For phytoremediation of organic contaminants, plants have to host an efficiently degrading microflora. To assess the role of endophytes in alkane degradation, Italian ryegrass was grown in sterile soil with 0, 1 or 2% diesel and inoculated either with an alkane degrading bacterial strain originally derived from the rhizosphere of Italian ryegrass or with an endophyte. We studied plant colonization of these strains as well as the abundance and expression of alkane monooxygenase (alkB) genes in the rhizosphere, shoot and root interior. Results showed that the endophyte strain better colonized the plant, particularly the plant interior, and also showed higher expression of alkB genes suggesting a more efficient degradation of the pollutant. Furthermore, plants inoculated with the endophyte were better able to grow in the presence of diesel. The rhizosphere strain colonized primarily the rhizosphere and showed low alkB gene expression in the plant interior. Bacterial alkane degradation genes are expressed in the rhizosphere and in the plant interior.

This study investigates the ability of Rhodococcus sp. strain p52, a dioxin degrader, to biodegrade petroleum hydrocarbons. Strain p52 can use linear alkanes (tetradecane, tetracosane, and dotriacontane), branched alkane (pristane), and aromatic hydrocarbons (naphthalene and phenanthrene) as sole carbon and energy sources. Specifically, the strain removes 85.7 % of tetradecane within 48 h at a degradation rate of 3.8 mg h⁻¹ g⁻¹dry cells, and 79.4 % of tetracosane, 66.4 % of dotriacontane, and 63.9 % of pristane within 9–11 days at degradation rates of 20.5, 14.7, and 20.3 mg day⁻¹ g⁻¹dry cells, respectively. Moreover, strain p52 consumes 100 % naphthalene and 55.3 % phenanthrene within 9–11 days at respective degradation rates of 16 and 12.9 mg day⁻¹ g⁻¹dry cells. Metabolites of the petroleum hydrocarbons by strain p52 were analyzed. Genes encoding alkane-hydroxylating enzymes, including cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzyme (CYP185) and two alkane-1-monooxygenases, were amplified by polymerase chain reaction. The transcriptional activities of these genes in the presence of petroleum hydrocarbons were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The results revealed potential of strain p52 to degrade petroleum hydrocarbons.