Compositions and methods useful in bioremediation of polychlorinated biphenyls

An isolated bacterium which is capable of utilizing as a sole carbon source a monochloro-biphenyl.

An isolated bacterium which is capable of utilizing as a sole carbon source 4-chlorobenzoate.

An isolated bacterium which is capable of utilizing both 4-chlorobenzoate and a mono-chlorobiphenyl, individually, as a sole carbon source.

A consortium of microorganisms comprising a bacterium selected from the group consisting of SK-1, SK-2, SK-3 and SK-4.

A recombinant bacterium, which is capable of utilizing as a sole carbon source a polychlorinated biphenyl, wherein said polychlorinated biphenyl contains at least two chlorine atoms associated therewith.

A recombinant yeast, which is capable of utilizing as a sole carbon source a polychlorinated biphenyl, wherein said polychlorinated biphenyl contains at least two chlorine atoms associated therewith.

A recombinant bacteriophage, comprising nucleic acid which when expressed in a bacterium infected with said bacteriophage confers on said bacterium the ability to utilize as a sole carbon source a polychlorinated biphenyl, wherein said polychlorinated biphenyl contains at least two chlorine atoms associated therewith.

An isolated nucleic acid encoding an enzyme for degrading a polychlorinated biphenyl, wherein said nucleic acid is obtained from an isolated bacterium which is capable of utilizing as a sole carbon source a polychlorinated biphenyl, wherein said polychlorinated biphenyl contains at least two chlorine atoms associated therewith.

A recombinant enzyme for degrading a polychlorinated biphenyl wherein said recombinant enzyme is encoded by nucleic acid obtained from the genome of an isolated bacterium which is capable of utilizing as a sole carbon source a polychlorinated biphenyl, wherein said polychlorinated biphenyl contains at least two chlorine atoms associated therewith.

A method for the bioremediation of a PCB-contaminated environment, said method comprising

• a) adding an isolated bacterium to said PCB-contaminated environment, wherein said bacterium is capable of utilizing as a sole carbon source a polychlorinated biphenyl, wherein said polychlorinated biphenyl contains at least two chlorine atoms associated therewith, and
• b) incubating said bacterium in said environment for a period of time sufficient to permit degradation of a polychlorinated biphenyl in said environment, thereby bioremediating said environment.

A method for enhancing the bioremediation of a PCB-contaminated environment, said method comprising

• a) adding an isolated bacterium to said PCB-contaminated environment, wherein said bacterium is capable of utilizing as a sole carbon source a polychlorinated biphenyl, wherein said polychlorinated biphenyl contains at least two chlorine atoms associated therewith, and
• b) incubating said bacterium in said environment for a period of time sufficient to permit degradation of a polychlorinated biphenyl in said environment, thereby enhancing the bioremediation of said environment.

A method for the bioremediation of a PCB-contaminated environment, said method comprising

• a) adding an isolated bacterium to said PCB-contaminated environment, wherein said bacterium is capable of utilizing as a sole carbon source a polychlorinated biphenyl, wherein said polychlorinated biphenyl contains at least two chlorine atoms associated therewith;
• b) adding a cosubstrate selected from the group consisting of biphenyl and napthalene to said PCB-contaminated environment whereby cometabolism of said cosubstrate and a PCB may occur, and
• c) incubating said bacterium in said environment for a period of time sufficient to permit degradation of a polychlorinated biphenyl in said environment, thereby bioremediating said environment.

A method for the bioremediation of a PCB-contaminated environment, said method comprising

• a) adding a recombinant enzyme for degrading a polychlorinated biphenyl to said PCB-contaminated environment, wherein said recombinant enzyme is obtained from an isolated bacterium which is capable of utilizing as a sole carbon source a polychlorinated biphenyl, wherein said polychlorinated biphenyl contains at least two chlorine atoms associated therewith, and
• b) incubating said recombinant enzyme in said PCB-contaminated environment for a period of time sufficient to permit degradation of a polychlorinated biphenyl, thereby bioremediating said environment.

A method for the bioremediation of PCB-contaminated environment, said method comprising

• a) adding to said PCB-contaminated environment, a recombinant microorganism selected from the group consisting of a bacterium, a yeast, and a bacteriophage, wherein said recombinant microorganism comprises a nucleic acid encoding an enzyme for degrading a polychlorinated biphenyl, wherein said nucleic acid is obtained from an isolated bacterium which is capable of utilizing as a sole carbon source a polychlorinated biphenyl, wherein said polychlorinated biphenyl contains at least two chlorine atoms associated therewith, and
• b) incubating said recombinant microorganism in said PCB-contaminated environment for a period of time sufficient to permit degradation of a polychlorinated biphenyl, thereby bioremediating said environment.

A method for the bioremediation of a PCB-contaminated environment, said method comprising

• a) adding an isolated bacterium to said PCB-contaminated environment, wherein said bacterium is capable of utilizing as a sole carbon source a polychlorinated biphenyl, wherein said polychlorinated biphenyl contains at least two chlorine atoms associated therewith;
• b) adding an isolated bacterium to said PCB-contaminated environment, wherein said bacterium is capable of utilizing a chlorobenzoate as a sole carbon source, and
• c) incubating said bacteria in said environment for a period of time sufficient to permit degradation of a polychlorinated biphenyl and a chlorobenzoate in said environment, thereby bioremediating said environment.