Over the ages, E. coli have developed ingenious means for deriving nutrients from scavanging and degradation. A currently ill-defined element of this degradative capacity can detoxify organophosphonic acids by cleaving the carbon to phosphorus bond which characterizes these molecules. The proposed research is designed to: 1. Define the organic chemistry exploited by E. coli in their degradation of phosphonic acids. 2. Isolate the enzyme(s) which catalyze the observed degradation. 3. Identify the genes involved in degradation of phosphonic acids by E. coli. By forging together organic chemistry, enzymology and molecular biology, this study seeks a mechanism-based understanding of naturally occurring detoxification.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01GM036558-03
Application #
3290782
Study Section
Bio-Organic and Natural Products Chemistry Study Section (BNP)
Project Start
1986-04-01
Project End
1989-03-31
Budget Start
1988-04-01
Budget End
1989-03-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1988
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Stanford University
Department
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
800771545
City
Stanford
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
94305
Loo, S H; Peters, N K; Frost, J W (1987) Genetic characterization of an Escherichia coli mutant deficient in organophosphonate biodegradation. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 148:148-52