Genomic analysis of a microorganism able to metabolize pollutants at low temperature

[Autom. eng. transl.] Pseudomonas spp. UC7153 is a strain recently isolated from our group following a microbial biodiversity study in the Madaccio glacier. Chemical and microbiological analyzes have shown a capacity of the strain to degrade phenanthrene, pyrene and other xenobiotics, with good efficiencies at temperatures up to 4 ° C. In order to clarify the mechanisms that allow the degradation of xenobiotics at low temperatures and propose bioremediation strategies in cold environments, a complete sequencing of the strain was conducted. Genomic DNA was extracted, fragmented and sequenced with Illumina Hiseq 1000 instrumentation in 100 bp mode in paired ends. About 80 million fragments were produced, filtered to eliminate low quality sequences, and then assembled with CLC Bio software, producing 123 contigs, for a total genomic size of 67 Mbps. The functional annotation of the genome was then conducted with the web-based RAST system (Rapid Annotation using Subsystem Technology http://rast.nmpdr.org). A first functional annotation led to the identification of 6221 genes, which were analyzed to identify subsystems and metabolic pathways of environmental interest. In particular, different oxygenases have been identified, dealogenases potentially involved in the metabolism of chlorinated xenobiotics and genes for metal resistances, as well as genes coding for cold shock proteins (cold shock proteins cspA, cspD, cspG). Genomic information has been compared with that of other microorganisms of environmental interest already studied. It will be shown how the availability of complete genomic information represents an undoubted advantage for the conception, management and interpretation of bioremediation experiments.