Degradation of environmental toxins by a filamentous bacterium

US5874291A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• University of Washington · US

Inventors

• Angela R. Bielefeldt · Ames, US
• H. David Stensel · Mercer Island, US
• Stuart E. Strand · Seattle, US
• Russell P. Herwig · Seattle, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 30, 1996
• Grant date: Feb 23, 1999
• Expiry date: Apr 30, 2016

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12R2001/01
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

This invention pertains to substantially purified cultures of a gram-negative, aerobic, filamentous bacterium with cells ranging in length from 20-200 .mu.m, that accumulates intracellular poly-.beta.-hydroxybutyrate in intracellular granules, and that degrades chlorinated aliphatic compounds such as trichloroethylene and dichloroethylene, as well as phenol and other substituted benzenes. The invention includes the representative strain A-1, which has been deposited at the American Type Culture Collection under the accession number 55581. Also included are methods for using the new bacterium for bioremediation of contaminated environmental sites.