TY - JOUR
T1 - The direct role of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria associated with cyanobacteria in the degradation of oil compounds
AU - Abed, Raeid M.M.
AU - Köster, Jürgen
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was financially supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (grant Ru 458/18) and by the Max-Planck Society.
PY - 2005/1
Y1 - 2005/1
N2 - This study aimed at evaluating the role of cyanobacteria and their associated aerobic heterotrophic bacteria in biodegradation of petroleum compounds. We investigated the potential of ten non-axenic typical mat-forming cyanobacterial strains to degrade phenanthrene, pristane, n-octadecane, and dibenzothiophene. Five strains (Aphanothece halophyletica, Dactyolococcopsis salina, Halothece strain EPUS, Oscillatoria strain OSC, and Synechocystis strain UNIGA) were able to degrade n-alkanes. In case of the other five strains (Microcoleus chthonoplastes, Oscillatoria sp. MPI 95 OS 01, Halothece strain EPUG, Halomicronema exentricum, and Phormidium strain UNITF) alkanes were not significantly affected. Moderate changes in the concentration of the aromatic compounds were observed for three isolates only. In follow-up experiments with Oscillatoria strain OSC, we demonstrated that the cyanobacteria-associated aerobic heterotrophic bacteria were responsible for the observed biodegradation. The cyanobacteria themselves apparently do not degrade petroleum compounds, but more likely play a significant, indirect role in biodegradation by supporting the growth and activity of the actual degraders.
AB - This study aimed at evaluating the role of cyanobacteria and their associated aerobic heterotrophic bacteria in biodegradation of petroleum compounds. We investigated the potential of ten non-axenic typical mat-forming cyanobacterial strains to degrade phenanthrene, pristane, n-octadecane, and dibenzothiophene. Five strains (Aphanothece halophyletica, Dactyolococcopsis salina, Halothece strain EPUS, Oscillatoria strain OSC, and Synechocystis strain UNIGA) were able to degrade n-alkanes. In case of the other five strains (Microcoleus chthonoplastes, Oscillatoria sp. MPI 95 OS 01, Halothece strain EPUG, Halomicronema exentricum, and Phormidium strain UNITF) alkanes were not significantly affected. Moderate changes in the concentration of the aromatic compounds were observed for three isolates only. In follow-up experiments with Oscillatoria strain OSC, we demonstrated that the cyanobacteria-associated aerobic heterotrophic bacteria were responsible for the observed biodegradation. The cyanobacteria themselves apparently do not degrade petroleum compounds, but more likely play a significant, indirect role in biodegradation by supporting the growth and activity of the actual degraders.
KW - Aerobic heterotrophic bacteria
KW - Biodegradation
KW - Cyanobacteria
KW - Microbial mats
KW - Petroleum compounds
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U2 - 10.1016/j.ibiod.2004.07.001
DO - 10.1016/j.ibiod.2004.07.001
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:12344298674
SN - 0964-8305
VL - 55
SP - 29
EP - 37
JO - International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation
JF - International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation
IS - 1
ER -