Utilization of 3-N-trimethylamino-1-propanol by Rhodococcus sp. strain A4 isolated from Natural Soil
The aim of this study was to screen for
microorganism that able to utilize 3-N-trimethylamino-1-propanol
(homocholine) as a sole source of carbon and nitrogen. The aerobic
degradation of homocholine has been found by a gram-positive
Rhodococcus sp. bacterium isolated from soil. The isolate was
identified as Rhodococcus sp. strain A4 based on the phenotypic
features, physiologic and biochemical characteristics, and
phylogenetic analysis. The cells of the isolated strain grown on both
basal-TMAP and nutrient agar medium displayed elementary
branching mycelia fragmented into irregular rod and coccoid
elements. Comparative 16S rDNA sequencing studies indicated that
the strain A4 falls into the Rhodococcus erythropolis subclade and
forms a monophyletic group with the type-strains of R. opacus, and
R. wratislaviensis. Metabolites analysis by capillary electrophoresis,
fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry, and gas
chromatography- mass spectrometry, showed trimethylamine (TMA)
as the major metabolite beside β-alanine betaine and
trimethylaminopropionaldehyde. Therefore, the possible degradation
pathway of trimethylamino propanol in the isolated strain is through
consequence oxidation of alcohol group (-OH) to aldehyde (-CHO)
and acid (-COOH), and thereafter the cleavage of β-alanine betaine
C-N bonds yielded trimethylamine and alkyl chain.
[1] Anthoni, U., Christophersen, C., Hougaard, L., and P.H. Nielsen 1991.
Quaternary ammonium compounds in the biosphere-an example of a
versatile adaptive strategy. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 99B: 1-18.
[2] Buck, J. D., 1982. Non-staining (KOH) method for determination of
gram reaction of marine bacteria. Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 44:
992-993. PMID: 6184019;
http://aem.asm.org/cgi/content/abstract/44/4/992
[3] Carroll, P.T., and J. M., Aspry 1980. Subcellular origin of cholinergic
transmitter release from mouse brain. Science, 210: 641-642. DOI:
10.1126/science; PMID: 7433989
[4] Channon, H. J., Platt, A. P., and J.A.B. Smith, 1937. The dietary
prevention of fatty livers. Two analogues of choline. Biochem. J., 31:
1736-1742. PMID: 16746513;
http://www.biochemj.org/bj/031/bj0311736.htm
[5] Collier, B., Lovat, S., Ilson, D., Barker, L. A., and T. W. Mittag, 1977.
The uptake, metabolisms and release of homocholine: studies with rat
brain synaptosomes and cat superior cervical ganglion. J.
Neurochem., 28: 331-339. DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-
4159.1977.tb07752.x; PMID: 839216
[6] Goodfellow M., J., Chun, E., Stackebrandt and R.M., Kroppenstedt
2002. Transfer of Tsukamurella wratislaviensis Goodfellow et al
1995 to the genus Rhodococcus as Rhodococcus wratislaviensis
comb. nov. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 52, 749-755. DOI:
10.1099/ijs.0.01969-0; PMID: 12054234
[7] Hampton D and L.J. Zatman 1983. The metabolism of
tetramethylammonium chloride by bacterium 5H2. Biochem Soc
Trans 1: 667-668.
[8] Hassan, M., Morimoto, S., Murakami, H., Ichiyanagi, T., and N. Mori,
2007. Purification and characterization of 4-N-Trimethylamino-1-
butanol dehydrogenase of Pseudomonas sp. 13CM. Biosci.
Biotechnol. Biochem., 71: 1439-1446. DOI:10.1271/bbb.60510;
PMID: 17587673.
[9] Larkin M.J., Kulakov, L.A., and C.C.R. Allen, 2005. Biodegradation
and Rhodococcus-masters of catabolic versatility. Curr Opin
Biotechnol 16: 282-290. DOI:10.1016/j.copbio.2005.04.007; PMID:
15961029
[10] Martinkova, L., Uhnakova, B., Patek, M., Nesvera, J., and V. Kren,
2009. Biodegradation potential of the genus Rhodococcus. Envirn Int
35. 162-177. DOI:10.1016/j.envint.2008.07.018; PMID: 18789530
[11] Miura-Fraboni, J., and S. Englard, 1983. Quantitative aspects of ╬│-
butyrobetaine and D- and L-carnitine utilization by growing cell
cultures of Acinotobacter calcoaceticus and Pseudomonas putida.
