Genome Characterisation of an Isoprene-Degrading <i>Alcaligenes</i> sp. Isolated from a Tropical Restored Forest
Toungporn Uttarotai,
Sawannee Sutheeworapong,
Andrew T. Crombie,
J. Colin Murrell,
Wuttichai Mhuantong,
Nuttapol Noirungsee,
Sunanta Wangkarn,
Sakunnee Bovonsombut,
Terry J. McGenity,
Thararat Chitov
Affiliations
Toungporn Uttarotai
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Sawannee Sutheeworapong
School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok 10150, Thailand
Andrew T. Crombie
School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
J. Colin Murrell
School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
Wuttichai Mhuantong
Enzyme Technology Research Team, Biorefinery and Bioproduct Technology Research Group, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand
Nuttapol Noirungsee
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Sunanta Wangkarn
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Sakunnee Bovonsombut
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Terry J. McGenity
School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
Thararat Chitov
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Isoprene is a climate-active biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC), emitted into the atmosphere in abundance, mainly from terrestrial plants. Soil is an important sink for isoprene due to its consumption by microbes. In this study, we report the ability of a soil bacterium to degrade isoprene. Strain 13f was isolated from soil beneath wild Himalayan cherry trees in a tropical restored forest. Based on phylogenomic analysis and an Average Nucleotide Identity score of >95%, it most probably belongs to the species Alcaligenes faecalis. Isoprene degradation by Alcaligenes sp. strain 13f was measured by using gas chromatography. When isoprene was supplied as the sole carbon and energy source at the concentration of 7.2 × 105 ppbv and 7.2 × 106 ppbv, 32.6% and 19.6% of isoprene was consumed after 18 days, respectively. Genome analysis of Alcaligenes sp. strain 13f revealed that the genes that are typically found as part of the isoprene monooxygenase gene cluster in other isoprene-degrading bacteria were absent. This discovery suggests that there may be alternative pathways for isoprene metabolism.
