Research Product

We have isolated bacterial strains from aquifers contaminated with petroleum products which exhibit degradation of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene or xylene (B, T, E or X) under aerobic or anoxic conditions when nitrate is present. These strains show diversity with regard to the range of substrates degraded as well as the biochemical mechanisms associated with degradation. From one of these strains, we have cloned a DNA fragment which enables a laboratory strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to grow on B or T. This recombinant strain and the DNA-source organism both degrade xylene(s), but do not grow on xylene suggesting that the substrate range extends beyond that which will support growth and cellular reproduction.