UPSC Express

In focus: Pseudomonas putida (CSV86)

Introduction

• Pseudomonas putidais a soil and water bacterium that thrives on organic compounds.
• They usually use carbon-based energy sources in plant roots for their metabolism.
• Usually these bacteria breakdown simple hydrocarbons like glucose for energy.
• The new strain CSV86 discovered have been found to breakdown complex hydrocarbons such as aromatic compounds.

Process of metabolism

• Any living being run its life processes through metabolic activities.
• Metabolic activities primarily involves uptake of organic compounds and convert the chemical energy stored in these compounds into useful work (life processes)
• Normally soil bacteria breakdown glucose (simple sugar) to release energy to fuel their life processes.
• However the bacterial strain CSV86 of Pseudomonas putida is found to have a unique preference of food.
• The CSV86 strain prefers aromatic compounds (complex hydrocarbons) for its metabolism.
• It breaks down aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzoate, benzyl alcohol, naphthalene etc

Significance

• The bacterial strain can be significant in bioremediation of oil spills both land-based and ocean-based.
• The strain can also be used in treating waste water to remove harmful toxics.
• It can naturally treat soil pollutants and thus arrest ground water pollution.
• Genetic engineering of bacterial using the strain can increase the metabolic diversity of bacteria.

In brief: Aromatic hydrocarbons

• Aromatic hydrocarbons are complex hydrocarbons that mostly possess a pleasant odour.
• Most of such compounds are made up of one or more benzene ring.
• These complex hydrocarbons containing more than two benzene rings are toxic and found to be a potent carcinogen.
• They are formed on incomplete combustion of organic materials like tobacco, coal and petroleum.
• Once they enter the human body they cause DNA mutations and cause cancer