Molecular identification of a polyethylene- degrading bacterium

Plastics are inexpensive, lightweight and durable materials, which can readily be molded into a variety of products that find use in a wide range of applications. Polyethylene (PE) is one of the most frequently used plastics. In the past decade, the increase in utilization of plastics and the accumulation of PE in the environment all around the globe has drawn attention by environmentalists and scientists.In this study, the molecular identification of a bacterium, isolated from PE waste depot was carried out. The isolate was cultured in a medium with PE as the sole carbon source. DNA extraction with TE buffer was carried out and the 16S rRNA-encoding DNA sequences were amplified by universal primers of 27 F and 1492 R. The size of the PCR product was about ~1500 bp as observed in an agarose gel. PCR product was sequenced and the readings from each end of the gene were analyzed by the Bioedit Software. The complete sequence was aligned with multiple sequences in the NCBI database using Blastn and sequence from 42 other bacterial was used by MEGA software to draw the phylogeny tree.After the alignment was analyzed, it was observed that isolates of two genus s of Diaphorobacter and Acidovorax were closely related to the isolate examined; finally, the phylogenic tree determined that Acidovorax ebreus was the closest species with 99% similarity.

Keywords:

16S rRNA , PE , biodegradation , Acidovorax ebreus.