Tolerance of Pseudomonas Strain to the 2,4-D Herbicide through a Peroxidase System

Abstract

Herbicides are widely used in agricultural practices for preventing the proliferation of weeds that compete with crops for survival. Upon reaching soil and water, herbicides can damage nontarget organisms, such as bacteria, which need an efficient defense mechanism to tolerate the stress induced by herbicides. 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is a herbicide that exerts increased oxidative stress among bacterial communities that consequently witness an increased toxicity in their microenvironments. Bacterial isolates were obtained from the biofilm of water that was contaminated with 2,4-D. This biofilm originated from the tanks containing washing water from the packaging of different pesticides, including 2,4-D. Moreover, several isolates were sensitive to biofilm toxicity; however, they remained alive in the presence of 2,4-D. The Pseudomonas sp. CMA-7.3 was selected because of its tolerance against biofilm agrochemicals. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate the antioxidative response system of the Pseudomonas sp. CMA-7.3. This study also analyzed poorly evaluated enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and guaiacol peroxidase GPX, in the bacterial systems. The toxic effects of 2,4-D on bacteria were evaluated using mechanisms indicating oxidative stress, such as growth curve, cell viability, peroxide, and malondialdehyde. The Pseudomonas sp. CMA-7.3 was an efficient response system against the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as SOD, CAT, APX, and GPX in balancing the production of H2O2, even at high doses as 25x the field dose of the herbicide, thereby proving the toxicity of 2,4-D for this strain and showing the ability of the strain to tolerate 2,4-D. The adaptation of this microorganism to herbicide exposure is truly relevant for improving future metabolic studies on bacterial communities. The strain showed a great potential in the application and developmental prospects of a new product in the bioremediation process of environments contaminated by these herbicides.