High Catalase Production by Rhizobium radiobacter Strain 2-1

To promote the application of catalase for treating wastewater containing hydrogen peroxide, bacteria exhibiting high catalase activity were screened. A bacterium, designated strain 2-1, with high catalase activity was isolated from the wastewater of a beverage factory that uses hydrogen peroxide. Strain 2-1 was identified as Rhizobium radiobacter (formerly known as Agrobacterium tumefaciens) on the basis of both phenotypic and genotypic characterizations. Although some strains of R. radiobacter are known plant pathogens, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis showed that strain 2-1 has no phytopathogenic factor. Compared with a type strain of R. radiobacter, the specific catalase activity of strain 2-1 was approximately 1000-fold. Moreover, Strain 2-1 grew faster and exhibited considerably higher catalase activity than other microorganisms that have been used for industrial catalase production. Strain 2-1 is harmless to humans and the environment and produces catalase efficiently, suggesting that strain 2-1 is a good resource for the mass production of catalase for the treatment of hydrogen peroxide-containing wastewater.