SCREENING OF HALOPHILIC BACTERIA AND ALTEROMONAS SPECIES FOR ORGANOPHOSPHORUS HYDROLYZING ENZYME-ACTIVITY

Previously, a G-type nerve agent degrading enzyme activity was found i n a halophilic bacterial isolate designated JD6.5. This organism was t entatively identified as an unknown species of the genus Alteromonas. In order to determine whether this type of enzyme activity was common in other species of Alteromonas, a screening program was initiated. A number of Alteromonas species and five halophilic bacterial isolates w ere cultured and their crude cell extracts screened for hydrolytic act ivity against several organophosphorus chemical agents and other relat ed compounds. The samples were also screened for cross-reactivity with a monoclonal antibody raised against the purified enzyme from JD6.5 a nd for hybridization with a DNA probe based on its N-terminal amino ac id sequence A wide spectrum of activities and reactivities were seen, suggesting a significant heterogeneity between the functionally simila r enzymes that are present in these bacterial species. Enzymes of the type described here have considerable potential for the decontaminatio n and demilitarization of chemical warfare agents.