Role of plasmid in diesel oil degradation by yeast species isolated from petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soil

• Published in: Environmental technology 2012-03, Vol.33 (6), p.645-652
• Main Authors: Chandran, Preethy, Das, Nilanjana
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alcohol dehydrogenase; Alcohols; Aldehyde dehydrogenase; Applied sciences; Biodegradation; biomass; Candida rugosa; Candida tropicalis; carbon; Catalase; Cryptococcus laurentii; Cytochrome; Cytochrome c; cytochrome P-450; Cytochrome P450; Cytochrome P450 monooxygenase; Cytochromes P450; Decontamination. Miscellaneous; Degradation; Dehydrogenase; Dehydrogenases; Diesel; diesel fuel; Diesel fuels; diesel oil; DNA, Fungal - genetics; environmental technology; Enzymes; Exact sciences and technology; Fungi - classification; Fungi - genetics; Gasoline - microbiology; Glutathione; Hydrocarbons; Microorganisms; NADH dehydrogenase; NADP; NADP (coenzyme); Naphthalene; Oil; petroleum; Petroleum hydrocarbons; plasmid; plasmids; Plasmids - genetics; Pollution; Reductase; Rhodotorula mucilaginosa; Rhodotorula rubra; Sediment pollution; soil; Soil (material); Soil and sediments pollution; Soil contamination; Soil Microbiology; Soil pollution; Species; Species Specificity; Trichosporon asahii; Yeast; yeasts
• ISSN: 1479-487X; 0959-3330; 1479-487X
• DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2011.587024

Five yeast species, namely Candida tropicalis, Cryptococcus laurentii, Trichosporon asahii, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa and Candida rugosa isolated from hydrocarbon-contaminated soil were found to be potent degraders of diesel oil. These microorganisms showed the presence of enzymes cytochrome P450, NADPH cytochrome c reductase, aminopyrine N demethylase, alcohol dehydrogenase, aldehyde dehydrogenase, naphthalene dioxygenase, catalase and glutathione S transferase when the cells were incubated for 48 h in Bushnell Haas medium supplemented with 2% diesel oil as the sole source of carbon. The cytochrome P450 monooxygenase enzyme system was found to play an important role in diesel oil degradation. A plasmid approximately 12 kb in size was found to be harboured by all the yeast species. The role of the plasmid on diesel oil degradation was assessed by biomass inhibition studies, which confirmed that the metabolic machinery of yeast species for diesel oil degradation was plasmid coded. This is the first report establishing the involvement of a plasmid in diesel oil degradation by yeast species.