The genome of Polaromonas sp. strain JS666: insights into the evolution of a hydrocarbon- and xenobiotic-degrading bacterium, and features of relevance to biotechnology

Appl Environ Microbiol. 2008 Oct;74(20):6405-16. doi: 10.1128/AEM.00197-08. Epub 2008 Aug 22.

Abstract

Polaromonas sp. strain JS666 can grow on cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cDCE) as a sole carbon and energy source and may be useful for bioremediation of chlorinated solvent-contaminated sites. Analysis of the genome sequence of JS666 (5.9 Mb) shows a bacterium well adapted to pollution that carries many genes likely to be involved in hydrocarbon and xenobiotic catabolism and metal resistance. Clusters of genes coding for haloalkane, haloalkanoate, n-alkane, alicyclic acid, cyclic alcohol, and aromatic catabolism were analyzed in detail, and growth on acetate, catechol, chloroacetate, cyclohexane carboxylate, cyclohexanol, ferulate, heptane, 3-hydroxybenzoate, hydroxyquinol, gentisate, octane, protocatechuate, and salicylate was confirmed experimentally. Strain JS666 also harbors diverse putative mobile genetic elements, including retrons, inteins, a miniature inverted-repeat transposable element, insertion sequence transposases from 14 families, eight genomic islands, a Mu family bacteriophage, and two large (338- and 360-kb) plasmids. Both plasmids are likely to be self-transferable and carry genes for alkane, alcohol, aromatic, and haloacid metabolism. Overall, the JS666 genome sequence provides insights into the evolution of pollutant-degrading bacteria and provides a toolbox of catabolic genes with utility for biotechnology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
  • Comamonadaceae / genetics*
  • DNA, Bacterial / chemistry
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics*
  • Enzymes / genetics*
  • Evolution, Molecular*
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Genome, Bacterial*
  • Hydrocarbons / metabolism
  • Interspersed Repetitive Sequences
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Multigene Family
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Xenobiotics / metabolism

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Enzymes
  • Hydrocarbons
  • Xenobiotics

Associated data

  • GENBANK/CP000316
  • GENBANK/CP000317
  • GENBANK/CP000318