In this study, a halophilic archaea Halobacterium salinarium TG13 which is isolated from Tuz Lake in Central Anatolia was characterized biochemically and genetically. Halobacterium salinarium DSM3754 and Halobacterium salinarium S9 strains were used as a reference strain through the experiments. In biochemical characterization / total protein profiles of strains was compared by using 1D SDS PAGE. Total protein profile of the isolated strain has shown differences. The SDS-PAGE profile of the purified purple membrane showed only single band by coomassie staining. Molecular weight and pI values of the protein isolated from Halobacterium salinarium TG13 and Halobacterium salinarium S9 were estimated by 2D SDS-PAGE as 22 kD and 5.4, respectively. Photoactivity of purple membrane of the strains was investigated. pH change of the purple membranes were observed upon illumination. This protein might be corresponded to bacteriorhodopsin. In genetical characterization / polymorphism of genomic DNA of strains was scanned with RAPD-PCR. Plasmid DNA profiles of strains was determined to make use of RFLP technique. RAPD-PCR and RFLP analyses have shown that Halobacterium salinarium TG13 is different strain from reference Halobacterium salinarium strains (H.s. S9 and H.s. DSM3754).

Submitted by Marco Antônio de Ramos Chagas (mchagas@ufv.br) on 2017-10-18T15:38:40Z No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 16418727 bytes, checksum: 1e4d06e6842f6d8fd2819d47448b314d (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-10-18T15:38:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 16418727 bytes, checksum: 1e4d06e6842f6d8fd2819d47448b314d (MD5) Previous issue date: 1999-10-25 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / Durante a construção de um mapa de RFLP de soja, na DuPont (EUA), as sondas analisadas foram, em sua maioria, monomórflcas, porém algumas se mostraram altamente polimórticas (A1-10, A2-08, A45-10, ASS-09 e A75-10). A fim de melhor caracterizar esse padrão hipervariável, essas sondas foram seqúenciadas. Duas delas (Al-10 e A2-08) não apresentaram similaridade relevante com nenhuma sequência do “GenBank”; entretanto, uma característica marcante dessas sondas foi a sua riqueza em sequências A:T. As outras três sondas continham sequências homólogas a genes que codificam proteínas de resistência a doenças. Devido ao padrão de hibridização extremamente polimorflco revelado pela sonda A45-10, foram desenhados “primers” flanqueando essa sonda para amplincar regiões homólogas em diversos genótipos de soja, para que esse perfil de amplificação pudesse ser utilizado como “tingerprint”. Os produtos de amplificação obtidos, na faixa de 1,5 a 2,0 kb, foram capazes de identificar os diferentes genótipos analisados. A partir de uma biblioteca genômica da variedade de soja FT-Cristalina, foram isolados quatro clones, usando-se a sonda ASB-09. Um deles, o clone CR44, continha um inserto de aproximadamente 16 kb. Dois fragmentos de EcoRl e Pstl do clone CR44, que hibridizaram com a sonda A53-09, foram subclonados e seqúenciados. Esses dois fragmentos formaram um contíguo, denominado GR, de 4.198 pb. A comparação da sequência de aminoácidos predita com outras existentes no “GenBank” indicou uma homologia entre GR e a proteína “Cf-2.1-Iike” de Arabidopsis tha/iana, proteína de resistência a doenças homóloga à Cf-2/Cf-5 de Hordeum vulgare e outras proteínas de resistência de Lycopersicon. Além disso, foi identificada uma ORF de 789 nucleotídios, que codiôca uma proteína de 262 aminoácidos com domínios LRRs, uma das características estruturais da maioria das proteínas de resistência. Um RT-PCR foi feito para detectar transcritos homólogos a A53-09, A75-1O e A45-10, usando-se “primers” que flanqueavam a região de maior similaridade com genes de resistência. Em amostras de RNA extraídas de folhas, raízes e haste