Biodiversity and Phylogenetic Relationship of Total Hydrocarbon Degrading Genes in Selected Bacteria Species

Hydrocarbons which forms the bulk of soil and water pollutants in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria differs in their susceptibility to microbial attack and degradation. Considering the importance of hydrocarbons in the economy of any nation, a complete knowledge of the hydrocarbons degrading capabilities of associated microbial species becomes increasingly important and indispensable. The research was aimed at assessing the biodiversity and phylogenetic relationship of hydrocarbon degrading genes in selected bacteria species. Sequences of nucleotides and amino acids of hydrocarbons degrading genes in 12 species of bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa I & II, P. stutgeni, Thalassosqir spp. I & II, Alcavorox spp., Arthrobacter spp., Martellela spp., P. taenensis, Aneuribacillus species, Rhodococcus spp. and Uncultured bacteria, were retrieved from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and analysed for their variability in physicochemical properties, percentage identity and similarity, G-C content, secondary and tertiary structures, their biodiversity and their phylogenetic relationship using MEGA 6 soft-wares, GOR IV, Phyre, Genscan and SIB Protparam. The analysis showed great genetic diversity and polymorphism in the hydrocarbon degrading genes present in the bacteria species. The phylogenetic tree showed that the genes in most species had undergone mutation. Martella spp had the highest probability or chance of mutating with E-value of 7e-129. Only two of the bacteria species had low instability index indicating that majority of the bacteria species contains or possessed the unstable nature of the hydrocarbon degrading genes. The biodiversity of bacterial species and their genetic distance was ascertained.