FEMS Lett., 18: 113-116. DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-
6968.1983.tb00460.x.
[12] Mohamed Ahmed, I. A., Arima, J., Ichiyanagi, T., Sakuno, E., and N.
Mori, 2009. Isolation and characterization of 3-N-trimethylamino-1-
propanol degrading Arthrobacter sp. strain E5. Res. J. Microbiol. 4
(2): 49-58. DOI: 10.3923/jm.2009.49.58
[13] Mori, N., Shirakawa, K., Uzura, K., Kitamoto, Y., and Y. Ichikawa,
1988. Formation of ethylene glycol and trimethylamine from choline
by Candida tropicalis. FEMS Lett., 51: 41-44. DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-
6968.1988.tb02965.x
[14] Nishimura, N., Zhang, J., Abo, M., Okubo, A., and S. Yamazaki,
2001. Application of capillary electrophoresis to the simultaneous
determination of betaines in plants. Anal. Sci. J., 17: 103-106. DOI:
10.2116/analsci.17.103; PMID: 11993643
[15] Rhodes, D., Rich, P.J., Myers, A.C., Reuter, C.C., and G.C. Jamieson
1987. Determination of betaines by fast atom bombardment mass
spectrometry. Plant Physiol., 84: 781-788. PMID: 16665522
[16] Saitou, N., and M. Nei, 1987. The neighbor-joining method: a new
method for reconstructing phylogenetic trees. Mol. Biol. Evol., 4:
406-425. PMID: 3447015;
http://mbe.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/4/4/406
[17] Seim, H., Loster, H., Claus, R., Kleber, H-P. and E. Strack, 1982.
Formation of ╬│-butyrobetaine and trimethylamine from quaternary
ammonium compounds structure-related to L-carnitine and choline
by Proteus vulgaris. FEMS Lett., 13: 201-205. DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-
6968.1982.tb08256.x
[18] Tiedje, J.M., Mason, B.B., Warren, C.B., and E. Malec, 1973.
Metabolisms of nitrilotriacetate by cells of Pseudomonas species.
Appl. Microbiol., 25: 811-825, PMID: 4715561;
http://aem.asm.org/cgi/content/abstract/25/5/811
[19] Van Ginkel C.G., Van Dijk, J.B., and A.G.M., Kroon, 1992.
Metabolism of hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride in
Pseudomonas strain B1. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 58: 3083-3087.
http://aem.asm.org/cgi/reprint/58/9/3083; PMID: 1444422
[20] Van Ginkel C.G., 1996. Complete degradation of xenobiotic
surfactants by consortia of aerobic microorganisms. Biodegradation,
7: 151-164. DOI: 10.1007/BF00114627; PMID: 8882807
[21] Wayne LG, Brenner DJ, Colwell RR & 9 other authors (1987)
International committee on systematic bacteriology. Report of the ad
hoc committee on reconciliation of approaches to bacterial
systematics. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 37: 463-464.
[22] Yoon J-H, Cho Y-G, Kang S-S, Kim SB, Lee ST & Park Y-H (2000)
Rhodococcus koreensis sp. nov., a 2,4-dinitrophenol-degrading
bacterium. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol., 50: 1193-1201. PMID:
10843063
[23] Zhang, J., Okubo, A., and S. Yamazaki, 1997. Determination of
betaine aldehyde in plants by low-pH capillary electrophoresis.
Bunseki Kagaku (in japaneese) 46: 509-511. DOI:
ci.nii.ac.jp/naid/110002907156
[24] Zhang, J., Okubo, A., and S. Yamazaki, 2001. Measurement of free
choline in plant leaves by capillary electrophoresis. Biosci.
Biotechnol. Biochem., 65: 2573-2576. DOI: 10.1271/bbb.65.2573;
PMID: 11791738
[1] Anthoni, U., Christophersen, C., Hougaard, L., and P.H. Nielsen 1991.
Quaternary ammonium compounds in the biosphere-an example of a
versatile adaptive strategy. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 99B: 1-18.
