Isolation and identification of 3-chloropropionic acid degrading bacterium from Oxley Creek, Queensland, Australia

This study investigated the isolation and identification of a bacterial strain that could degrade 3-chloropropionic acid (3CP) as its sole carbon source. A 3CP degrading bacteria was successfully isolated from Oxley Creek, Queensland, Australia and designated as strain O1. Analysis of 16S rRNA as well as biochemical and morphological tests, found that strain O1 shared a sequence identity and characteristics most similar to that of Lysinibacillus fusiformis. The bacteria grew at 30°C in minimal media at a maximum concentration of 20 mM 3CP, however, exhibited a rather slow doubling time of 92 hours. Most importantly, analysis by high-performance chromatography (HPLC) revealed that the Lysinibacillus fusiformis isolate effectively degraded ∼100% of available 20mM 3CP. This is the first report detailing a Lysinibacillus fusiformis strain able to utilize 3CP as its sole carbon source competently.