Benzoic acid-degrading halophilic strain Halomonas sp. D2

Benzoic acid is widely used in various fields of industry, and it is a intermediate in the bacterial catabolism of many aromatic compounds, environmental pollutants. Halomonas sp. D2 strain, isolated from clay deposits of the salt mine of the Verkhnekamsky salt deposit (Solikamsk, Perm krai) is capable of using benzoic acid (BA) as a sole source of carbon and energy. Halomonas sp. D2 grows in the rich Raymond’s medium in the presence of 10-300 g/L NaCl and in the mineral medium with BA (1 g/L) in the presence of 30-70 g/L NaCl. The gene (benA) encoding the benzoate 1,2-dioxygenase alpha subunit was detected in the strain D2. Analysis of benA gene of the strain D2 showed the highest similarity (94.86%) with benA gene of Halomonas taeanensis BH539T with which the strain D2 is the most phylogenetically close in the 16S rRNA gene (99.43% similarity). The revealed properties of Halomonas sp. D2 strain makes it promising for use in biotechnologies for the restoration of saline soils and water contaminated with aromatic hydrocarbons