foi detectada a presença de transcritos, usando-se os “primers” derivados de ASB-09, o que indicou que A53-09 não é expresso de modo órgão-específico. Os produtos de amplificação presentes nos três órgãos foram seqúenciados e alinhados perfeitamente com a ORF de 789 nucleotídios. Para A75-10, foi detectada a presença de várias bandas, nos três órgãos examinados, indicando que, possivelmente, os “primers” estariam pareando com mais de um transcrito. Para A45-10, não foi detectada a presença de nenhum transcrito nos três órgãos analisados. / During the construction of one soybean RFLP map at DuPont (USA), the majority of the probes analyzed were monomorphic, however, a few of them were highly polymorphic (A1-10, A2-08, A45-10, ASB-09, and A75-10). To better understand the hypervariable pattern revealed by these probes, they were sequenced. Two of them (A1-1O and A2-08) did not present any similarities with sequences deposited in the GenBank. Their main feature was that they were highly A:T rich. The other three probes contained sequences homologous to known disease resistance genes in plants. Due to the hypervariable pattern revealed by probe A45-10, primers flanking this probe were designed and used to amplify the corresponding region in several soybean genotypes. The amplification products, in the range of 1.5 to 2 kb, allowed the identification of each of the different genotypes analyzed. Probe ASB-09 was used to screen a genomic library prepared with DNA from cultivar FT-Cristalina. Four clones were isolated. One of them, clone CR44 of approximately 16 kb, was further analyzed. Restriction of this clone with EcoRl and Pstl revealed two bands hybrizing with probe A53-09. These were subcloned and sequenced. The two fragments partially overlapped and formed a config of 4,198 bp designated GR. Blast analyses of GR with sequences deposited in the GenBank showed that it potentially encode a protein homologous to “Cf-2.1-Iike” protein of Arabidopsis tha/iana, to disease resistance protein homologous to Cf-2le-5 of Hordeum vulgare and to disease resistance proteins of Lycopersicon. An open-reading frame of 789 nucleotídes was identified in GR. It potentially encode a sequence of 262 amino acid residues with LRR motifs, a structural characteristic of most disease resistance proteins described so far. RT-PCR was performed with primers flanking the regions homologous to disease resistance genes present in probes ASB-09, A75-10, and A45-10. RNA samples extracted from leaves, roots, and stems contained transcripts which were amplitied with primers derived from probe ASB-09, indicating that expression of ASB-09 is not organ-specific. The amplification products from the three organs were sequenced and presented perfect homology with part of the 789 bp ORF present in A53-09. The primers derived from A75-10 amplifled several bands with different sizes in the three organs analyzed indicating that more than one transcript homologous to A75-10 was present in the different organs. The primers derived from A45-1O did not detect any transcripts in the organs analyzed. / CPF do autor não encontrado

This diploma thesis follows the bachelor thesis and it?s task is to processing analysis of the occurrence of PSE meat in a population of the Czech white breed as a pigs stress syndrome impact. General problem of congenital diseases is processed in literature review. Further, this work deals with pigs stress syndrome and stress, which causes the meat defects as an external factor. Molecular - genetic methods, which are used in the practical part, are described as well. The research focused on genotyping of loci selected panel of samples, to determine the frequency of alleles and genotypes of selected locus and the statistical relationship between genotype and expression of PSE meat. Results were statistically processed and evaluated at the end.

