New alk genes detected in Antarctic marine sediments

Summary Alkane monooxygenases (Alk) are the key enzymes for alkane degradation. In order to understand the dispersion and diversity of alk genes in Antarctic marine environments, this study analysed by clone libraries the presence and diversity of alk genes ( alkB and alkM ) in sediments from Admira...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental Microbiology
Main Authors: Kuhn, Emanuele, Bellicanta, Giovani Sebben, Pellizari, Vivian Helena
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2009
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1462-2920.2008.01843.x
https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1462-2920.2008.01843.x
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1111/j.1462-2920.2008.01843.x/fullpdf
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Summary:Summary Alkane monooxygenases (Alk) are the key enzymes for alkane degradation. In order to understand the dispersion and diversity of alk genes in Antarctic marine environments, this study analysed by clone libraries the presence and diversity of alk genes ( alkB and alkM ) in sediments from Admiralty Bay, King George Island, Peninsula Antarctica. The results show a differential distribution of alk genes between the sites, and the predominant presence of new alk genes, mainly in the pristine site. Sequences presented 53.10–69.60% nucleotide identity and 50.90–73.40% amino acid identity to alkB genes described in Silicibacter pomeroyi , Gordonia sp., Prauserella rugosa , Nocardioides sp., Rhodococcus sp., Nocardia farcinica , Pseudomonas putida , Acidisphaera sp., Alcanivorax borkumensis , and alkM described in Acinetobacter sp. This is the first time that the gene alkM was detected and described in Antarctic marine environments. The presence of a range of previously undescribed alk genes indicates the need for further studies in this environment.