Genetic and Biochemical Studies of Lignolytic Bacteria

该奖项支持森林产品的合作研究 T.威斯康星州大学的肯特柯克 天主教大学的麦迪逊和何塞维库纳在 智利的圣地亚哥。 他们将进行基因和生化 对负责木质素生物降解的细菌的研究。 将寻找能够代谢 低分子量木质素相关底物。 则 木质素降解的代谢途径 模型化合物将被识别和酶， 催化单体间键的裂解将是 分离并表征。 细菌在木质素上生长， 它们对真菌降解产物的消耗量 分析了 最后，木质素降解菌株的基因文库 将被建造。 这项研究将继续成功的合作 柯克在木质素化学方面有经验， 维库纳，他已经分离出几种木质素细菌菌株。 在南美洲对木质素的研究很少 降解 然而，不同的生态栖息地可能会产生 在北方未知的微生物菌株。 这 这项工作使美国科学家能够将细菌研究 在他的工作，并将有助于研究组成部分的 智利纸浆和造纸工业。 其不同 互补的背景和方法可能会导致 涉及纸浆漂白，改性纤维性能， 在将木质素转化为有用的产品和在废物中 治疗 通过这样做，该项目实现了 发展中国家科学计划。

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.