This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow An author's correction has been published
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by May, H. D.
Right arrow Articles by Sowers, K. R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by May, H. D.
Right arrow Articles by Sowers, K. R.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by May, H. D.
Right arrow Articles by Sowers, K. R.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, April 2008, p. 2089-2094, Vol. 74, No. 7
0099-2240/08/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.01450-07
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Dehalorespiration with Polychlorinated Biphenyls by an Anaerobic Ultramicrobacterium{triangledown}

Harold D. May,1* Greg S. Miller,1 Birthe V. Kjellerup,2 and Kevin R. Sowers2

Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Marine Biomedicine & Environmental Science Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, South Carolina 29425,1 Center for Marine Biotechnology, University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, 701 E. Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland 212022

Received 28 June 2007/ Accepted 18 January 2008

Anaerobic microbial dechlorination is an important step in the detoxification and elimination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), but a microorganism capable of coupling its growth to PCB dechlorination has not been isolated. Here we describe the isolation from sediment of an ultramicrobacterium, strain DF-1, which is capable of dechlorinating PCBs containing double-flanked chlorines added as single congeners or as Aroclor 1260 in contaminated soil. The isolate requires Desulfovibrio spp. in coculture or cell extract for growth on hydrogen and PCB in mineral medium. This is the first microorganism in pure culture demonstrated to grow by dehalorespiration with PCBs and the first isolate shown to dechlorinate weathered commercial mixtures of PCBs in historically contaminated sediments. The ability of this isolate to grow on PCBs in contaminated sediments represents a significant breakthrough for the development of in situ treatment strategies for this class of persistent organic pollutants.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Marine Biomedicine & Environmental Science Center, 225 BSB, P.O. Box 250504, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29425. Phone: (843) 792-7140. Fax: (843) 792-2464. E-mail: mayh{at}musc.edu

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 25 January 2008.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, April 2008, p. 2089-2094, Vol. 74, No. 7
0099-2240/08/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.01450-07
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Adrian, L., Dudkova, V., Demnerova, K., Bedard, D. L. (2009). "Dehalococcoides" sp. Strain CBDB1 Extensively Dechlorinates the Commercial Polychlorinated Biphenyl Mixture Aroclor 1260. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 75: 4516-4524 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Yoshida, N., Ye, L., Baba, D., Katayama, A. (2009). A Novel Dehalobacter Species Is Involved in Extensive 4,5,6,7-Tetrachlorophthalide Dechlorination. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 75: 2400-2405 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»