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Biodesulphurisation of benzothiophene and dibenzothiophene by Rho | 44639

Applied Microbiology: Open Access
Open Access

ISSN: 2471-9315

+44 1300 500008

Biodesulphurisation of benzothiophene and dibenzothiophene by Rhodococci isolated from oil contaminated soil


5th World Congress and Expo on Applied Microbiology

November 12-13, 2018 | Edinburgh, Scotland

Selva M Athi Narayanan, Fiona M Stainsby, Irena B Ivshina and Nick Christofi

Edinburgh Napier University, UK
Institute of Ecology and Genetics of Microorganisms, Russia
Nine Edinburgh BioQuarter, UK

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Appli Micro Open Access

Abstract :

Biodesulphurisation (BDS) is an emerging technology that utilizes microorganisms for the removal of sulphur from fossil fuels. In this research, two rhodococci that were previously isolated from oil contaminated soils in Russia were found to possess robust desulphurisation activity against benzothiophene (BT) and dibenzothiophene (DBT) respectively. One strain was able to convert DBT to hydroxybiphenyl (2-HBP) with DBTO and DBTO2 as intermediates, whereas the other strain was able to convert BT into benzofuran, indicating that BDS reaction followed the well-known 4S pathway of desulphurisation. The species identity of the BT desulphurising strain and DBT desulphurising strain was confirmed as R. opacus and R. erythropolis respectively by 16S rRNA and gyrB gene sequence analysis and by whole genome sequence based OrthoANIu values (>95%). The DBT desulphurisation genes (dsz) of the R. erythropolis strain occurred as cluster sharing high similarity with the dsz operon of R. erythropolis IGTS8. The putative genes encoding the BT desulphurisation activity of the R. opacus strain was identified using comparative genomics. When cultured directly in a biphasic growth medium containing 10% model oil (hexadecane) or diesel containing 300 ppm sulphur, the R. erythropolis culture formed into an emulsion by interacting with the oil making it unsuitable for direct industrial application despite its desulphurisation potential. Whereas, the R. opacus culture formed distinct oil, biomass and aqueous phases which enabled easy extraction of the desulphurised oil with 80 fold reduced sulphur level, as measured by inductively coupled plasma - optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), making it a desirable strain for commercial application.

Biography :

Selva M Athi Narayanan is a PhD student at the Edinburgh Napier University, UK. He has worked on applied microbiology research projects including bacterial biodesulphurisation, peptide antibiotic producing bacteria for several years and has co-authored two papers in reputed journals during the time.

E-mail: selva.athinarayanan@napier.ac.uk

 

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