CHED 915 |
| Cofactor M (2-mercaptoethanesulfonate) is involved in the reductive formation of all methane of biological origin. Originally discovered in methanogens this cofactor has now been identified in ten eubacteria and has been shown to be involved in the degradation of short-chained hydrocarbons. Examination of the genome of one of these bacteria, Xanthobacter autotrophicus PY2, shows strong conservation of the first CoM biosynthetic gene in methanogens but no homologs for the other genes. Previous work has shown that PY2 uses CoM in the oxidative degradation of propylene gas. We are currently determining the proteome of PY2 grown on glucose or propylene by LC-MS/MS. Differential protein expression will allow for identification of the genes involved in propylene degradation, including the CoM biosynthetic genes, allow for the future cloning and characterization of these biosynthetic enzymes. |
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Undergraduate Research Poster Session: Biochemistry
2:00 PM-4:00 PM, Monday, March 26, 2007 Hyatt Regency Chicago -- Riverside Center, Poster
Division of Chemical Education |