Growth of Streptomyces spp. from hydrocarbon-polluted soil on diesel and their analysis for the presence of alkane hydroxylase gene (alkB) by PCR

Saadoun, Ismail; Alawawdeh, Mohammad; Jaradat, Ziad; Ababneh, Qotaiba

Growth of Streptomyces spp. from hydrocarbon-polluted soil on diesel and their analysis for the presence of alkane hydroxylase gene (alkB) by PCR

2008

Saadoun, Ismail | Alawawdeh, Mohammad | Jaradat, Ziad | Ababneh, Qotaiba

The investigation aimed to examine the Streptomyces flora of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil and study their capability to grow on diesel fuel as a sole carbon source and their analysis for the presence of the alkane hydroxylase gene (alkB) by PCR. A total of 16 Streptomyces isolates were recovered from hydrocarbon-contaminated soil samples on starch casein nitrate agar medium with the ability of 3 isolates to grow on diesel as evaluated by agar plate diffusion method, enzymatic assay and dry weight measurements. PCR analysis of the isolates for the presence of the alkB gene showed two groups with different band size products; group 1 (G1) (316-334 bp) and group 2 (G2) (460-550 bp). Three isolates (SF.1Ac, SF.2Ba, and SF.3Ad) grew around diesel-containing wells and contained the alkB gene with size band ranged between 320 and 550 bp. However; one isolate (SF.1Aa) did not show any PCR product although it was able to grow on diesel. This implies that the alkB gene is not the only gene that is responsible for the degradation of alkanes. Further, the variation in the G2 fragment size probably indicates different related genes that might be involved in alkane degradation rather than a single gene.

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