Journal of Environmental Biology

Biodegradation of 4-nitrophenol by a Rhodococcus species and a preliminary insight into its toxicoproteome based on mass spectrometry analysis

Paper received: 26.05.2018??????? ?????????? Revised received: 13.10.2018????? ???????????????? Re-revised received: 24.10.2018??????? ??????????? Accepted: 19.11.2018

Authors Info

K. Sengupta¹, M. Alam²,

S. Pailan¹ and P. Saha¹*    

¹Department of Microbiology, Burdwan University, Burdwan-713 104, India

²Department of Microbiology,????????? Bose Institute, Kolkata-700 054, India

*Corresponding Author Email :

psaha@microbio.buruniv.ac.in

Abstract

Aim: The objective of this study was to understand the possible fate of 4-NP through the molecular mechanism and to identify potential enzymes involved in 4-NP biodegradation by Rhodococcus sp. strain BUPNP1

Methodology: Biodegradation of 4-NP was detected spectrophotometrically at 400 nm and also confirmed by TLC and HPLC. Comparative study of proteomes was performed by 2-D gel electrophoresis followed by peptide mass fingerprinting and bioinformatic analysis to identify and/ or predict the possible functions of over-expressed proteins in 4-NP treated cells of BUNP1.

Results: Utilization of 4-nitrophenol and its hydrolysis intermediate 4-nitrocatechol (4-NC) and 1,2,4-Benzenetriol as sole carbon source indicated the presence of genomic information encoding the enzyme necessary for the operation of 4-nitrophenol degradation pathway in the strain BUPNP1. It could transform 4-NP into 4-NC by monooxygenase whose major activity was detected during initial stage of degradation. The 4-NC further depleted in the medium to release nitrite ions. In order to investigate the molecular changes occurring during degradation, a comparative study of proteome profiles was carried out where; 4-nitrophenol treated cells were compared against cells grown on glucose as control. The comparative study indicated expression of several protein spots under 4-nitrophenol treated condition.               

Interpretation: This study showed the potential of BUPNP1 strain belonging to genus Rhodococcus towards induced expression of some unique proteins which might have possible role in 4-NP biodegradation process.

Key words: 4-Nitrophenol, Biodegradation, Rhodococcus, Toxicoproteome, Xenobiotic

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