O uso de culturas GM (geneticamente modificadas) tem sido questionado quanto ao destino dos produtos derivados da transgenia no ambiente. Com a liberação de exsudatos das raízes das plantas e a decomposição dos resíduos culturais, aumenta-se a quantidade de DNA transgênico no ambiente, que pode ser adsorvido à superfície ativa das partículas do solo e/ou degradado pela ação de enzimas microbianas. A comunidade microbiana do solo pode entrar em contato direto com estes produtos, aumentando a probabilidade de transferência horizontal de fragmentos de DNA transgênico para os microrganismos. Também, alterações na composição dos exsudatos das plantas GM e mudanças em função das práticas de manejo, podem resultar em alterações na composição funcional e estrutural da comunidade microbiana. Assim, faz-se necessário avaliar a persistência dos produtos derivados da transgenia no solo e seus possíveis efeitos sobre a comunidade microbiana. Os objetivos deste estudo foram: avaliar a persistência dos fragmentos 35S-hsp70, hsp70-cry1Ab e cry1Ab-planta da construção gênica do milho Bt (evento MON810) em diferentes tipos de solo e temperaturas, em condições de microcosmo e de campo; e determinar a abundância do número de cópias dos gene 16S rRNA de Bacteria, Firmicutes, Verrucomicrobria e Archaea, e 18S rRNA de Fungo nas mesmas condições, e avaliar a estrutura da comunidade bacteriana em áreas agrícolas de cultivo de milho Bt. No primeiro estudo, o DNA do milho Bt MON810 foi adicionado em solos arenoso e argiloso. Como controle negativo, apenas água estéril foi misturada ao solo. Amostras de solo foram incubadas a 15 e 25ºC. Em campo, os solos foram amostrados em três áreas agrícolas em Fátima do Sul, MS, em dois anos consecutivos. Após extração de DNA, os fragmentos foram quantificados por qPCR. No segundo estudo, foram determinadas a abundância dos genes 16S rRNA de Bacteria, Firmicutes, Verrucomicrobria e Archaea e 18S rRNA de Fungo e avaliada a estrutura da comunidade bacteriana por T-RLFP. Os resultados mostraram que em condições de microcosmo, os fragmentos hsp70-cry1Ab e cry1Ab-planta persistiram até 291 dias, e o fragmento 35S-hsp70 até 180 dias. A temperatura e o tipo de solo não afetaram a persistência dos fragmentos. Em campo, o número de cópias desses fragmentos foi maior na segunda coleta. No segundo estudo, o número de cópias do gene 16S rRNA de Bacteria aumentou com adição de DNA do milho Bt nos microcosmos, e uma redução do número de cópias foi verificada para Archaea, Verrucomicrobia e Fungo. Para Firmicutes, os resultados não foram consistentes. As temperaturas não resultaram em efeito na abundância dos genes, enquanto o tipo de solo teve efeito apenas para Archaea e Verrucomicrobia. Áreas agrícolas com cinco anos de cultivo de milho Bt apresentaram variações na estrutura da comunidade bacteriana em nível de filo, e maior abundância de Fungos no segundo ano de amostragem, enquanto em área com um ano de cultivo, observouse uma redução da população de Firmicutes e Verrucomicrobia. Os maiores efeitos na comunidade microbiana foram verificados entre os anos de amostragem / The use of GM (genetically modified) crops has been questioned about the fate of transgenes is derived products on the environment. With the release of exudates from roots of GM plants and the decomposition of its residues, the amount of transgenic DNA in the environment increases, which can be adsorbed to the active surface of soil particles and/or be degraded by the action of microbial enzymes. Soil microbial communities can come into direct contact with these products, raising the probability of horizontal transfer of transgenic DNA fragments to soil microorganisms. Moreover, changes in exudates composition of GM plants and changes depending on the management practices may result in structural and functional alterations in the microbial community. Thus, it is necessary to evaluate the persistence of transgenes is derivatives in the soil and effects on microbial community. The objectives of this study were to assess the persistence of fragments 35S-hsp70, hsp70-cry1Ab and cry1Abplant from the genetic construct of Bt corn (event MON810) in different soil types and temperatures, in microcosm and field conditions; and to determine the abundance of 16S rRNA copy number of Bacteria, Firmicutes, Verrucomicrobria and Archaea and 18S rRNA of Fungi under the same conditions, and to evaluate the structure of bacterial