Aerobic phenol degradation using native bacterial consortium via ortho–and meta–cleavage pathways

Effective bioremediation of a phenol-polluted environment harnesses microorganisms’ ability to utilize hazardous compounds as beneficial degraders. In the present study, a consortium consisting of 15 bacterial strains was utilized. The current study aims to monitor the phenol biodegradation pathway. The tested consortium showed effective potential in the bioremediation of phenol-contaminated industrial wastewater. The enzymatic studies conducted brought to light that the bacterial consortium under test was proficient in degrading phenol under aerobic conditions while exhibiting the simultaneous expression of both ortho- and meta-cleavage pathways. It was observed that pheA, pheB, and C12O genes were maximally expressed, and the enzymes responsible for phenol degradation, namely, phenol hydroxylase, catechol 1,2-dioxygenase, and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase, reached maximum activity after 48 h of incubation with a 20-ppm phenol concentration. To gain a deeper understanding of the activation of both ortho- and meta-cleavage pathways involved in phenol degradation, a technique known as differential display reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (DDRT-PCR) was applied. This method allowed for the specific amplification and detection of genes responsible for phenol degradation. The expression levels of these genes determined the extent to which both ortho- and meta-cleavage pathways were activated in response to the presence of phenol.