Genetic and Biochemical Studies of Lignolytic Bacteria

该奖项支持威斯康星大学麦迪逊分校的T. Kent Kirk和智利圣地亚哥天主教大学的Jose Vicuna在林产品研究方面的合作研究。他们将对负责木质素生物降解的细菌进行遗传和生化研究。将寻求能够代谢低分子量木质素相关底物的天然菌株。然后确定木质素模型化合物降解的代谢途径，并分离和表征催化单体间键断裂的酶。将分析细菌在木质素上的生长及其对真菌降解产物的消耗。最后，建立了木质素降解菌的基因库。在木质素化学方面有经验的Kirk和已经分离出几种木质素细菌的Vicuna之间的成功合作将继续进行这项研究。南美对木质素降解的研究很少。然而，它不同的生态栖息地可能产生北半球未知的微生物菌株。这项工作允许美国科学家将细菌研究纳入他的工作，并将有助于智利纸浆和造纸工业的研究组成部分。它们不同的互补背景和方法可能导致纸浆漂白、改性纤维性能、将木质素转化为有用产品和废物处理方面的进展。这样，该项目就实现了发展中国家科学计划的目标。

This award supports cooperative research in forest products research between T. Kent Kirk of the University of Wisconsin at Madison and Jose Vicuna of the Catholic University in Santiago, Chile. They will undertake genetic and biochemical studies of bacteria responsible for lignin biodegradation. Natural bacterial strains will be sought that can metabolize low molecular weight lignin-related substrates. Then the metabolic pathways involved in the degradation of lignin model compounds will be identified and the enzymes which catalyze the cleavage of intermonomeric linkages will be isolated and characterized. Bacterial growth on lignin and their consumption of fungal degradation products will be analyzed. Finally, a genetic library of lignolytic strains will be constructed. This research will continue a successful collaboration between Kirk, who has experience in lignin chemistry and Vicuna, who has isolated several strains of lignin bacteria. Little work has been done in South America on lignin degradation. Yet its different ecological habitats may yield microbial strains unknown in the northern hemisphere. This work allows the U.S. scientist to include bacterial studies in his work and will aid the research component of the Chilean pulp and paper industry. Their different complementary backgrounds and approaches are likely to lead to advances in pulp bleaching, in modifying fiber properties, in converting lignin to useful products and in waste treatment. In so doing the project fulfills the goals of the Science in Developing Countries Program.