communities in agricultural areas of Bt corn cultivation. In the first study, DNA from Bt corn MON810 was added to sandy and clay soils. As negative control, only sterile water was mixed with soil. Soil samples were incubated at 15 and 25°C. At the field, soils were sampled in three agricultural areas in Fátima do Sul, MS, in two consecutive years. After DNA extraction, fragments were quantified by qPCR. In the second study, the abundance of 16S rRNA of Bacteria, Firmicutes, Verrucomicrobria and Archaea and 18S rRNA of Fungi were determined and the structure of bacterial communities was evaluated by T-RFLP. The results showed that in microcosm conditions, hsp70-cry1Ab and cry1Ab-plants fragments persisted until 291 days and the 35S-hsp70 up to 180 days. The temperature and the type of soil did not affect the persistence of fragments. In field, the copy number of these fragments was greater in the second sampling. In the second study, the copy number of 16S rRNA of Bacteria increased with the addition of DNA from Bt corn in microcosm, and a reduction in copy number was observed for Archaea, Verrucomicrobia and Fungi. The results were not consistent for Firmicutes. Temperatures resulted in no effect in gene abundance, while the soil was effective only for Archaea and Verrucomicrobia. Agricultural areas with five years of Bt corn cultivation showed variations in bacterial community structure at the phylum level, and greater abundance of fungi in the second year of sampling, while in the area with a year of cultivation, a reduction in population of Firmicutes and Verrucomicrobia was observed. The largest effects on the microbial community were observed between the sampled years

This thesis deals with isolation and identification wine yeasts from grapes and must. For analysis was used white wine Sauvignon that was grown and producing after needs ecological agriculture. Remove samples were processed in laboratory and by the help of dilution method were obtained pure culture isolated yeasts. In the following step, by the application of commercial kit UltraCleanTM Microbial DNA Isolation Kit we were able to isolated individual DNA that it was used to the next analysis. Isolated DNA was amplification by PCR method with ITS1 and ITS4 primers. PCR products were detected on agarose gel. Amplification samples were chopped five restriction endonucleases: HaeIII, HinfI, TaqaI, AluI and MseI. Chopped DNA was detected by the same way as PCR products and it was compared with restriction patterns of collection yeasts. In the next step it was compared genetic similarity of isolated yeasts by using BioNumerics software. As a criterion it was used Pearson coefficients and UPGMA clastering analysis. The result is dedrogram of genetics similarity isolated yeasts.

Powdery mildew, caused by Blumeria graminis (DC.) E.O. Speer f. sp. tritici E'm. Marchal (syn. Erysiphe graminis f. sp. tritici), is one of the major diseases of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) worldwide. The use of cultivars with resistance to powdery mildew is an efficient, economical and environmentally safe way to control powdery mildew. Race-specific resistance has been extensively used in breeding programs; however, it is ephemeral. Adult plant resistance (APR) to powdery mildew is more durable as demonstrated by the cultivar Massey, which has maintained its APR to powdery mildew since its release in 1981. To develop an efficient breeding strategy, it is essential to understand the genetic basis of APR. The objectives of this study were to identify molecular markers associated with APR to powdery mildew in common wheat Massey and to verify their association using recombinant inbred (RI) lines. A cross was made between the powdery mildew susceptible cultivar Becker and Massey. One hundred and eighty F2:3 lines were rated for disease severity under natural pressure of powdery mildew in field. Using both restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and microsatellite markers, three quantitative trait loci (QTL), designated as QPm.vt-1B, QPm.vt-2A and QPm.vt-2B, were identified in the Becker x Massey F2:3 generation. These loci are located on chromosomes 1B, 2A and 2B, respectively, and explained 17%, 29% and 11% of the total variation among F2:3 lines for powdery mildew resistance, respectively. Cumulatively, the three QTLs explained 50% of the phenotypic variation among F2:3 lines in a multi-QTL