PCR-based detection of alkane monooxygenase genes in the hydrocarbon and crude oil-degrading Acinetobacter strains from petroleum-contaminated soils

Abstract

Bacterial strains D11, E1 and E2 isolated from petroleum-contaminated soils were found to be members of Acinetobacter genus revealed by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and phenotypic characteristics. After incubation for 5 days, about 43, 9 and 12 % of total petroleum hydrocarbons of crude oil were degraded by strains D11, E1 and E2, respectively, and determined by GC?MS analysis. Moreover, about 70 and 76 % of single hydrocarbon hexadecane was degraded by the strains D11 and E1 after 3 days of short incubation time, respectively, while the strain E2 degraded about 48 % of single hydrocarbon pentadecane. By using PCR-based method, gene sequences of the strains D11 and E2 showed similarity to alkane 1-monooxygenases from Acinetobacter sp. BUU8 alkM with 93.06 and 92.72 %, respectively, while the sequence similarity of strain E1 was 95.84 % to Acinetobacter sp. 826659. The present study of hydrocarbon biodegradation by Acinetobacter strains may provide a good advantage in bioremediation process.