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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, January 2006, p. 112-116, Vol. 72, No. 1
0099-2240/06/$08.00+0 doi:10.1128/AEM.72.1.112-116.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
Biotransformation of 1,2,3-Tri- and 1,2,3,4,7,8-Hexachlorodibenzo-p- Dioxin by Sphingomonas wittichii Strain RW1
In-Hyun Nam,1
Young-Mo Kim,1
Stefan Schmidt,2 and
Yoon-Seok Chang1*
School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 790-784, Republic of Korea,1
Abteilung Mikrobiologie, Biozentrum Klein Flottbek, Universität Hamburg, Ohnhorststrasse 18, 22609 Hamburg, Germany2
Received 23 July 2005/
Accepted 27 September 2005

ABSTRACT
Sphingomonas wittichii RW1 is able to catabolize 1,2,3,4-tetrachlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin
(H. B. Hong, Y. S. Chang, I. H. Nam, P. Fortnagel, and S. Schmidt,
Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68:2584-2588, 2002). Here we demonstrate
the aerobic bacterial catabolism of the ubiquitous toxic diaryl
ether pollutant 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin by this
strain. The products of this biotransformation were identified
as tetrachlorocatechol and 2-methoxy-3,4,5,6-tetrachlorophenol
by comparing mass spectra recorded before and after
n-butylboronate
and
N,
O-bis(trimethylsilyl)-trifluoroacetamide derivatization
with those of authentic compounds. Additional experiments showed
that the less-chlorinated 1,2,3,7,8-pentachlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin
was not transformed by the strain RW1. The importance of substitution
patterns for the degradability of individual congeners was illustrated
by the fact that the 1,2,3-trichlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin was catabolized
to yield 3,4,5-trichlorocatechol, whereas the 2,3,7-trichlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin
was not attacked.

