Bacterial survival and mineralization of p-nitrophenol in soil by green fluorescent protein-marked Moraxella sp G21 encapsulated cells

Moraxella sp. G21 cells marked with the green fluorescent protein (gfp) sur vived in kappa-carrageenan beads and as free cells for a month after inocul ation into autoclaved soil and non-sterile soil contaminated with p-nitroph enol (PNP). Similar [U-C-14]PNP mineralization values were produced by enca psulated Moraxella sp. G21 cells and as free cells (53 and 60% mineralizati on). There was no significant difference between cell survival and [U-C-14] PNP mineralization activity in soil by the rifampicin-resistant Moraxella s p, mental strain and Moraxella sp. G21. The ability of encapsulated Moraxel la sp. G21 cells to survive, retain their green fluorescence and mineralize [U-C-14]PNP suggests that the GFP-marked strain encapsulated in ic-carrage enan may be useful for bioremediation of toxic chemicals in soil. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.