Anaerobic phosphite oxidation - genetic and enzymatic studies

• Antragstellerin: Professorin Dr. Diliana Dancheva Simeonova
• Fachliche Zuordnung: Stoffwechselphysiologie, Biochemie und Genetik der Mikroorganismen
• Förderung: Förderung von 2011 bis 2015
• Projektkennung: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 193135621

The element phosphorus is vital to all forms of life. Its main redox state in biochemistry is phosphate [+V], although it is known that bacteria are able to oxidize and utilize phosphite [+III] and hypophosphite [+I] as sole P sources. The utilization of phosphite as electron donor in the energy metabolism by the sulfate reducer Desulfotignum phosphitoxidans was discovered in our lab some years ago. This project focuses on: 1) the study of the genes involved in the energy conservation process during anaerobic phosphite oxidation which we have recently discovered; 2) purification and studies of the key enzyme(s) catalyzing this process in order to understand its reaction mechanism. The formation of an energy-rich linkage (ATP) by phosphate oxidation could represent a novel type of phosphorylation which could contribute to our understanding of the early evolution of metabolism.

• DFG-Verfahren: Sachbeihilfen
• Internationaler Bezug: USA
• Beteiligte Person: Professor Dr. William W. Metcalf