Geobacillus thermoleovorans B23 genome. Geobacillus thermoleovorans B23

An extremely thermophilic bacterium, Geobacillus thermoleovorans strain B23, was previously isolated from production water (crude oil-water emulsion) at 2,150 meter-depth (105˚C) of subterranean petroleum reservoir in Niigata, Japan. B23 is capable of degrading broad range alkanes (C11-C32) at 70˚C by terminal oxidation pathway. Despite extensive survey and analysis of related enzymes and genes in the pathway, alkane monooxygenase system for initial oxidation of alkane to primary alcohol has been still remained unknown. In order to shed light on comprehensive alkane degradation pathway in G. thermoleovorans, whole genome sequence analysis was conducted

此前，研究人员从日本新潟县地下油藏2150米深度（105℃）的产出水（原油-水乳化液）中，分离得到一株极端嗜热细菌——热解油地芽孢杆菌（Geobacillus thermoleovorans）B23菌株。该菌株B23可在70℃条件下，通过末端氧化途径降解碳链范围宽泛的烷烃（C11~C32）。尽管学界已对该途径中的相关酶类与基因开展了大量研究与分析，但负责将烷烃初始氧化为伯醇的烷烃单加氧酶系统，至今仍未阐明。为阐明热解油地芽孢杆菌完整的烷烃降解途径，本研究对其进行了全基因组测序分析。