Characterization and refinement of enzyme of the gene encoding catechol 1,2-dioxygenase from Phenol-degrading, Rhodococcus sp.

본 연구는 방향족 화합물질 중 페놀폐수에 대한 생물학적 처리를 위해 본 실험실에서 분리한 페놀분해능이 우수한 Rhodococrus sp. EL-GT를 이용하여 catechol 분해 catechol 1,2-dioxygenase 분해활성을 측정하였고, 이것이 ortho-pathway임을 확인할 수 있었다. 또한 다른 연구에서 보고된 Rhodococcus rhodochrous NCIMB 13259 균주의 catechol 1,2 dioxygenase를 기초로한 primer를 이용하여 PCR을 수행하였으며 이 분해 유전자의 cloning실험을 수행 중이다. 이들 실험을 통하여 Rhodococcus sp.의 페놀분해균의 유전적 구조 및 특성을 검토하고 밝혀지는 단백질 정보를 이용하여 방향족 화합물의 분해능이 보다 우수한 균주의 개발을 시도하고자 한다.

The heavy use of petroleum products in modern livings has brought ubiquitous environmental contaminants of aromatic compounds, which persist in aquatic and geo-environment without the substantial degradation. The persistence and accumulation of the aromatic compounds, which include xylene, phenol, toluene, phthalate, and so on are known to cause serious problems in our environments. Some of soil and aquatic microorganisms facilitate their growth by degrading aromatic compounds and utilizing degrading products as growth substrates, the biodegradation helps the reentry of carbons of aromatic compounds, preventing their accumulation in our environments. The metabolic studies on the degradation of aromatic compounds by microoganlsms were extensively carried out along with their genetic studies. A Rhodococcus sp. isolated in activated sludges has shown the excellent ability to grow on phenol as a sole carbon source. In the present study investigated a gene encoding phenol-degrading enzymes from a Rhodococcus sp.