containing multiple dechlorinating microorganisms, these organisms can have either competitive or complementary dechlorination activities, depending on the chloro-organic substrate.

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* Corresponding author. Mailing address: University of Toronto, 200 College St., Toronto, ON M5S 3E5, Canada. Phone: (416) 946-3506. Fax: (416) 978-8605. E-mail: edwards{at}chem-eng.utoronto.ca

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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, January 2006, p. 428-436, Vol. 72, No. 1
0099-2240/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.72.1.428-436.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Yan, J., Rash, B. A., Rainey, F. A., Moe, W. M. (2009). Detection and Quantification of Dehalogenimonas and "Dehalococcoides" Populations via PCR-Based Protocols Targeting 16S rRNA Genes. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 75: 7560-7564 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Grostern, A., Edwards, E. A. (2009). Characterization of a Dehalobacter Coculture That Dechlorinates 1,2-Dichloroethane to Ethene and Identification of the Putative Reductive Dehalogenase Gene. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 75: 2684-2693 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Grostern, A., Edwards, E. A. (2006). A 1,1,1-Trichloroethane-Degrading Anaerobic Mixed Microbial Culture Enhances Biotransformation of Mixtures of Chlorinated Ethenes and Ethanes. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 7849-7856 [Abstract] [Full Text]