INTRODUCTION
Polychlorinated aromatic compounds such as the polychlorinated
dibenzo-
p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs)
are among the most problematic environmental pollutants because
of their chemical inertness and recalcitrance, lipid solubility,
and toxicity (
1,
3,
8,
13). Consequently, numerous studies have
been carried out to elucidate the aerobic (
7,
9,
19) bacterial
degradation of PCDD/Fs, compounds produced by incineration processes
and as unwanted by-products of the synthesis of pesticides and
herbicides (
4,
17). However, naturally occurring microorganisms
have evolved to degrade and mineralize many, but by no means
all, of these compounds. For example, several PCDD/Fs are degraded
very slowly or not at all (
12). In addition to genera such as
Terrabacter (
6,
14) and
Pseudomonas (
6), several strains belonging
to the genus
Sphingomonas were reported to use diaryl ethers
such as dibenzofuran and dibenzo-
p-dioxin as the sole source
of carbon and energy (
3). Some of these isolates are examples
for effective biocatalysts that can even catabolize some di-,
tri-, and tetrachlorinated dibenzo-
p-dioxins and dibenzofurans
(
6,
7,
9,
19). However, the aerobic catabolism of important
environmental pollutants such as 1,2,3,7,8-penta- or 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin,
giving rise to the formation of corresponding metabolites, has
not been demonstrated previously.
The catabolism of dibenzofurans and dibenzo-p-dioxins is in Sphingomonas wittichii RW1 initiated by a ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase (2, 18, 20), introducing two hydroxyl groups in the accessible angular positions of the diaryl ether, thereby producing unstable hemiacetals. The labile intermediate spontaneously decays in the case of dibenzo-p-dioxins to yield the corresponding 2,2',3-trihydroxydiphenyl ether, which is further processed, yielding a catechol and the corresponding 2-hydroxy-cis,cis-muconic acid (3, 21). However, despite the fact that previous transformation experiments monitoring the disappearance of selected mono- to tetrachlorinated congeners of dibenzofurans and dibenzo-p-dioxins have indicated some depletion of tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxins is due to bacterial activity (7, 15), there is still a lack of information concerning the aerobic bacterial catabolism of higher chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (i.e., Cln, where n > 4) such as the ubiquitous pollutants 1,2,3,7,8-penta- or 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. In fact, these two congeners are known to exhibit very long half-lives compared to low chlorinated congeners (12) and were therefore selected.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Biotransformation experiments.
The procedures used to produce resting cells of
S. wittichii RW1 to be used in biotransformation experiments were essentially
those described previously (
5,
7,
9). However, due to the poor
solubility of 1,2,3,7,8-penta- and 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin
in most organic solvents, these two substrates were dissolved
prior to experiments in an acetone-toluene-nonane mixture (1:1:1
by volume) at a concentration of 5 mg/ml unless indicated otherwise.
An appropriate aliquot of this stock solution was then added
to a sterilized Erlenmeyer flask, and the solvent mixture was
evaporated by flushing the flask with N
2. For turnover experiments
with resting cells, 100-ml portions of a cell suspension (optical
density at 578 nm of 8.0) were added to 1-liter Erlenmeyer flasks
containing 5 mg of 1,2,3-tri-, 2,3,7-tri-, 1,2,3,4-tetra-, 1,2,3,7,8-penta-,
or 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin and incubated at 160
rpm and 28°C for 5 days. To compare the biodegradability
of 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin with other congeners,
substrate mixtures containing equal amounts (0.5 mg of each
compound) of dibenzo-
p-dioxin, 2,7-di-, 1,2,3-tri-, 1,2,3,4-tetra-,
1,2,3,7,8-pentachlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin, and 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin
were also used. This biotransformation was monitored and quantified
by using 100-ml Erlenmeyer flasks; each flask contained 10 ml
of cell suspension (optical density at 578 nm of 8.0) and 0.5
mg of each substrate. Every 24 h, a set of triplicate flasks
was removed, 2 ml of
ortho-phosphoric acid was added to each
flask to stop the reaction, and the flasks were immediately
frozen and stored at 70°C. After incubation for 120
h, all flasks were thawed, and the contents were extracted as
described previously (
7). However, for routine determination
of recovery rates, 500 µg of 2-chlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin
and 5 ng of 2,3,4,5-tetrachlorophenol were added to each flask
prior to extraction. Extracts obtained from the flasks and the
corresponding controls were dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate,
and the solvent was evaporated under reduced pressure. Aliquots
were analyzed directly with a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry
system as described below. However, specifically for the gas
chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis and detection of chlorinated
catechols, samples were derivatized prior to measurement by
the addition of
n-butylboronic acid, followed by incubation
at 50°C for 10 min (
10,
16), or they were derivatized by
reaction with BSTFA [
N,
O-bis(trimethylsilyl)-trifluoroacetamide]
at 60°C for 1 h to form trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatives
(
7,
22).
Analytical methods.
Metabolites present in the extracts obtained from the biotransformation experiments were detected and characterized initially using a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (Qstar Pulsar; Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.) system consisting of a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatograph (Agilent 1100; Agilent, Waldbronn, Germany) equipped with a Lichrocart RP-18 column (125 by 30 mm; 5 µm; Merck, Darmstadt, Germany) and then by using mass and UV-visible light detection after filtration of the samples with a 2-ml syringe through a 0.45-µm-pore-size syringe filter (Millipore). The aqueous solvent system (flow rate, 1.0 ml/min) contained 0.1% (wt/vol) acetic acid and 60% methanol. In addition, the extracts of turnover experiments with 1,2,3-tri- and 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin were analyzed by nanospray electrospray ionization (ESI)-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) in positive mode by using an ESI mass spectrometry quadruple-time-of-flight (Qstar Pulsar) system. The derivatives obtained were analyzed by high-resolution gas chromatography ion trap mass spectrometry without further purification. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry measurements were carried out by using a Trace GC 2000 system (Thermoquest, Austin, Tex.) linked to a Finnigan Polaris Q mass spectrometer (Thermoquest) with a 60-m DB-5 column. The initial temperature, 60°C, was maintained for 2 min; the temperature was then increased to 310°C over 10 min and held at that temperature for an additional 10 min. In all experiments, which were generally performed three times, heat-inactivated (75°C for 20 min) and poisoned (10 mM NaN3) cultures were used as controls. Metabolites were identified and quantified by comparison of their mass spectra, retention times, and peak areas with those of authentic standards.
Chemicals.
Dibenzofuran, 2,3,4,5-tetrachlorophenol, BSTFA, and n-butylboronic acid were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, Mo.). 3,4,5-Trichlorocatechol, 3,4,5,6-tetrachlorocatechol, dibenzo-p-dioxin, 2-mono-, 2,7-di-, 1,2,3-tri-, 2,3,7-tri-, 1,2,3,4-tetra-, 1,2,3,7,8-penta-, and 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin were purchased from Accustandard (New Haven, Conn.) or Sigma-Aldrich. The solvents used and ortho-phosphoric acid were obtained from Merck. All chemicals used were of the highest quality commercially available.

