Abstract
This paper presents the characterization of the microbial community responsible for the in-situ bioremediation of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH). Microbial community structure and function was analyzed using 16S rRNA amplicon and shotgun metagenomic sequencing methods for three sets of soil samples. The three samples were collected from a HCH-dumpsite (450 mg HCH/g soil) and comprised of a HCH/soil ratio of 0.45, 0.0007, and 0.00003, respectively. Certain bacterial; (Chromohalobacter, Marinimicrobium, Idiomarina, Salinosphaera, Halomonas, Sphingopyxis, Novosphingobium, Sphingomonas and Pseudomonas), archaeal; (Halobacterium, Haloarcula and Halorhabdus) and fungal (Fusarium) genera were found to be more abundant in the soil sample from the HCH-dumpsite. Consistent with the phylogenetic shift, the dumpsite also exhibited a relatively higher abundance of genes coding for chemotaxis/motility, chloroaromatic and HCH degradation (lin genes). Reassembly of a draft pangenome of Chromohalobacter salaxigenes sp. (∼8X coverage) and 3 plasmids (pISP3, pISP4 and pLB1; 13X coverage) containing lin genes/clusters also provides an evidence for the horizontal transfer of HCH catabolism genes.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Archaea / classification
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Archaea / genetics*
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Archaea / metabolism
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Bacteria / classification
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Bacteria / genetics*
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Bacteria / metabolism
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Bacterial Proteins / genetics
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Biodegradation, Environmental
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Chemotaxis / genetics
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Fusarium / genetics*
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Fusarium / metabolism
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Gene Transfer, Horizontal
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Genes, Bacterial
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Hexachlorocyclohexane / metabolism*
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Lyases / genetics
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Metagenomics*
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Microbial Consortia / genetics*
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Plasmids / genetics
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RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / classification
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RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
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Sequence Analysis, DNA
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Soil Microbiology*
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Soil Pollutants / metabolism*
Substances
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Bacterial Proteins
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RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
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Soil Pollutants
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Hexachlorocyclohexane
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Lyases
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linA protein, Pseudomonas paucimobilis
Grants and funding
This work was supported by grants under University of Delhi/Department of Science and Technology PURSE Program and grants from Department of Biotechnology, Government of India under project BT/PR3301/BCE/8/875/2011 and Application of microorganisms and allied sector F.No.AMAAS/2006–07/NBAIM/CIR. This work was also supported in part by the United States Department of Energy under Contract DE-AC02-06CH11357. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.