THE MOLECULAR STRESS RESPONSE AND TOLERANCE TO PERFLUOROOCTANOIC ACID (PFOA) IN Bacillus megaterium : A NOVEL STRAIN WPG-L1

Perfluorooctanoic acid can degraded and adsorption by microorganisms, but molecular mechanisms of microorganisms under PFOA stress have not been fully described. Here, we enriched and isolated a tolerant bacteria strain (WPG-L1) from PFOA-soil. To reveal the resistance mechanism of WPG-L1 against PFOA at molecular levels, by using whole genomic and transcriptomic analysis. Genome homology analysis identified WPG-L1 as Bacillus megaterium, and involved in metabolic process, cellular process, and single-organism process, to the benefit of resist PFOA. In addition, transcriptomics analysis showed that up-regulated functional enrichment, such as ABC transporters; amino acid transport and metabolism; two-component systems, nucleotide and carbohydrate transport and metabolism; energy production and conversion, etc. Meanwhile, cellular membrane; TCA cycle pathway; signaling pathway, were also upregulated. We conclude that, a novel strain WPG-L1 belong to Bacillus megaterium, which improved the PFOA tolerance by regulating cell membrane, redox process and molecular activity. Our findings providing an important insight into the PFOA tolerance mechanism induced by Bacillus megaterium, for future screening strains with high degradation efficiency under PFOA stress.