Isolation and characterization of a new poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)-degrading, denitrifying bacterium from activated...

A new denitrifying chemoorganotrophic bacterium capable of aerobic and anaerobic degradation of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) was isolated from activated sludge. A phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA sequences indicated that the new isolate is a member of the beta subclass of the Proteobacteria and represents a distinct line of descent within the family Comamonadaceae. During denitrifying growth with 3-hydroxybutyrate, PHB, or PHBV as the sole carbon source, the isolate reduced nitrate to N2 without appreciable accumulation of nitrite and nitrous oxide as intermediate products. Kinetic analyses of the denitrification with different grades of PHBV indicated that approximately 0.7 g of PHBV was required to reduce 1 g of NO3-. A high denitrification rate (19 mg N-NO3- removed h(-1) x g(-1) dry wt of cells) was found with PHBV as the electron donor.