Microbial Formaldehyde Oxidation

Donohue, Timothy J.

University of Wisconsin--Madison

关键词: Bioremediation;    Rhodobacter Sphaeroides;    Oxidation;    Glutathione;    Oxidoreductases;   

DOI  :  10.2172/834972
RP-ID  :  FG02-97ER20262
RP-ID  :  FG02-97ER20262
RP-ID  :  834972

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

This project analyzed how cells sense and generate energy from formaldehyde oxidation. Formaldehyde is a toxin that is produced naturally, chemically or by metabolism of a wide variety of methyl-containing compounds. Our goals are to identify how cells sense the presence of this toxic compound and determine how they generate energy and nutrients from the oxidation of formaldehyde. This research capitalizes on the role of the Rhodobacter sphaeroides glutathione dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase (GSH FDH) in a formaldehyde oxidation pathway that is apparently found in a wide variety of microbes, plants and animals. Thus, our findings illustrate what is required for a large variety of cells to metabolize this toxic compound. A second major focus of our research is to determine how cells sense the presence of this toxic compound and control the expression of gene products required for its detoxification.