Chemistry, Department of
Department of Chemistry: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
First Advisor
Liangcheng Du
Date of this Version
5-2013
Document Type
Thesis
Citation
A thesis Presented to the faculty of the Graduate College at the University of Nebraska in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science
Major: Chemistry
Under the supervision of Professor Liangcheng Du
Lincoln, Nebraska, May 2013
Abstract
The organisms of the genus Lysobacter have been recognized as prolific producers of bioactive secondary metabolites, making them potentially valuable as biocontrol agents and as sources of compounds for drug leads. This study was aimed at understanding the regulatory mechanisms that underlie the production of secondary metabolites in our study organism, Lysobacter enzymogenes. Since secondary metabolism is energetically costly, we sought not only to elucidate the biosynthetic chemistry by which the bioactive molecules were constructed, but also the regulation of the biosynthetic machinery. The molecular mechanisms by which L. enzymogenes responds to environmental conditions and transduces signals leading to secondary metabolism has hitherto been almost entirely unexplored. In this thesis, we show how the tools of molecular biology and analytical chemistry have been used to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of this valuable organism.
Advisor: Liangcheng Du
Comments
Copyright 2013, Stephen J. Wright. Used by permission