Candida tropicalis yeast is a microorganism that possesses high tolerance for phenol and strong phenol degrading activity. This yeast is capable of utilizing phenol as the sole source of carbon and energy without formation of any secondary waste product. Catechol-1,2- dioxygenase was isolated from cytosolic fraction of this yeast by the procedure consisting of chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose and gel permeation chromatography on Sephadex G- 100. The catechol-1,2-dioxygenase was purified to homogeneity. The enzyme activity was followed by HPLC (catechol consumption and/or cis,cis-muconic acid formation). The activity profiles at different temperatures showed temperature optimum of 30řC. Kinetic characterizations were studying in different values of pH. The values of Km and Vmax of 0,52 mM and 17,2 nM/min for consumption of catechol, respectively, and 0,34 mM and 12,6 nM/min for formation of cis,cis-muconic acid, respectively, were found at optimum pH of the reaction, pH 7,6.

Submitted by orjuela@ibilce.unesp.br (orjuela@ibilce.unesp.br) on 2016-02-17T12:16:38Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Isolamento de bactérias degradadoras de hidrocarbonetos aromáticos 1-107.pdf: 3940758 bytes, checksum: c39dfe1dada0d918848470d3f0de5b83 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Juliano Benedito Ferreira (julianoferreira@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-02-17T13:16:08Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 orjuela_gl_dr_rcla.pdf: 3940758 bytes, checksum: c39dfe1dada0d918848470d3f0de5b83 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-02-17T13:16:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 orjuela_gl_dr_rcla.pdf: 3940758 bytes, checksum: c39dfe1dada0d918848470d3f0de5b83 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-11 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Este documento foi organizado em dois capítulos. O Capítulo I é um artigo de revisão intitulado “Metabolic Pathways for Aromatic Compounds Degradation by Bacteria”, no qual são descritas as fontes naturais e antrópicas dos hidrocarbonetos aromáticos e suas características químicas. Relacionaram-se os fatores ambientais que afetam a degradação aeróbia e anaeróbia desses compostos por bactérias e os principais compostos intermediários produzidos. É descrita passo a passo a sequência de preparação e desaromatização do anel benzênico e os compostos finais dessa degradação. O artigo foi publicado no volume 237 da série Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology em janeiro de 2016 (Springer http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23573-8_5). O Capítulo II contém os resultados da pesquisa desenvolvida. O objetivo geral foi isolar cepas bacterianas de amostras de solo e avaliar o potencial degradador de fenol e outros hidrocarbonetos aromáticos. Foram realizadas coletas de amostras de solo de cinco postos de combustíveis, para a seleção das cepas bacterianas e para análises químicas e granulométricas. Alíquotas das amostras de solo foram transferidas para meio de cultura seletivo contendo querosene como única fonte de carbono. Testes morfológicos e bioquímicos indicaram que as cepas isoladas são Gram negativas, móveis, catalase positivas, produtoras de cápsula e de biossurfactantes. O sequenciamento do gene 16S rRNA mostrou 99 a 100% de similaridade com o gênero Pseudomonas sp. Todas as cepas degradaram o fenol em concentração de 120 mg L-1 em menos de 24 horas. Testes da atividade enzimática mostraram que algumas das cepas expressaram a catecol 1,2-dioxigenase que catalisa a orto-clivagem do anel benzênico e outras expressaram a catecol 2,3 dioxigenase da meta-clivagem do anel aromático. Uma cepa não apresentou atividade para nenhuma dessas duas enzimas e uma apresentou atividade de ambas. Todas as cepas foram capazes de crescer em presença de fenantreno, fluoranteno e pireno. / This document is organized in two chapters. The Chapter I is a review paper entitled “Metabolic Pathways for Aromatic Compounds Degradation by Bacteria” in which are described natural and anthropogenic sources of aromatic hydrocarbons and their chemical characteristics. There are listed environmental factors that affect the aerobic and anaerobic degradation by bacteria and the central intermediates yielded. It is described step to step of sequence of preparation and dearomatization of benzene ring and the final metabolites of breakdown. The manuscript was publicated in the volume 237 of Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology in January of 2016 (Springer http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3- 319-23573-8_5). Chapter II has the results of developed research. The general objective was to isolate bacterial strains from samples of soil and to evaluate the potential of them for breakdown hydrocarbons. Soil samples from five gas stations were collected to isolate the bacterial strains and chemical and granulometric analysis was made. Aliquots of the soil samples were cultured with selective media with kerosene as only carbon and energy sources. Morphological and biochemical tests showed that bacterial strains were Gram negatives, motile, positive catalase, capsule-producers and biosurfactant producers. The sequencing of 16S rRNA gene showed 99 to 100% similarity with Pseudomonas sp genera. All bacterial strains were able to degrade phenol 120 mg L-1 in less than 24 hours. Tests of enzymatic activity showed that some bacteria expressed the catecol 1,2-dioxygenase that catalyze ortoclivage of benzene ring, others showed activity for the catecol 2,3-dioxygenase that catalyze the meta-cleavage of the ring. One strain did not show activity for any of these enzymes and one strain had activity for both. All strains were able to growth with fenantrene, fluoranthene and pyrene. / CNPq: 140704/2012-4

Effluents of industrial wastewaters from oil refineries, paper mills, dyes, ceramic factories, resins, textiles and plastic contain high concentrations of aromatic compounds, which are toxic to organisms. Degradation of these compounds to tolerant limits before releasing them into the environment is an urgent requirement. Candida tropicalis yeast is an important representative of eucaryotic microorganisms that are able to utilize phenol. During the first phase of phenol biodegradation, cytoplasmatic NADPH-dependent phenol hydroxylase of C. tropicatis oxidizes phenol to catechol. Catechol is in the second phase of biodegradative process oxidized to cis,cis-muconic acid by the reaction catalyzed with catechol-1,2-dioxygenase. In this diploma thesis we investigated the effect of the heavy metal ions on NADPH-dependent phenol hydroxylase and catechol-1,2-dioxygenase of C. tropicalis. Phenol hydroxylase was inhibited by Cu2+ and Pb2+ ions. Catechol dioxygenase was inhibited by all substances containing heavy metal ions (Fe2+ , Mn2+ , Cd2+ , Cu2+ and Pb2+ ), which were tested in this work. The most effective inhibition was produced by Pb2+ followed by Mn2+ , Cd2+ Fe2+ and Cu2+ ions. The higher sensitivity of catechol-1,2-dioxygenase to heavy metal ions might follow from the presence of histidine residue...