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Title: (Anaerobic metabolism of aromatic compounds by phototrophic bacteria: Biochemical aspects)

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6098853

Major effort has gone into purifying and characterizing a second Coenzyme A ligase involved in anaerobic aromatic acid metabolism in Rhodopseudomonas palustris. This enzyme has some overlap in specificity with the benzoate-CoA ligase previously characterized, but differs in many other characteristics, and is antigenically unrelated. Some amino acid sequence information has been obtained, and this as well as a highly specific antiserum, will be useful for cloning the structural gene for the new ligase. In collaboration with Dr. Harwood, at the University of Iowa, we have continued to characterize a group of mutants obtained after Tn5 insertion into our clone bank, followed by transfer of the entire mutagenized bank into wild-type R. palustris. A clone which complements a group of these mutations has been insolated, and is currently being tested for ability to restore anaerobic growth on aromatic acids to other mutants isolated after chemical or uv mutagenesis of the wild-type strain. The close ties with Dr. Harwood's lab were demonstrated by the week-long visit of one of her students during last summer, to learn how to purify the benzoate CoA ligase from R. palustris. A search for possible intermediates in anaerobic metabolism of benzoyl CoA has been initiated in collaboration with Dr. Gibson, focussing on the possible role 1,4-dihydrobenzoyl CoA as a first reduction product.

Research Organization:
Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (USA). Dept. of Microbiology
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
FG02-86ER13495
OSTI ID:
6098853
Report Number(s):
DOE/ER/13495-T4; ON: DE91009799
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English