pahE, a Functional Marker Gene for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon-Degrading Bacteria.

ABSTRACT: The characterization of native polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-degrading bacteria is significant for understanding the PAH degradation process in the natural environment and developing effective remediation technologies. Most previous investigations of PAH-degrading bacteria in environmental samples employ pahAc, which encodes the α-subunit of PAH ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase, as a functional marker gene. However, the poor phylogenetic resolution and nonspecificity of pahAc result in a misestimation of PAH-degrading bacteria. Here, we propose a PAH hydratase-aldolase-encoding gene, pahE, as a superior biomarker for PAH-degrading bacteria. Comparative phylogenetic analysis of the key enzymes involved in the upper pathway of PAH degradation indicated that pahE

SUBMITTER: Liang C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6344622 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature