Halotolerant bacteria of the genus Arthrobacter, capable of growth on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Using method of enrichment culture five bacterial strains of genus Arthrobacter that were able to grow on naphthalene as a sole source of carbon and energy at 1M NaCl have been isolated from soils and bottom sediments from the area of salt mining. A. globiformis strain SF27 utilized phenanthrene in 1 M NaCl presence. Pathways of phenanthrene degradation by Arthrobacter sp. B1 via formation of 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene and salicylate and by A. globiformis SF27 - via 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoate, 2-carboxybenzaldehyde and orthophthalate. Plasmids of 120 kb and 85 kb were detected in A. globiformis strains DF14, SF27 and A. nicotianae strain SN17.