Engineering biocatalysts for the anaerobic recycling of toxic aromatic hydrocarbons

Abstract

Azoarcus sp. CIB is a denitrifying betaproteobacterium that uses different aromatic compounds, including toxic hydrocarbons such as toluene and m-xylene, as sole carbon sources, and is susceptible of genetic manipulation. To acquire a global view of all the genetic determinants involved in the anaerobic catabolism of aromatic compounds in strain CIB, and to accelerate and complete our understanding about this anaerobic catabolism, we have performed a genomic survey in the recently sequenced genome of this strain. This information paves the way for a pathway engineering approach within the field of anaerobic degradation of aromatics.