11 research outputs found
Light Modulates Metabolic Pathways and Other Novel Physiological Traits in the Human Pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii
The Effect of Silver and Copper Nanoparticles on the Wheat—Pseudocercosporella herpotrichoides Pathosystem
The Changing Face of Teenage Parenthood in the United States: Evidence from NLSY79 and NLSY97
Biodegradation of phenanthrene and analysis of degrading cultures in the presence of a model organo-mineral matrix and of a simulated NAPL phase
Metabolic pathway for a new strain Pseudomonas synxantha LSH-7′: from chemotaxis to uptake of n-hexadecane
Effect of Ethanol on Differential Protein Production and Expression of Potential Virulence Functions in the Opportunistic Pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii
Degradation of Alkanes in Rhodococcus
Alkanes are widely distributed in the environment as they not only constitute the large fraction of crude oil but are also produced by many living organisms. They are saturated hydrocarbons of different sizes and structures, which pose a variety of challenges to degradative microorganisms due to their physicochemical properties, i.e., the extremely limited solubility and the high energy required for activation. The hydrophobic cell surface of Rhodococcus spp., the ability to produce biosurfactants, and the possession of a wide range of oxygenases allow coping with such challenges. In particular, monooxygenase enzymes are involved in the activation of alkanes by converting them into alcohols, which undergo a series of oxidation steps before being converted to fatty acids. Rhodococcus alkane monooxygenases belong to different families (i.e., AlkB-like monooxygenase, soluble di-iron monooxygenase, cytochrome P450), have different genetic organization, and are subject to different regulatory mechanisms, which are poorly known. Because of their long-term survival capacity, broad catabolic abilities, and effective contact mechanisms with hydrocarbon molecules, alkanotrophic Rhodococcus strains have biotechnology applications and potential in bioremediation and biotransformation reactions