Biotechnological potential of Rhodococcus biodegradative pathways

Abstract

The genus Rhodococcus is a phylogenetically and catabolically diverse group that has been isolated from diverse environments, including polar and alpine regions, for its versatile ability to degrade a wide variety of natural and synthetic organic compounds. Their metabolic capacity and diversity result from their diverse catabolic genes, which are believed to be obtained through frequent recombination events mediated by large catabolic plasmids. Many rhodococci have been used commercially for the biodegradation of environmental pollutants and for the biocatalytic production of high value chemicals from low value materials. Recent studies of their physiology, metabolism, and genome have broadened our knowledge regarding the diverse biotechnological applications that exploit their catabolic enzymes and pathways.