Discovery Fleshes Out Metabolism Of Key Environmental And Energy Bacteria
Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - 13:14
in Biology & Nature
Researchers have discovered a new enzyme in a species of bacteria with potential environmental cleanup and energy roles. This is the first multi-protein enzyme of its kind, a lactate dehydrogenase. Although many microbes use a single-protein version, the results suggest that dozens of bacteria use only the multi-protein one instead to consume L-lactate. This advance in understanding the microbe's metabolism will help researchers use the bugs to clean up toxic or radioactive pollutants.