Diversity of key biphenyl destruction genes in the microbial community of the Anadyr Bay coastal sediments

Abstract

Biphenyl 2,3-dioxygenase is the key enzyme involved in the bacterial destruction of biphenyl and polychlo- rinated biphenyls (PCBs), which are highly stable toxic compounds. The diversity of bphA1 genes encoding the biphenyl 2,3-dioxygenase a subunit of biphenyl-decomposing bacteria from the microbial community of the Bering Sea coastal sediments (the Anadyr port area) was studied. The enrichment culture was obtained by the incubation of bottom sediments samples with biphenyl as the only carbon source. It was followed by total DNA extraction and PCR analysis with degenerate primers specific to the bacterial biphenyl 2,3-dioxygenase a subunit genes. Subsequent cloning of the PCR products led to the identification of three types of aromatic dioxygenase genes, which appeared to be phylogenetically close to the genes of the biphenyl/toluene dioxygenase and 3-phenylpropionate dioxygenase subfamilies of the Actinomycetales bacteria.