Stable Carbon Isotope Fractionation During 1,2-Dichloropropane-to-Propene Transformation by an Enrichment Culture Containing Dehalogenimonas Strains and a dcpA Gene

Environ Sci Technol. 2015 Jul 21;49(14):8666-74. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5b00929. Epub 2015 Jul 2.

Abstract

A stable enrichment culture derived from Besòs river estuary sediments stoichiometrically dechlorinated 1,2-dichloropropane (1,2-DCP) to propene. Sequential transfers in defined anaerobic medium with the inhibitor bromoethanesulfonate produced a sediment-free culture dechlorinating 1,2-DCP in the absence of methanogenesis. Application of previously published genus-specific primers targeting 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed the presence of a Dehalogenimonas strain, and no amplification was obtained with Dehalococcoides-specific primers. The partial sequence of the 16S rRNA amplicon was 100% identical with Dehalogenimonas alkenigignens strain IP3-3. Also, dcpA, a gene described to encode a corrinoid-containing 1,2-DCP reductive dehalogenase was detected. Resistance of the dehalogenating activity to vancomycin, exclusive conversion of vicinally chlorinated alkanes, and tolerance to short-term oxygen exposure is consistent with the hypothesis that a Dehalogenimonas strain is responsible for 1,2-DCP conversion in the culture. Quantitative PCR showed a positive correlation between the number of Dehalogenimonas 16S rRNA genes copies in the culture and consumption of 1,2-DCP. Compound specific isotope analysis revealed that the Dehalogenimonas-catalyzed carbon isotopic fractionation (εC(bulk)) of the 1,2-DCP-to-propene reaction was -15.0 ± 0.7‰ under both methanogenic and nonmethanogenic conditions. This study demonstrates that carbon isotope fractionation is a valuable approach for monitoring in situ 1,2-DCP reductive dechlorination by Dehalogenimonas strains.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alkanes / chemistry
  • Alkanes / metabolism
  • Alkenes / chemistry
  • Alkenes / metabolism*
  • Carbon Isotopes / analysis*
  • Carbon Isotopes / chemistry
  • Chemical Fractionation
  • Chloroflexi / drug effects
  • Chloroflexi / genetics
  • Chloroflexi / isolation & purification
  • Chloroflexi / metabolism*
  • Geologic Sediments / microbiology
  • Halogenation
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Propane / analogs & derivatives*
  • Propane / chemistry
  • Propane / metabolism
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • Spain
  • Vancomycin / pharmacology

Substances

  • Alkanes
  • Alkenes
  • Carbon Isotopes
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
  • Vancomycin
  • propylene
  • propylene dichloride
  • Propane

Associated data

  • GENBANK/KP780280
  • GENBANK/KP780281
  • GENBANK/KP780282