RESULTS AND DISCUSION
Biotransformation of 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin.
The catabolism of 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin by
S. wittichii RW1 gave rise to two polar metabolites. The two
metabolites obtained from 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin
were identified as 3,4,5,6-tetrachlorocatechol and 2-methoxy-3,4,5,6-tetrachlorophenol
by comparison to the mass spectra of authentic standards. Thus,
for the first metabolite, diagnostic peaks were observed in
the case of the
n-butylboronic-derivative at
m/z 314 [M
+] and
m/z 258 [M
+-C
4H
8], and the mass spectrum was indistinguishable
from that of the
n-butylboronic acid derivative of authentic
3,4,5,6-tetrachlorocatechol (Fig.
1A). We also carried out derivatization
of the same polar metabolite with BSTFA and found diagnostic
peaks (data not shown) as reported previously for the TMS derivative
of 3,4,5,6-tetrachlorocatechol (
7). The other polar metabolite
detected was characterized as 2-methoxy-3,4,5,6-tetrachlorophenol
{TMS derivative with diagnostic peaks at
m/z 334 (M
+),
m/z 319
(M
+ - CH
3),
m/z 304 (M
+ - CH
3 - CH
3), and
m/z 289 [M
+ - (CH
3)
3},
and the mass spectrum of this metabolite was indistinguishable
from that of the authentic standard. Since boron derivatives
can be obtained from (
cis-)
ortho-diolic compounds (aromatic
diols and nonaromatic dihydrodiols) but not from phenols, only
the TMS derivative of this metabolite was formed. By using nanospray
ESI-MS/MS we detected trace amounts of a compound exhibiting
an
m/z of 422.82 [M+H] (
35Cl), thus indicating the presence
of a hexachlorotrihydroxydiphenyl ether (Fig.
2A). This is not
unexpected since the catabolism of chlorinated dioxins by
S. wittichii RW1 proceeds via the corresponding chlorinated trihydroxydiphenyl
ethers (
7). Monitoring the biotransformation over time (Fig.
3) revealed that after 120 h of incubation ca. 28% of the 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin
consumed had been converted into 3,4,5,6-tetrachlorocatechol
and ca. 4.5% had been converted into 2-methoxy-3,4,5,6-tetrachlorophenol.
Surprisingly, the less-chlorinated 1,2,3,7,8-pentachlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin
was not transformed to a detectable extent in our experiments.
Accordingly, metabolite formation was observed neither in poisoned
and heat-inactivated controls nor in experiments with active
cells under conditions identical to those used for the biotransformation
of 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin. The present results,
showing the formation of 3,4,5,6-tetrachlorocatechol and 2-methoxy-3,4,5,6-tetrachlorophenol
in the presence of the hexachlorinated dibenzo-
p-dioxin, are
in good agreement with the previously described biotransformation
of 1,2,3,4-tetrachlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin by this strain (
7). In
this earlier study we showed that the nonsubstituted angular
sites of the benzene rings in 1,2,3,4-tetrachlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin
were the targets for initial attack. Although in 1,2,3,7,8-pentachlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin
chlorine substituents do not occupy all available sites on the
higher chlorinated ring in 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin
only one benzene ring has unoccupied angular sites. The detection
and identification of 3,4,5,6-tetrachlorocatechol as the degradation
product is therefore consistent with an initial attack taking
place at the less-substituted ring (Fig.
4).
Biotransformation of 1,2,3-trichlorodibenzo-p-dioxin.
To evaluate whether substitution patterns do impact the biodegradability
of these compounds we used two less-chlorinated congeners, namely,
1,2,3- and 2,3,7-trichlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin (Fig.
5). Also, whereas
1,2,3-trichlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin was transformed to yield a trichlorotrihydroxydiphenyl
ether (exhibiting an
m/z of 321 [M+H] [
35Cl], as determined
by ESI-MS/MS) (Fig.
2B) and 3,4,5-trichlorocatechol (identified
by mass spectrometry; see Fig.
1B), 2,3,7-trichlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin
was not metabolized. In addition to general molecular properties
that govern the transfer of substrates into the bacterial cells
(molecular weight, size of the molecules, etc.) and thus limit
the rate of turnover, biotransformation behavior might in addition
be influenced by other molecular properties. It is interesting
that from the PCDD congeners tested in the present study the
two that were not transformed (2,3,7-tri- and 1,2,3,7,8-pentachlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin)
showed the lowest calculated
Gf values (<2 kcal/mol, see
reference
11), which again indicates the importance of substitution
patterns for biodegradability. However, additional biotransformation
experiments clearly showed the ability of
S. wittichii RW1 to
transform the degradable congeners even when a mixture of six
individual dibenzo-
p-dioxins with different substitution patterns
is used (Fig.
6).
The present study is the first report to demonstrate the aerobic
bacterial catabolism of a hexachlorinated dibenzo-
p-dioxin together
with an identification of resulting metabolites. In addition,
it provides evidence that substitution patterns clearly influence
the degradability of these chemicals. Future work should clarify
how and to what extent inherent molecular properties of these
noxious compounds impact their aerobic biodegradability.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This project was supported by the Ministry of Environment of
the Republic of Korea as "The Eco-Technopia 21 Project" and
"The BK21 Project."

FOOTNOTES
* Corresponding author. Mailing address: School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 790-784, Republic of Korea. Phone: 82-54-279-2281. Fax: 82-54-279-8299. E-mail:
yschang{at}postech.ac.kr 

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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, January 2006, p. 112-116, Vol. 72, No. 1
0099-2240/06/$08.00+0 doi:10.1128/AEM.72.1.112-116.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.