NUCLEOTIDE SEQUENCE OF A DESULFURIZATION OPERON FROM A NEWLY ISOLATED RHODOCOCCUS FMF

Rhodococcus FMF isolated from soil samples of Tabriz refinery in Iran is capable of utilizing dibenzothiophene (DBT) as a sole source of sulfur. This gram positive bacterium is able to catabolize dibenzotiophene (DBT) to 2-hydroxybiphenyl (2HBP) and sulfite without the cleavage of carbon-carbon bonds. We showed that this phenotype was due to the expression of a chromosomal-encoded desulfurization gene cluster which codes for proteins Dsz A, B and C. The dszABC genes identified, isolated and amplified by PCR technique. Sequencing analysis revealed that high conservation between this chromosomal encoded operon and its plasmid-encoded counterpart in Rhodococcus sp. strain IGTS8 exists.