model. The three QTLs associated with APR to powdery mildew were derived from Massey and displayed additive gene action. QPm.vt-2B also fits a recessive model for APR to powdery mildew. In the second part of this study, 97 RI lines were developed from the Becker x Massey cross. The RI lines were evaluated for APR to powdery mildew under natural disease pressure for three years. Both single marker analysis and interval mapping confirmed the presence of the three QTLs identified in the F2:3 generation. The three QTLs, QPm.vt-1B, QPm.vt-2A and QPm.vt-2B, accounted for 15%, 26% and 15% of the variation of mean powdery mildew severity of the RI lines over three years. In a multi-QTL model, the three QTLs explained 44% of the phenotypic variation of the RI lines. The RI lines were grouped according to the genotype of the three QTLs, represented by markers GWM304a, KSUD22 and PSP3100, respectively. The RI lines with Massey alleles at all three loci had a mean disease severity of 3.4%, whereas the RI lines with Becker alleles at all three loci had a mean disease severity of 22.3%. These severity values are similar to those of the corresponding parents. The molecular markers identified and verified as to their association with APR to powdery mildew in Massey have the potential for use in marker-assisted selection for resistance to powdery mildew and in pyramiding powdery mildew resistance genes, as well as facilitating a better understanding of the molecular basis of APR to powdery mildew. / Ph. D.

Yes / Background. The roles of diffusely-adherent Escherichia coli (DAEC) and enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) in disease are not well understood, in part because of the limitations of diagnostic tests for each of these categories of diarrhoea-causing E. coli. A HEp-2 adherence assay is the Gold Standard for detecting both EAEC and DAEC but DNA probes with limited sensitivity are also employed. Results. We demonstrate that the daaC probe, conventionally used to detect DAEC, cross-reacts with a subset of strains belonging to the EAEC category. The cross hybridization is due to 84% identity, at the nucleotide level, between the daaC locus and the aggregative adherence fimbriae II cluster gene, aafC, present in some EAEC strains. Because aaf-positive EAEC show a better association with diarrhoea than other EAEC, this specific cross-hybridization may have contributed to an over-estimation of the association of daaC with disease in some studies. We have developed a discriminatory PCR-RFLP protocol to delineate EAEC strains detected by the daaC probe in molecular epidemiological studies. Conclusions. A PCR-RFLP protocol described herein can be used to identify aaf-positive EAEC and daaC-positive DAEC and to delineate these two types of diarrhoeagenic E. coli, which both react with the daaC probe. This should help to improve current understanding and future investigations of DAEC and EAEC epidemiology.

A cana-de-açúcar é atualmente a cultura de maior importância agrícola do Estado de São Paulo, a partir da qual são gerados açúcar e etanol, além de vários outros subprodutos. No entanto, com a expansão das fronteiras agrícolas e alterações nas práticas de manejo, ocorre atualmente um momento de adequação de tal cultivo, que visa uma maior produtividade e sustentabilidade de produção. Para isto, dentre outros fatores, o papel da comunidade microbiana presente nos solos pode ter fundamental importância, auxiliando no melhor desenvolvimento da planta. No entanto, pouco se sabe sobre a comunidade microbiana existente nos solos cultivados com cana-de-açúcar. Dessa forma, este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a diversidade e a abundância de fungos em solos de cultivo de cana-deaçúcar no estado de São Paulo, em áreas sob diferentes atributos químicos, físicos e de manejo. Objetivou-se também, verificar a ocorrência de padrões biogeográficos na estruturação de tais comunidades. Para isso, foi realizada a análise da estrutura das comunidades fúngicas por polimorfismo de comprimento de fragmentos de restrição terminal (T-RFLP), juntamente com a quantificação destas comunidades por meio da PCR em tempo real (qPCR) em 476 amostras de solo, obtidas de 11 áreas de cultivo (usinas). Dentro deste conjunto de dados, temos que os atributos químicos, físicos e manejo explicam maiores valores de variância dentro de cada área amostra, mas pouco explicam da variância geral dos