PLASMID-MEDIATED ORGANOPHOSPHATE PESTICIDE DEGRADATION BY FLAVOBACTERIUM-BALUSTINUM

A bacterium capable of degrading methyl parathion, an organophosphorus insecticide into paranitrophenol (as evidenced by TLC) and other meta bolites, was isolated from the agricultural soils of Anantapur distric t, Andhra Pradesh, India. This bacterium, identified as Flavobacterium balustinum was found to harbour an indigenous plasmid of approximatel y 86 kb in size. The degradative enzyme, parathion hydrolase, was foun d to be encoded by this plasmid. No enzyme activity was observed in pl asmid cured strain.