Degradation of pyrene and characterization of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Saccharothrix</Emphasis> sp. PYX-6 from the oligotrophic Tianchi Lake in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,China

Bacterial strain PYX-6 that utilizes anthracene, phenanthrene, or pyrene for carbon and energy sources for growth was isolated from a non-polluted lake (Tianchi Lake) in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomons Region of China. Its morphology, physiological and biochemical properties, cell wall pattern and G+C mol% content of DNA molecules were characterized. The 16S rRNA gene of strain PYX-6 was sequenced and analyzed for similarities to related bacterial species. Results indicated that strain PYX-6 is a member of the Genus Saccharothrix, and the strain was named Saccharothrix sp. PYX-6. When pyrene was the sole carbon source in cultural medium, the strain PYX-6 assimilated pyrene for growth and 0.005% of yeast extract stimulated pyrene degradation and assimilation. The optimal pH of cultural medium and the optimal shaking frequency during cultivation were 6-8 and 200 r/m, respectively. It was found that the disappearance of pyrene in medium occurred before significant growth of strain PYX-6 took place. Phthalic acid, benzylacetic acid, and benzylpropenoic acid were detected as catabolic intermediates during pyrene degradation with mass spectroscopy and this result indicated that Saccharothrix sp. PYX-6 adopted a pathway that is different from the pathway of the previously reported pyrene-degrading Mycobacterium sp. PYR-1.