Biodegradation of plastic monomer 2,6-dimethylphenol by Mycobacterium neoaurum B5-4

2,6-Dimethylphenol (2,6-DMP), an important chemical intermediate and the monomer of plastic polyphenylene oxide, is widely used in chemical and plastics industry. However, the pollution problem of 2,6-DMP residues is becoming increasingly serious, which is harmful to some aquatic animals. Microbial degradation provided an effective approach to eliminate DMPs in nature, which is considered as a prospective way to remediate DMPs-contaminated environments. But the 2,6-DMP-degrading bacteria is not available and the molecular mechanism of 2,6-DMP degradation is unclear as well. Here, a 2,6-DMP-degrading bacterium named B5-4 was isolated and identified as Mycobacterium neoaurum. M. neoaurum B5-4 could utilize 2,6-DMP as the sole carbon source for growth. Furthermore, M. neoaurum B5-4 could degrade 2,6-DMP with concentrations ranging from 1 to 500 mg L⁻¹. Six intermediate metabolites of 2,6-DMP were identified and a metabolic pathway of 2,6-DMP in M. neoaurum B5-4 was proposed, in which 2,6-DMP was initially converted to 2,6-dimethyl-hydroquinone and 2,6-dimethyl-3-hydroxy-hydroquinone by two consecutive hydroxylations at C-4 and γ position; 2,6-dimethyl-3-hydroxy-hydroquinone was then subjected to aromatic ring ortho-cleavage to produce 2,4-dimethyl-3-hydroxymuconic acid, which was further transformed to citraconate, and subsequently into TCA cycle. In addition, toxicity bioassay of 2,6-DMP in water using zebrafish indicates that 2,6-DMP is toxic to zebrafish and M. neoaurum B5-4 could effectively eliminate 2,6-DMP in water to protect zebrafish from 2,6-DMP-induced death. This work provides a potential strain for bioremediation of 2,6-DMP-contaminated environments and lays a foundation for elucidating the molecular mechanism and genetic determinants of 2,6-DMP degradation.