Bacterial chemotaxis towards phenanthrene in two PAH contaminated soils

Chemotactic responses towards organic pollutants have recently been described for a number of aromatic-degrading soil bacteria. This study represents a new approach for isolation of chemotactic xenobiotic degrading bacterial strains from hydrocarbon-contaminated soil environments. The presence of soil bacteria showing chemotaxis towards phenanthrene was examined by this method in two Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) polluted soils. Eubacterial communities isolated for their chemotactic features or by conventional phenanthrene enrichment culturing were compared by 16S rRNA gene PCR analysis and subsequent DGGE-fingerprinting for the two soils. The isolated strains were then tested for chemotaxis towards phenanthrene by using different chemotactic assays.