High PCBs mineralization capability of a resuscitated strain Bacillus sp. LS1 and its survival in PCB-contaminated soil

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-degrading strains resuscitated by resuscitation promoting factor (Rpf) enlarged pure degraders to screen effective bio-inoculants for soil bioaugmentation. In this study, whole-genome analysis and PCB-degrading performance of a resuscitated strain LS1 were investigated. Importantly, the persistence and the physiological response of soil-inoculated LS1 were checked. The results indicate that the Bacillus sp. strain LS1 possessed the potential to degrade polycyclic aromatic compounds. LS1 exhibited better performance in degrading PCBs 18 and 52, but lower PCB 77 degradation capability. At PCBs concentration of 10 mg/L, the degradation efficiencies of PCBs 18, 52 and 77 within 96 h were 62.8 %, 59.6 % and 39.8 %, respectively. Combined the bph genes and metabolites detected, as well as the genes found in the genome, the abilities of LS1 for oxidative dehalogenation and mineralization of PCBs via HOPDA-benzoate-protocatechuate-β-ketoadipate pathway were determined. Notably, LS1 can still maintain survival and culturable state after inoculation into PCB-contaminated soil for 70 days. This is the first report to demonstrate the fate of resuscitated strain when used as soil bio-inoculant, which revealed the necessity and feasibility of using resuscitated strains to enhance bioremediation of PCB-contaminated soils.