dados, sugerindo a ocorrência de padrões biogeográficos das comunidades de fungos neste ambiente. Tal ocorrência foi confirmada pela significância estatística da correlação entre distância e dissimilaridade das comunidades de fungos, dando suporte a geração dos primeiros mapas biogeográficos de fungos em tais solos. Adicionalmente, a abundância de fungos mostrou-se relacionada com a produtividade da cultura, indicando este ser um dos fatores que modulam a produtividade de cana-de-açúcar nas áreas avaliadas. / The sugarcane is nowadays, the most important crop in the State of São Paulo, serving as the raw material for the production of sugar and ethanol, besides many others by-products. Considering the expansion of agricultural barriers, and shifts in fields management, such cultivation is under a re-arrangement process, aiming to a higher productivity and sustainability. In order to achieve that, among other factors, the role of microbial communities present in soils can be essential to support plant development. However, a few is known about the microbial community under sugarcane crop production soils. Hence, this work intended to evaluate the fungi diversity and abundance in soils cultivated with sugarcane in the State of São Paulo, exploring areas under distinct chemical and physical attributes and also distinct management practices. It was also aimed to determine the occurrence of biogeographically patterns in the structure of such communities. Indeed, it was made the analysis of the fungal community structure by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP), together with the quantification of these communities by real time PCR (qPCR) in 476 soils samples, collected in 11 areas cultivated with sugarcane (mills). Within this dataset, it was found that chemical, physical and management attributes explain higher values of variance within each sampled area, but explain little about the total variance of data, suggesting the occurrence of biogeographically patterns in fungal communities in this environment. It was confirmed by the statistical significance of the correlation between distance and dissimilarity of fungal communities, supporting the generation of very first biogeographically maps in such soils. Additionally, the abundance of fungi revealed to be related with sugarcane productivity, indicating this issue as one of the factors modulating the sugarcane productivity in the evaluated areas.

A cana-de-açúcar é atualmente a cultura de maior importância agrícola do Estado de São Paulo, a partir da qual são gerados açúcar e etanol, além de vários outros subprodutos. No entanto, com a expansão das fronteiras agrícolas e alterações nas práticas de manejo, ocorre atualmente um momento de adequação de tal cultivo, que visa uma maior produtividade e sustentabilidade de produção. Para isto, dentre outros fatores, o papel da comunidade microbiana presente nos solos pode ter fundamental importância, auxiliando no melhor desenvolvimento da planta. No entanto, pouco se sabe sobre a comunidade microbiana existente nos solos cultivados com cana-de-açúcar. Dessa forma, este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a diversidade e a abundância de fungos em solos de cultivo de cana-deaçúcar no estado de São Paulo, em áreas sob diferentes atributos químicos, físicos e de manejo. Objetivou-se também, verificar a ocorrência de padrões biogeográficos na estruturação de tais comunidades. Para isso, foi realizada a análise da estrutura das comunidades fúngicas por polimorfismo de comprimento de fragmentos de restrição terminal (T-RFLP), juntamente com a quantificação destas comunidades por meio da PCR em tempo real (qPCR) em 476 amostras de solo, obtidas de 11 áreas de cultivo (usinas). Dentro deste conjunto de dados, temos que os atributos químicos, físicos e manejo explicam maiores valores de variância dentro de cada área amostra, mas pouco explicam da variância geral dos dados, sugerindo a ocorrência de padrões biogeográficos das comunidades de fungos neste ambiente. Tal ocorrência foi confirmada pela significância estatística da correlação entre distância e dissimilaridade das comunidades de fungos, dando suporte a geração dos primeiros mapas biogeográficos de fungos em tais solos. Adicionalmente, a abundância de fungos mostrou-se relacionada com a produtividade da cultura, indicando este ser um dos fatores que modulam a produtividade de cana-de-açúcar nas áreas