This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
This project will investigate the chemical transformations of phosphorus in a natural environment: the hindgut of termites Phosphorus is one of the key elements of life; and . in biological systems exists in the highly oxidized form as phosphate. The investigator has discovered what is believed to be a rare form of reduced phosphorus in the hindgut of the Pacific dampwood termite. If this finding is confirmed, it would be the first report of such compounds in an organism. The goals of this project are (1) to confirm this discovery and quantify these reduced phosphorus compounds through the use of chemical analytical methods, and (2) to determine if its presence is linked to the activity of microorganisms that inhabit this environment.
The project will contribute to the development of scientists from traditionally underrepresented groups, since it will be conducted at Cal State L.A., a federally designated Title III and Hispanic Serving Institution. Cal State LA has a track record of preparing minority students for graduate research. In a broader context, the project has the potential to make a profound impact on the way phosphorus is characterized and viewed in diverse fields of scientific research, including microbiology, zoology, molecular biology, biochemistry, and geochemistry. A more complete description of the termite hindgut environment could lead to the discovery and cultivation of novel microbes with potentially important capabilities, such as the use of reduced phosphorus compounds as energy sources. Microbes are often exploited for the unique compounds that they can produce, such as antibiotics, and microbes associated with the termite gut could be a source of new bioactive compounds.
