CAREER: Mechanistic Studies of Phosphonate Biosynthesis and Degradation

职业：磷酸盐生物合成和降解的机理研究

• 批准号: 0748504
• 负责人: Pinghua Liu
• 金额: $ 57万
• 依托单位: Trustees of Boston University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-02-01 至 2013-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0748504&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Mechanistic; Studies; Phosphonate; Biosynthesis

This CAREER award in the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry program supports work by Professor Pinghua Liu at Boston University to study the biosynthesis and biodegradation of phosphonates (C-P bond containing compounds). Phosphonates exist widely in nature and many have biological functions. In addition, because of the wide use of man-made phosphonates (e.g., pesticides, agricultural insecticides) and the extremely inert nature of the C-P bond, phosphonates have accumulated in the environment and are a major source of both land and water pollution. To date, there is only one characterized C-P bond formation enzyme, phosphoenolpyruvate isomerase. The enzyme to be studied in this project, BcpD, is the second enzyme capable of catalyzing the C-P bond formation. Specifically, the roles of two cofactors, the iron-sulfur cluster and cobalamin are being investigated. These mechanistic studies in the first part of the proposed effort will enable the design of methods for phosphonate profiling (identities and concentration of phosphonates in a cell). The second half of the work will identify genes responsible for phosphonate degradation in bacteria, which will eventually allow the development of green chemistr to degrade pollutants using bioengineering. The research is integrated into the PI's educational activities, which aim at addressing significant issues in the training of the next generation of bioscientists, specifically: 1) their need to acquire a global perspective of the technical challenges faced by society, e.g., environmental protection; 2) the creation of opportunities for the early participation of high school and undergraduate students in the sciences; and 3) the need for the interdisciplinary training of scientists to better equip them to address the 21st century's chemical, biological, and technological challenges.

这项职业生物，生物有机和有机金属化学计划支持波士顿大学Pinghua Liu教授的工作，以研究磷酸盐的生物合成和生物降解（C-P键包含化合物）。 膦酸酯在自然界中存在广泛存在，许多具有生物学功能。 此外，由于人造磷酸盐（例如，农药，农业杀虫剂）和C-P键的极惰性性质，磷酸盐在环境中积累，并且是土地和水污染的主要来源。 迄今为止，只有一个特征的C-P键形成酶，磷酸烯醇丙酮酸异构酶。 在该项目BCPD中要研究的酶是能够催化C-P键形成的第二种酶。 具体而言，正在研究两个辅助因子的作用，即铁硫簇和钴胺素。在拟议的工作的第一部分中，这些机械研究将实现磷酸分析方法的设计（细胞中磷酸盐的身份和浓度）。 下半年将确定导致细菌中磷酸盐降解的基因，这最终将使绿色化学物质的发展能够使用生物工程降解污染物。 这项研究纳入了PI的教育活动，旨在解决下一代生物科学家培训的重大问题，特别是：1）他们需要对社会所面临的技术挑战（例如环境保护）获得全球视角； 2）为高中和本科生在科学的早期参与创造机会； 3）需要对科学家进行跨学科培训，以更好地解决21世纪的化学，生物学和技术挑战。