Facilitation of Bacterial Adaptation to Chlorothalonil-Contaminated Sites by Horizontal Transfer of the Chlorothalonil Hydrolytic Dehalogenase Gene▿

摘要

Horizontal transfer of the chlorothalonil hydrolytic dehalogenase gene (chd) is proposed based on the high conservation of the chd gene and its close association with a novel insertion sequence, ISOcsp1, in 16 isolated chlorothalonil-dechlorinating strains belonging to eight different genera. The ecological role of horizontal gene transfer is assumed to facilitate bacterial adaptation to chlorothalonil-contaminated sites, through detoxification of chlorothalonil to less toxic 2,4,5-trichloro-6-hydroxybenzene-1,3-dicarbonitrile.