Analysis of the Alkane Hydroxylase Gene and Long-Chain Cyclic Alkane Degradation in &i&Rhodococcus&/i&

摘要

To characterize the long-chain cyclic alkane (c -alkane) degradation of bacteria in Rhodococcus , we analyzed the relationship between the alkane hydroxylase gene (alkB ) and long-chain c-alkane degradation in 19 species. Eleven strains which were isolated from nature using long-chain c-alkane as a substrate were identified as R. erythropolisc , and all were shown to carry the alkB [alkB R2 type]. This gene type was also carried by two other species, R. rhodochrous and R. baikonurensis . In total, 17 species of the genus Rhodococcus carried alkB , but the gene types differed from each other. The two species R. rhodnii and R. coprophilus did not carry alkB , and their long-chain c -alkane degradation levels were low.