Beneficial microbes useful for biocontrol of plant pathogens and bioremediation of site contaminated by methyl tert-butyl ether

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MtBE) is a gasoline component frequently usedas an alternative to lead-based additives. The widespread use of this compound and its persistence in soil and water resulted in a widespread contamination. The use of microorganisms, plants and/or their metabolites to bioremediate polluted sites represents one of the most promising strategy to recover at least partially natural environment heavily altered by man-made contaminants. The aim of this work was to isolate and identify microorganisms able to degrade MtBE and to control simultaneously phytopathogenic agents. Sixteen different bacterial strains were isolated from diverse gasoline-contaminated soils by the enrichment culture technique, and identified by 16S rDNA analysis and phenotipe characterization.