Identification of the novel operon involved in degradation of pentachlorophenol (PCP) in the Gram-positive bacterium Nocardioides sp. strain PD653.

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) has been widely used as preservatives, pesticides and disinfectants since 1930s. The genes involved in PCP metabolism have been well elucidated in Sphingobium chlorophenolicm ATCC39723, of which pcpB encodes PCP hydroxylase catalyzing hydroxylation of PCP to 2,3,4,5-tetrachloro-1,4-hydroquinone (TeCH). On the other hand, no pcpB ortholog has been detected in Gram-positive bacterium capable of degrading PCP so far. In this study, we aimed to identify the operon involved in PCP metabolism in Gram-positive bacterium Nocardioides sp. PD653 by differential RNA-seq .