NOVEL POLYPEPTIDES INDUCED BY THE INSECTICIDE LINDANE (GAMMA-HEXACHLOROCYCLOHEXANE) ARE REQUIRED FOR ITS BIODEGRADATION BY A SPHINGOMONAS-PAUCIMOBILIS STRAIN

When exposed to the potent insecticide gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane or lindane, a Sphingomonas paucimobilis strain rapidly synthesised 7 nove l polypeptides and concomitantly gained the ability to degrade lindane . Synthesis of these proteins was switched-off subsequent to the disap pearance of lindane from the medium. Treatments which induced the synt hesis of identical proteins also conferred on cells the ability to deg rade lindane. In contrast, cells blocked in protein synthesis could no t be induced to degrade lindane. The close correspondence observed bet ween expression of lindane-induced proteins and gamma-hexachlorocycloh exane catabolism strongly implicates these novel proteins in lindane b iodegradation. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.