Aerobic vinyl chloride metabolism in Mycobacterium aurum L1

Mycobacterium aurum L1, capable of growth on vinyl chloride as a sole carbon and energy source, was previously isolated from soil contaminated with vinyl chloride (S. Hartmans et al., Biotechnol. Lett. 7:383-388, 1985). The initial step in vinyl chloride metabolism in strain L1 is catalyzed by alkene monooxygenase, transforming vinyl chloride into the reactive epoxide chlorooxirane. The enzyme responsible for chlorooxirane degradation appeared to be very unstable and thus hampered the characterization of the second step in vinyl chloride metabolism. Dichloroethenes are also oxidized by vinyl chloride-grown cells of strain L1, but they are not utilized as growth substrates. Three additional bacterial strains which utilize vinyl chloride as a sole carbon and energy source were isolated from environments with no known vinyl chloride contamination. The three new isolates were similar to strain L1 and were also identified as Mycobacterium aurum.