Genetic approach to microbial coal desulfurization: Final report, January 1--December 31, 1988

Technical Report · Wed Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1989

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6445016· OSTI ID:6445016

Clark, D. P.

Naturally occurring sulfur bacteria such as Thiobacillus and Sulfolobus have been shown to remove inorganic sulfur form coal. If genetically modified bacteria could be developed to attack the organic sulfur (which is not removed by natural sulfur bacteria) then it should be possible to devise a microbial process for coal desulfurization. Such a biological approach should be relatively cheap and safe and produce harmless waste products. We have developed a multiple mutant of Escherichia coli which can oxidize thiophene derivatives and are continuing to improve this strain. We have cloned DNA fragments from the chromosome of the triple mutant NAR30 thdA thdC thD. One plasmid pKA 15 carries what is presumably the thdA gene. Another plasmid, pKA 10, carries two genes designated thdF and thdG which, when present on a plasmid in multiple copies, confer the ability to oxidize thiophenes and furans. We think it probable that thdA is a regulator gene and that thdF and thdG are two of the structural genes which it regulates. Recently we have subcloned fragments of a large plasmid present in a natural isolate which degrades dibenzo-thiophene sulfone. No single fragment alone confers on an E. coli host the ability to degrade any aromatic substrate; however, certain mixtures of two or three fragments confer the ability to degrade benzoate. We have also mapped and partly characterized mutant affecting the enzyme thiosulfate: sulfur transferase (''rhodanese'') which removes (or inserts) sulfur from (or into) a variety of organic molecules. 26 refs., 6 figs., 6 tabs.

• Research Organization: Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale (USA). Coal Extraction and Utilization Research Center
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: FC22-88PC88861
• OSTI ID: 6445016
• Report Number(s): DOE/PC/88861-T14; ON: DE89009581
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010300* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Preparation-- (1987-)
550700 -- Microbiology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BACILLUS
BACTERIA
BIODEGRADATION
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CELL CONSTITUENTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COAL
DECOMPOSITION
DESULFURIZATION
DNA
DOCUMENT TYPES
ENERGY SOURCES
ESCHERICHIA COLI
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GENETIC ENGINEERING
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
MICROORGANISMS
MUTANTS
NUCLEIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
PLASMIDS
PROGRESS REPORT
SULFUR-OXIDIZING BACTERIA
THIOBACILLUS FERROXIDANS
THIOPHENE