[2] Buck, J. D., 1982. Non-staining (KOH) method for determination of
gram reaction of marine bacteria. Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 44:
992-993. PMID: 6184019;
http://aem.asm.org/cgi/content/abstract/44/4/992
[3] Carroll, P.T., and J. M., Aspry 1980. Subcellular origin of cholinergic
transmitter release from mouse brain. Science, 210: 641-642. DOI:
10.1126/science; PMID: 7433989
[4] Channon, H. J., Platt, A. P., and J.A.B. Smith, 1937. The dietary
prevention of fatty livers. Two analogues of choline. Biochem. J., 31:
1736-1742. PMID: 16746513;
http://www.biochemj.org/bj/031/bj0311736.htm
[5] Collier, B., Lovat, S., Ilson, D., Barker, L. A., and T. W. Mittag, 1977.
The uptake, metabolisms and release of homocholine: studies with rat
brain synaptosomes and cat superior cervical ganglion. J.
Neurochem., 28: 331-339. DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-
4159.1977.tb07752.x; PMID: 839216
[6] Goodfellow M., J., Chun, E., Stackebrandt and R.M., Kroppenstedt
2002. Transfer of Tsukamurella wratislaviensis Goodfellow et al
1995 to the genus Rhodococcus as Rhodococcus wratislaviensis
comb. nov. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 52, 749-755. DOI:
10.1099/ijs.0.01969-0; PMID: 12054234
[7] Hampton D and L.J. Zatman 1983. The metabolism of
tetramethylammonium chloride by bacterium 5H2. Biochem Soc
Trans 1: 667-668.
[8] Hassan, M., Morimoto, S., Murakami, H., Ichiyanagi, T., and N. Mori,
2007. Purification and characterization of 4-N-Trimethylamino-1-
butanol dehydrogenase of Pseudomonas sp. 13CM. Biosci.
Biotechnol. Biochem., 71: 1439-1446. DOI:10.1271/bbb.60510;
PMID: 17587673.
[9] Larkin M.J., Kulakov, L.A., and C.C.R. Allen, 2005. Biodegradation
and Rhodococcus-masters of catabolic versatility. Curr Opin
Biotechnol 16: 282-290. DOI:10.1016/j.copbio.2005.04.007; PMID:
15961029
[10] Martinkova, L., Uhnakova, B., Patek, M., Nesvera, J., and V. Kren,
2009. Biodegradation potential of the genus Rhodococcus. Envirn Int
35. 162-177. DOI:10.1016/j.envint.2008.07.018; PMID: 18789530
[11] Miura-Fraboni, J., and S. Englard, 1983. Quantitative aspects of ╬│-
butyrobetaine and D- and L-carnitine utilization by growing cell
cultures of Acinotobacter calcoaceticus and Pseudomonas putida.
FEMS Lett., 18: 113-116. DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-
6968.1983.tb00460.x.
[12] Mohamed Ahmed, I. A., Arima, J., Ichiyanagi, T., Sakuno, E., and N.
Mori, 2009. Isolation and characterization of 3-N-trimethylamino-1-
propanol degrading Arthrobacter sp. strain E5. Res. J. Microbiol. 4
(2): 49-58. DOI: 10.3923/jm.2009.49.58
[13] Mori, N., Shirakawa, K., Uzura, K., Kitamoto, Y., and Y. Ichikawa,
1988. Formation of ethylene glycol and trimethylamine from choline
by Candida tropicalis. FEMS Lett., 51: 41-44. DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-
6968.1988.tb02965.x
[14] Nishimura, N., Zhang, J., Abo, M., Okubo, A., and S. Yamazaki,
2001. Application of capillary electrophoresis to the simultaneous
determination of betaines in plants. Anal. Sci. J., 17: 103-106. DOI:
10.2116/analsci.17.103; PMID: 11993643
[15] Rhodes, D., Rich, P.J., Myers, A.C., Reuter, C.C., and G.C. Jamieson
1987. Determination of betaines by fast atom bombardment mass
spectrometry. Plant Physiol., 84: 781-788. PMID: 16665522
[16] Saitou, N., and M. Nei, 1987. The neighbor-joining method: a new
method for reconstructing phylogenetic trees. Mol. Biol. Evol., 4:
406-425. PMID: 3447015;
http://mbe.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/4/4/406
[17] Seim, H., Loster, H., Claus, R., Kleber, H-P. and E. Strack, 1982.
