A NOVEL BACTERIUM PRODUCING POLYHYDROXYALKANOATES FROM PALM OIL MILL EFFLUENT

摘要

The bacterial strain EB 172, isolated from digester treating palm oil mill effluent, was investigated by polyphasic taxonomic approach. The cells were rod-shaped, Gram- negative, non-pigmented, non-spore-forming and non-fermentative. Phylogenetic analyses using the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that the strain was placed in the cluster of genus Comamonas; its closest neighbours were the type strains C. terrigena (96.8 %), C. koreensis (93.4 %), C. composti (92.9 %), and C. kerstersii (91.1 %). The ability of C. putranensis to produce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) when supplied with organic acids made this bacterium is unique in Comamonas species. The bacterial strain was clearly distinguished from all of the existing strains using phylogenetic analysis, fatty acid composition data and a range of physiological and biochemical characteristics. The DNA G+C content of the genomic DNA was 59.1 mol%. It is evident from the genotypic and phenotypic data that strain Comamonas putranensis represents a novel species in the genus Comamonas, for which the name Comamonas putranensis sp. nov. is proposed.