Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2026

Prospecting Microbial Strains for Bioremediation and Probiotics Development for Metaorganism Research and Preservation
Published on: October 31, 2019
Isolation of mesotrione-degrading bacteria from aquatic environments in Brazil
Marcos Pileggi1, Sônia Alvim Veiga Pileggi, Luiz Ricardo Olchanheski
1Department of Structural Biology, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Microbiology Laboratory, Ponta Grossa State University, 84030-900 Ponta Grossa, PR, Brazil. marcos.pileggi@pq.cnpq.br
Abstract:
Mesotrione is a benzoylcyclohexane-1,3-dione herbicide that inhibits 4-hydroxyphenyl pyruvate dioxygenase in target plants. Although it has been used since 2000, only a limited number of degrading microorganisms have been reported. Mesotrione-degrading bacteria were selected among strains isolated from Brazilian aquatic environments, located near corn fields treated with this herbicide. Pantoea ananatis was found to rapidly and completely degrade mesotrione. Mesotrione did not serve as a sole C, N, or S source for growth of P. ananatis, and mesotrione catabolism required glucose supplementation to minimal media. LC-MS/MS analyses indicated that mesotrione degradation produced intermediates other than 2-amino-4-methylsulfonyl benzoic acid or 4-methylsulfonyl-2-nitrobenzoic acid, two metabolites previously identified in a mesotrione-degrading Bacillus strain. Since P. ananatis rapidly degraded mesotrione, this strain might be useful for bioremediation purposes.
Related Concept Videos
Bioremediation
Microbial Bioremediation of Pesticides
Microbial Bioremediation of Hydrocarbons
Hyperthermophilic Bacteria