Formation of ╬│-butyrobetaine and trimethylamine from quaternary
ammonium compounds structure-related to L-carnitine and choline
by Proteus vulgaris. FEMS Lett., 13: 201-205. DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-
6968.1982.tb08256.x
[18] Tiedje, J.M., Mason, B.B., Warren, C.B., and E. Malec, 1973.
Metabolisms of nitrilotriacetate by cells of Pseudomonas species.
Appl. Microbiol., 25: 811-825, PMID: 4715561;
http://aem.asm.org/cgi/content/abstract/25/5/811
[19] Van Ginkel C.G., Van Dijk, J.B., and A.G.M., Kroon, 1992.
Metabolism of hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride in
Pseudomonas strain B1. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 58: 3083-3087.
http://aem.asm.org/cgi/reprint/58/9/3083; PMID: 1444422
[20] Van Ginkel C.G., 1996. Complete degradation of xenobiotic
surfactants by consortia of aerobic microorganisms. Biodegradation,
7: 151-164. DOI: 10.1007/BF00114627; PMID: 8882807
[21] Wayne LG, Brenner DJ, Colwell RR & 9 other authors (1987)
International committee on systematic bacteriology. Report of the ad
hoc committee on reconciliation of approaches to bacterial
systematics. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 37: 463-464.
[22] Yoon J-H, Cho Y-G, Kang S-S, Kim SB, Lee ST & Park Y-H (2000)
Rhodococcus koreensis sp. nov., a 2,4-dinitrophenol-degrading
bacterium. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol., 50: 1193-1201. PMID:
10843063
[23] Zhang, J., Okubo, A., and S. Yamazaki, 1997. Determination of
betaine aldehyde in plants by low-pH capillary electrophoresis.
Bunseki Kagaku (in japaneese) 46: 509-511. DOI:
ci.nii.ac.jp/naid/110002907156
[24] Zhang, J., Okubo, A., and S. Yamazaki, 2001. Measurement of free
choline in plant leaves by capillary electrophoresis. Biosci.
Biotechnol. Biochem., 65: 2573-2576. DOI: 10.1271/bbb.65.2573;
PMID: 11791738
@article{"International Journal of Biological, Life and Agricultural Sciences:54713", author = "Isam A. Mohamed Ahmed and Jiro Arima and Tsuyoshi Ichiyanagi and Emi Sakuno and Nobuhiro Mori", title = "Utilization of 3-N-trimethylamino-1-propanol by Rhodococcus sp. strain A4 isolated from Natural Soil", abstract = "The aim of this study was to screen for
microorganism that able to utilize 3-N-trimethylamino-1-propanol
(homocholine) as a sole source of carbon and nitrogen. The aerobic
degradation of homocholine has been found by a gram-positive
Rhodococcus sp. bacterium isolated from soil. The isolate was
identified as Rhodococcus sp. strain A4 based on the phenotypic
features, physiologic and biochemical characteristics, and
phylogenetic analysis. The cells of the isolated strain grown on both
basal-TMAP and nutrient agar medium displayed elementary
branching mycelia fragmented into irregular rod and coccoid
elements. Comparative 16S rDNA sequencing studies indicated that
the strain A4 falls into the Rhodococcus erythropolis subclade and
forms a monophyletic group with the type-strains of R. opacus, and
R. wratislaviensis. Metabolites analysis by capillary electrophoresis,
fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry, and gas
chromatography- mass spectrometry, showed trimethylamine (TMA)
as the major metabolite beside β-alanine betaine and
trimethylaminopropionaldehyde. Therefore, the possible degradation
pathway of trimethylamino propanol in the isolated strain is through
consequence oxidation of alcohol group (-OH) to aldehyde (-CHO)
and acid (-COOH), and thereafter the cleavage of β-alanine betaine
C-N bonds yielded trimethylamine and alkyl chain.", keywords = "Homocholine, 3-N-trimethylamino-1-propanol,
Quaternary ammonium compounds, 16S rDNA gene sequence.", volume = "3", number = "3", pages = "138-6", }
