Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Isolation and characterization of novel atrazine-degrading microorganisms from an agricultural soil

  • Environmental Biotechnology
  • Published:
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Six previously undescribed microorganisms capable of atrazine degradation were isolated from an agricultural soil that received repeated exposures of the commonly used herbicides atrazine and acetochlor. These isolates are all Gram-positive and group with microorganisms in the genera Nocardioides and Arthrobacter, both of which contain previously described atrazine degraders. All six isolates were capable of utilizing atrazine as a sole nitrogen source when provided with glucose as a separate carbon source. Under the culture conditions used, none of the isolates could utilize atrazine as the sole carbon and nitrogen source. We used several polymerase-chain-reaction-based assays to screen for the presence of a number of atrazine-degrading genes and verified their identity through sequencing. All six isolates contain trzN and atzC, two well-characterized genes involved in the conversion of atrazine to cyanuric acid. An additional atrazine-degrading gene, atzB, was detected in one of the isolates as well, yet none appeared to contain atzA, a commonly encountered gene in atrazine impacted soils and atrazine-degrading isolates. Interestingly, the deoxyribonucleic acid sequences of trzN and atzC were all identical, implying that their presence may be the result of horizontal gene transfer among these isolates.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Altschul SF, Madden TL, Schaffer AA, Zhang Z, Miller W, Lipman DJ (1997) Gapped BLAST and PSI-BLAST, a new generation of protein database search programs. Nucleic Acids Res 25:3389–3402

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Angle JS, McGrath SP, Chaney RL (1991) New culture medium containing ionic concentrations of nutrients similar to concentrations found in soil solution. Appl Environ Microbiol 57:3674–3676

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cai B, Han Y, Liu B, Ren Y, Jiang S (2003) Isolation and characterization of an atrazine-degrading bacterium from industrial wastewater in China. Lett Appl Microbiol 36:272–276

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crain AD, Guillette LJ, Rooney AA, Pickford DB (1997) Alterations in steroidogenesis in alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) exposed naturally and experimentally to environmental contaminants. Environ Health Perspect 105:528–533

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crawford JJ, Traina SJ, Tuovinen OH (2000) Bacterial degradation of atrazine in redox potential gradients in fixed-film sand columns. Soil Sci Soc Am J 64:624–634

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Devers M, Henry S, Hartmann A, Martin-Laurent F (2005) Horizontal gene transfer of atrazine-degrading genes (atz) from Agrobacteriumtumefaciens St96-4 pADP1::Tn5 to bacteria of maize-cultivated soil. Pest Manag Sci 61:870–880

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • de Souza ML, Seffernick J, Martinez B, Sadowsky MJ, Wackett LP (1998a) The atrazine catabolism genes atzABC are widespread and highly conserved. J Bacteriol 180:1951–1954

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Souza ML, Wackett LP, Sadowsky MJ (1998b) The atzABC genes encoding atrazine catabolism are located on a self-transmissible plasmid in Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP. Appl Environ Microbiol 64:2323–2326

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferris MJ, Muyzer G, Ward DM (1996) Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis profiles of 16S rRNA-defined populations inhabiting a hot spring microbial mat community. Appl Environ Microbiol 62:340–346

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fruchey I, Shapir N, Sadowsky MJ, Wackett LP (2003) On the origins of cyanuric acid hydrolase: purification, substrates, and prevalence of AtzD from Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP. Appl Environ Microbiol 69:3653–3657

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia-Gonzalez V, Govantes F, Shaw LJ, Burns RG, Santero E (2003) Nitrogen control of atrazine utilization in Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP. Appl Environ Microbiol 69:6987–6993

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hayes TB, Collins A, Lee M, Mendoza M, Noriega N, Stuart AA, Vonk A (2002) Hermaphroditic, demasculinized frogs after exposure to the herbicide atrazine at low ecologically relevant doses. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 99:5476–5480

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kiyohara H, Nagao K, Yana K (1982) Rapid screen for bacteria degrading water-insoluble, solid hydrocarbons on agar plates. Appl Environ Microbiol 43:454–457

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lane DJ (1991) 16S/23S rRNA sequencing. In: Stackebrandt E, Goodfellow M (eds) Nucleic acid techniques in bacterial systematics. Wiley, New York, pp 115–175

    Google Scholar 

  • Mandelbaum RT, Wackett LP, Allen DL (1993) Mineralization of the s-triazine ring of atrazine by stable bacterial mixed cultures. Appl Environ Microbiol 59:1695–1701

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mandelbaum RT, Allen DL, Wackett LP (1995) Isolation and characterization of a Pseudomonas sp. strain that mineralizes the s-triazine herbicide atrazine. Appl Environ Microbiol 61:1451–1459

