Microbial community structure during fluoranthene degradation in the presence of plants

• Published in: Journal of applied microbiology 2014-07, Vol.117 (1), p.74-84
• Main Authors: Storey, S, Ashaari, M.M, McCabe, G, Harty, M, Dempsey, R, Doyle, O, Clipson, N, Doyle, E.M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bacteria; Bacteria - classification; Bacteria - enzymology; Bacteria - genetics; bacterial communities; Biodegradation; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biological and medical sciences; Bioremediation; community structure; Dioxygenases - genetics; Dioxygenases - metabolism; Fluorenes - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; fungal communities; Fungi; Fungi - classification; Fungi - enzymology; Fungi - genetics; gas chromatography; genes; greenhouses; growing media; Lycopersicon esculentum; Lycopersicon esculentum - microbiology; Microbial Consortia - physiology; microbial growth; Microbiology; Plant biology; plant growth; planting; pollutants; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; quantitative polymerase chain reaction; Rhizosphere; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S - genetics; soil; Soil Microbiology; Soil Pollutants - metabolism; Tomatoes; toxicity
• ISSN: 1364-5072; 1365-2672
• DOI: 10.1111/jam.12518

AIMS: To investigate bacterial and fungal community structure during degradation of varying concentrations (0–5000 mg kg⁻¹) of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) fluoranthene in the presence or absence of tomato plants. METHOD AND RESULTS: Fluoranthene amended or unamended growing media, with or without a plant, were incubated in pots in a glasshouse for 30 days. Fluoranthene concentration was quantified using GC‐FID, while bacterial and fungal community structure was investigated using trflp and arisa, respectively. The abundance of two ring hydroxylating dioxygenase genes was measured using qPCR. More fluoranthene was degraded in the presence of tomato plants at 500 and 5000 mg fluoranthene kg⁻¹(P