Isolation and characterization of a Pseudomonas diesel-degrading strain from Antarctica

A diesel-degrading bacterium from Antarctica has been isolated. The isolate was tentatively identified as Pseudomonas sp. strain DRYJ3 based on partial 16S rDNA molecular phylogeny and Biolog GN microplate panels and Microlog database. Growth on diesel was supported optimally by ammonium sulphate, nitrate and nitrite. The bacterium grew optimally in between 10 and 15 degrees C, pH 7.0 and 3.5% (v/v) diesel. The biodegradation of diesel oil by the strain increased in efficiency from the second to the sixth day of incubation from 1.4 to 18.8% before levelling off on the eighth day n-alkane oxidizing and aldehyde reductase activities were detected in the crude enzyme preparation suggesting the existence of terminal n-alkane oxidizing activity in this bacterium.