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martinez B, Tomkins J, Wackett LP, Wing R, Sadowsky MJ (2001) Complete nucleotide sequence and organization of the atrazine catabolic plasmid pADP-1 from Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP. J Bacteriol 183:5684–5697

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mulbry WW, Zhu H, Nour SM, Topp E (2002) The triazine hydrolase gene trzN from Nocardioides sp. strain C190: cloning and construction of gene-specific primers. FEMS Microbiol Lett 206:75–79

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Piutti S, Semon E, Landry D, Hartmann A, Dousset S, Lichtfouse E, Topp E, Soulas G, Martin-Laurent F (2003) Isolation and characterization of Nocardioides sp. SP12, an atrazine-degrading bacterial strain possessing the gene trzN from bulk and maize rhizosphere soil. FEMS Microbiol Lett 221:111–117

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Radosevich M, Traina SJ, Hao Y-L, Tuovinen OH (1995) Degradation and mineralization of atrazine by a soil bacterial isolate. Appl Environ Microbiol 61:297–302

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ralebitso RK, Senior E, van Verseveld HW (2002) Microbial aspects of atrazine degradation in natural environments. Biodegradation 13:11–19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rousseaux S, Hartmann A, Soulas G (2001) Isolation and characterization of new Gram-negative and Gram-positive atrazine degrading bacteria from different French soils. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 36:211–222

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rousseaux S, Soulas G, Hartmann A (2002) Plasmid localisation of atrazine-degrading genes in newly described Chelatobacter and Arthrobacter strains. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 41:69–75

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sajjaphan K, Shapir N, Wackett LP, Palmer M, Blackmon B, Tomkins J, Sadowsky MJ (2004) Arthrobacter aurescens TC1 atrazine catabolism genes trzN, atzB and atzC are linked on a 160-kilobase region and are functional in Escherichia coli. Appl Environ Microbiol 70:4402–4407

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Satsuma K (2006) Characterisation of new strains of atrazine-degrading Nocardioides sp. isolated from Japanese riverbed sediment using naturally derived river ecosystem. Pest Manag Sci 62:340–349

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shapir N, Goux S, Mandelbaum RT, Pussemier L (2000) The potential of soil microorganisms to mineralize atrazine as predicted by MCH-PCR followed by nested PCR. Can J Microbiol 46:425–432

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Solomon KR, Baker DB, Richards RP, Dixon KR, Klaine SJ, La Point TW, Kendall RJ, Weisskopf CP, Giddings JM, Giesy JP, Hall LW, Williams WM (1996) Ecological risk assessment of atrazine in North American surface waters. Environ Toxicol Chem 15:31–76

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Strong LC, Rosendahl C, Johnson G, Sadowsky MJ, Wackett LP (2002) Arthrobacter aurescens TC1 metabolizes diverse s-triazine ring compounds. Appl Environ Microbiol 68:5973–5980

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Struthers JK, Jauachandran K, Moorman TB (1998) Biodegradation of atrazine by Agrobacterium radiobacter J14a and use of this strain in bioremediation of contaminated soil. Appl Environ Microbiol 64:3368–3375

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Topp E, Gutzman DW, Bourgoin B, Millette J, Gamble DS (1995) Rapid mineralization of the herbicide atrazine in alluvial sediments and enrichment cultures. Environ Toxicol Chem 14:743–747

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Topp E, Mulbry WM, Zhu H, Nour SM, Cuppels D (2000a) Characterization of s-triazine herbicide metabolism by a Nocardioides sp. isolated from agricultural soils. Appl Environ Microbiol 66:3134–3141

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Topp E, Zhu H, Nour SM, Houot S, Lewis M, Cuppels D (2000b) Characterization of an atrazine-degrading Pseudaminobacter sp. isolated from Canadian and French agricultural soils. Appl Environ Microbiol 66:2773–2782

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vanderheyden V, Debongnie P, Puissemier L (1997) Accelerated degradation and mineralization of atrazine in surface and subsurface soil materials. Pest Sci 49:237–242

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Widmer SK, Spalding RF (1995) A natural gradient transport study of selected herbicides. J Environ Qual 24:445–453

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Soil samples were kindly provided by Steve Comfort. HPLC assistance was provided by Dale LeCaptain and Jessie Thompson. This project was supported by CMU’s Summer Scholar’s Program and by the National Research Initiative of the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, grant number 2001-35107-13592.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Central Michigan University, Brooks 185, Mount Pleasant, MI, 48859, USA

    Laurel L. Vibber, Michael J. Pressler & Gregory M. Colores

Authors
  1. Laurel L. Vibber
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michael J. Pressler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Gregory M. Colores
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gregory M. Colores.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vibber, L.L., Pressler, M.J. & Colores, G.M. Isolation and characterization of novel atrazine-degrading microorganisms from an agricultural soil. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 75, 921–928 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-007-0871-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-007-0871-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation