Microbial dehalogenation of haloalkanes mediated by oxygenase or halidohydrolase.

Abstract

Microorganisms utilizing 1-chlorobutane as a sole carbon and energy source for growth could release halogens under anaerobic conditions, while microorganisms which could utilize 1, 9-dichlorononane released the halogens only under aerobic conditions. A 1-chlorobutane-utilizing bacterium, strain m15-3, converted 1-chlorobutane to butyric acid and 1, 3-dichloropropane to 3-chloropropionic acid under aerobic conditions and 1-chlorobutane to butanol under anaerobic conditions. In the latter case, the participation of halidohydrolase was suggested. Methane-utilizing bacteria catalyzed the removal of halogens from the terminal positions of short chained chlorinated hydrocarbons. Methane-utilizing bacteria dehalogenated 1, 2-dichloroethane to 18O-incorporated 2-chloroacetic acid in the presence of 18O2 gas. All of the seven bacterial strains used in this study dehalogenated 3-chlorinated aliphatic acids, but only one strain out of seven could dehalogenate 2-chlorinated aliphatic acids.