TNT and nitroaromatic compounds are chemoattractants for Burkholderia cepacia R34 and Burkholderia sp. strain DNT

• Published in: Applied microbiology and biotechnology 2005-12, Vol.69 (3), p.321-325
• Main Authors: LEUNGSAKUL, Thammajun, KEENAN, Brendan G, SMETS, Barth F, WOOD, Thomas K
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bacteria; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Burkholderia - drug effects; Burkholderia - physiology; Burkholderia cepacia; Burkholderia cepacia - drug effects; Burkholderia cepacia - physiology; Chemotactic Factors - pharmacology; Dinitrobenzenes - pharmacology; Dinitrotoluene; Energy sources; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Microbiology; Trinitrotoluene - pharmacology
• ISSN: 0175-7598; 1432-0614
• DOI: 10.1007/s00253-005-1983-5

Nitroaromatic compounds are toxic and potential carcinogens. In this study, a drop assay was used to detect chemotaxis toward nitroaromatic compounds for wild-type Burkholderia cepacia R34, wild-type Burkholderia sp. strain DNT, and a 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT) dioxygenase mutant strain (S5). The three strains are chemotactic toward 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), 2,3-DNT, 2,4-DNT, 2,5-DNT, 2-nitrotoluene (NT), 4NT, and 4-methyl-5-nitrocatechol (4M5NC), but not toward 2,6-DNT. Of these, only 2,4-DNT is a carbon and energy source for B. cepacia R34 and Burkholderia sp. strain DNT, and 4M5NC is an intermediate in the 2,4-DNT degradation pathway. It was determined that the 2,4-DNT dioxygenase genes are not required for the chemotaxis for these nitroaromatic compounds because the DNT DDO mutant S5 has a chemotactic response toward 2,4-DNT although 2,4-DNT is not metabolized by S5; hence, 2,4-DNT itself is the chemoattractant. This is the first report of chemotaxis toward TNT, 2,3-DNT, 2,4-DNT, 2,5-DNT, 2NT, 4NT, and 4M5NC.