Acyclic Terpene Utilization (Atu) in Pseudomonads

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Dieter Jendrossek
• Subject Area: Metabolism, Biochemistry and Genetics of Microorganisms
• Term: from 2005 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 18242844

Acyclic monoterpenes such as citronellol and geraniol are aroma compounds that are used in perfume and in food industry. This is astonishing because several reports indicate strong biological effects of acyclic monoterpenes as signalling substances, insecticides and cytotoxic compounds (apoptosis inducers). Metbolism of citronellol and related methyl-branched molecules is hardly understood and recent literature data on catabolism of citronellol in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Diaz-Perez et al. [2004] AEM 70:5102) are in contradiction to findings in our lab. The aim of this proposal is to unravel the function of two gene clusters of P. aeruginosa (PA2011-PA2016 and PA2886-PA2893) with respect to the citronellol pathway (upper pathway) and to leucine degrading pathway (lower pathway); in particular, the respective key enzymes (geranyl-CoA carboylase and methyl-crotonyl-CoA carboxylase) and 3-hydroxy-3-isohexenyl-glutaryl CoA acetate lyase have to be identified and assigned to the corresponding genes. The planned investigations include identification and analysis of (at least one) molybdenum-dependent step in geraniol oxidation that is surprisingly different in citronellol oxidation.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants