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Bacterial Degradation of Aromatic Xenobiotic Compounds: An Overview on Metabolic Pathways and Molecular Approaches

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Microorganisms in Environmental Management

Abstract

Environmental contamination due to xenobiotic compounds is mainly due to their large-scale manufacturing, processing and handling. Owing to long-term persistence, and acute toxic and teratogenic effects of these compounds, remediation of contaminated environment is necessary. Due to its capability to degrade toxic xenobiotic compounds in a safe and cost-effective manner, interest in bioremediation using microorganisms, particularly bacteria and fungi, has increased in the past two decades. In order to survive and grow in toxic environments, bacteria have evolved a complex range of mechanisms at the cellular and molecular levels, including catabolic enzymes, membranes, protein synthesis machinery, responsible genes etc. However, there are several factors which may limit the biodegradation of xenobiotic compounds. For the development of successful and improved bioremediation processes, understanding of the biochemical and molecular aspects of xenobiotics biodegradation is required. The present chapter aims to provide an overview of the metabolic pathways and genetic adaptation in bacteria for degradation of aromatic xenobiotics. Also, recent advances made based on these aspects to overcome certain limitations in bacterial aromatics metabolism are presented.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for the Environment, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India

    Naresh K. Sahoo

  2. Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India

    Aiyagari Ramesh

  3. Centre for the Environment, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, 781039, India

    Kannan Pakshirajan

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  1. Naresh K. Sahoo
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  2. Aiyagari Ramesh
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  3. Kannan Pakshirajan
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Correspondence to Kannan Pakshirajan .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Fac. Inter-Disciplinary &, Applied Sciences, University of Delhi, Benito Juarez Road, New Delhi, 110021, India

    T. Satyanarayana

  2. , Department of Biotechnology and Bioinfor, Barkatullah University, Bhopal, 462026, India

    Bhavdish Narain Johri

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Sahoo, N.K., Ramesh, A., Pakshirajan, K. (2012). Bacterial Degradation of Aromatic Xenobiotic Compounds: An Overview on Metabolic Pathways and Molecular Approaches. In: Satyanarayana, T., Johri, B. (eds) Microorganisms in Environmental Management. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2229-3_10

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