Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread in various ecosystems and are pollutants of great concern due to their potential toxicity, mutagenicity and carcinogenicity. Because of their hydrophobic nature, most PAHs bind to particulates in soil and sediments, rendering them less available for biological uptake. Microbial degradation represents the major mechanism responsible for the ecological recovery of PAH-contaminated sites. The goal of this review is to provide an outline of the current knowledge of microbial PAH catabolism. In the past decade, the genetic regulation of the pathway involved in naphthalene degradation by different gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria was studied in great detail. Based on both genomic and proteomic data, a deeper understanding of some high-molecular-weight PAH degradation pathways in bacteria was provided. The ability of nonligninolytic and ligninolytic fungi to transform or metabolize PAH pollutants has received considerable attention, and the biochemical principles underlying the degradation of PAHs were examined. In addition, this review summarizes the information known about the biochemical processes that determine the fate of the individual components of PAH mixtures in polluted ecosystems. A deeper understanding of the microorganism-mediated mechanisms of catalysis of PAHs will facilitate the development of new methods to enhance the bioremediation of PAH-contaminated sites.

中文翻译：

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微生物对多环芳烃的降解作用。

多环芳烃（PAHs）广泛存在于各种生态系统中，由于其潜在的毒性，诱变性和致癌性而成为令人关注的污染物。由于多环芳烃具有疏水性，因此它们会结合到土壤和沉积物中的颗粒物上，从而使其不易被生物吸收。微生物降解是造成PAH污染地区生态恢复的主要机制。这篇综述的目的是概述微生物PAH分解代谢的最新知识。在过去的十年中，对不同的革兰氏阴性和革兰氏阳性细菌降解萘的途径的遗传调控进行了详细研究。根据基因组和蛋白质组数据，提供了对细菌中某些高分子量PAH降解途径的更深入了解。非木质素分解和木质素分解真菌转化或代谢多环芳烃污染物的能力已引起广泛关注，并研究了降解多环芳烃的生化原理。此外，本综述总结了有关生化过程的已知信息，这些信息决定了污染生态系统中PAH混合物各个成分的命运。对微生物介导的PAHs催化机制的更深入了解将促进开发新方法以增强PAH污染位点的生物修复。并研究了PAHs降解的潜在生化原理。此外，本综述总结了有关生化过程的已知信息，这些信息决定了污染生态系统中PAH混合物各个成分的命运。对微生物介导的PAHs催化机制的更深入了解将促进开发新方法以增强PAH污染位点的生物修复。并研究了PAHs降解的潜在生化原理。此外，本综述总结了有关生化过程的已知信息，这些信息决定了污染生态系统中PAH混合物各个成分的命运。对微生物介导的PAHs催化机制的更深入了解将促进开发新方法以增强PAH污染位点的生物修复。