Thesis supervisor: Zsuzsanna Hamari
Location of studies (in Hungarian): University of Szeged, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Microbiology - SZTE TTIK Mikrobiológiai Tanszék Abbreviation of location of studies: SZTE
Description of the research topic:
Despite many microorganisms utilize nicotinic acid (NA) as sole N-source, only prokaryotic pathways were studied so far. In prokaryotes this research topic is popular due to the industrial potential of the pathway enzymes. These enzymes can serve as bioconversion tools for processing heterocyclic precursors to obtain biological active drugs and compounds for pharmaceutical- and agricultural chemicals. According to this, the study of the eukaryotic catabolic pathways is reasonable. Revealing of the first eukaryotic NA catabolic pathway has begun four years ago in our laboratory and we revealed the genetic background and the regulation of the pathway by the description of 6 genes (hxnR/P/S/T/Y/Z) clusterized together; and we also predicted 3 (hxnX/W/V) and 2 (hxnM/N) pathway genes clusterized separately. HxnS hydroxylates NA to 6-hydroxynicotinic acid (6NA) and to a yet-unknown hydroxylation product (UHP). The 6NA is further processed by HxnY and HxnT enzymes, while the UHP is processed either by HxnS or one of the other clusterized gene products. HxnP and HxnZ are pathway specific transporters. We aim to study the function of the second and third cluster genes (hxnX/W/V and hxnM/N) by obtaining and investigating gene deleted mutants and to provide a complete catabolic pathway. We plan to identify the intermediate metabolites of the pathway by GC-MS analysis of the deleted mutants. We also plan to shed light to the evolution of HxnS after an ancient HxA gene duplication and reveal the subnuclear localization and mode-of-action of HxnR.
Required language skills: English Further requirements: basic microbiological and molecular biological skills
Number of students who can be accepted: 1
Deadline for application: 2018-02-28
2024. IV. 17. ODT ülés Az ODT következő ülésére 2024. június 14-én, pénteken 10.00 órakor kerül sor a Semmelweis Egyetem Szenátusi termében (Bp. Üllői út 26. I. emelet).
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