avaliadas. / The sugarcane is nowadays, the most important crop in the State of São Paulo, serving as the raw material for the production of sugar and ethanol, besides many others by-products. Considering the expansion of agricultural barriers, and shifts in fields management, such cultivation is under a re-arrangement process, aiming to a higher productivity and sustainability. In order to achieve that, among other factors, the role of microbial communities present in soils can be essential to support plant development. However, a few is known about the microbial community under sugarcane crop production soils. Hence, this work intended to evaluate the fungi diversity and abundance in soils cultivated with sugarcane in the State of São Paulo, exploring areas under distinct chemical and physical attributes and also distinct management practices. It was also aimed to determine the occurrence of biogeographically patterns in the structure of such communities. Indeed, it was made the analysis of the fungal community structure by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP), together with the quantification of these communities by real time PCR (qPCR) in 476 soils samples, collected in 11 areas cultivated with sugarcane (mills). Within this dataset, it was found that chemical, physical and management attributes explain higher values of variance within each sampled area, but explain little about the total variance of data, suggesting the occurrence of biogeographically patterns in fungal communities in this environment. It was confirmed by the statistical significance of the correlation between distance and dissimilarity of fungal communities, supporting the generation of very first biogeographically maps in such soils. Additionally, the abundance of fungi revealed to be related with sugarcane productivity, indicating this issue as one of the factors modulating the sugarcane productivity in the evaluated areas.

Fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs, F(CF2)nCH2CH2OH) are emerging contaminants in the environment. Biodegradation of 6:2 and 8:2 FTOHs has been intensively studied using soils and activated sludge. However, little is known about the bacteria responsible for biotransformation of FTOHs. This study deciphered factors affecting biodefluorination of FTOHs and their metabolites, and developed three effective FTOH-degrading consortia. Two alkane-degrading Pseudomonas strains (P. oleovorans and P. butanovora) can defluorinate 4:2, 6:2 and 8:2 FTOHs, with a higher degree of defluorination for 4:2 FTOH. According to the identified metabolites, P. oleovorans transformed FTOHs via two pathways I and II. Pathway I led to formation of x:2 ketone (x = n-1), x:2 sFTOH and perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs). Pathway II resulted in the formation of x:3 polyfluorinated acid and relatively minor shorter-chain PFCAs. Conversely, P. butanovora transformed FTOHs by pathway I only. Mycobacterium vaccae JOB5 (a C1-C22alkane-degrading bacterium) and P. fluorescens DSM 8341 (a fluoroacetate-degrading bacterium) can transform 6:2 FTOH via both pathways I and II with the formation of odd-numbered short-chain PFCAs. In the presence of dicyclopropylketone or formate, P. oleovorans transformed 6:2 FTOH six times faster and produced odd-numbered PFCAs. P. butanovora, utilized both pathways I and II in the presence of lactate, and it also produced odd-numbered PFCAs. Unlike P. oleovorans, P. fluorescens DSM 8341 could slightly convert 5:3 polyfluorinated acid (a key metabolite during 6:2 FTOH degradation, [F(CF2)5CH2CH2COOH]) to 4:3 acid and PFPeA via one-carbon removal pathways. Three FTOH-degrading consortia transformed FTOHs, with enhanced removal of FTOHs in the presence of n-octane. A higher copy number of alkB gene was found to correspond to better removal of FTOHs, suggesting that alkane-degrading bacteria might be the key degraders in the enrichments. The three enrichment cultures showed a similar microbial community structure. This is the first study reporting that pure strains of alkane- and fluoroacetate-degrading bacteria can bio-transform FTOHs via different or preferred transformation pathways to remove multiple –CF2– groups from FTOHs to form shorter-chain PFCAs, and to other perfluorinated acids. The results of this study also suggest that enhanced FTOH biodegradation is possible through co-substrate addition and/or using enrichment cultures.