ME: Strategies for Metabolic Engineering of Environmental Microorganisms - Applications to Degradation of Organophosphate Contaminants

本提案旨在发展实验和理论方法，将多种异种生物降解途径引入单个生物体，并通过这些途径优化通量，以修复有毒或顽固性有机污染物。该项目将重点研究对硫磷作为一种模式化合物的生物降解，因为：(1)对硫磷被广泛用作农药；(2)它可能作为细胞生长所需的碳、磷和硫的来源；(3)尚未分离出能将对硫磷作为唯一碳磷来源的单一生物；(4)它在结构上与其他一些重要的环境污染物类似，如神经毒剂和其他杀虫剂。一种工程形式的恶臭假单胞菌将被用作模式生物。

This proposal seeks to develop the experimental and theoretical methods to introduce multiple, heterologous, biodegradation pathways into a single organism and optimize the flux through those pathways for the remediation of toxic or recalcitrant organic contaminants. The project will focus the biodegradation of parathion as a model compound since: (1) it has been widely used as a pesticide; (2) it could potentially serve as a source for carbon, phosphorus, and sulfur for cell growth; (3) no single organism has been isolated that can use parathion as a sole carbon and phosphorus source; and (4) it is similar in structure to a number of other important environmental contaminants, such as nerve agents and other pesticides. An engineered form of Pseudomonas putida will be used as a model organism.