Metallated Proteins Expressed by Psychrophilic Bacteria

The expression of periplasmic nitrate reductase has since been unambiguously established from cultures of S. gelidimarina grown under iron-limited conditions (i.e.; where the Fe(III) dissimilatory respiratory pathway of this genus is downregulated) in nitrate supplemented media. This work is ongoing and is aimed towards the chemical (spectroscopy) and biochemical (enzyme kinetics) characterisation of cold-adapted redox active metalloproteins.

This work is based upon phenotyped Antarctic bacteria (S. gelidimarina; S.frigidimarina) that was collected at another time (Refer: Psychrophilic Bacteria from Antarctic Sea-ice and Phospholipids of Antarctic sea ice algal communities new sources of PUFA [ASAC_708] and Biodiversity and ecophysiology of Antarctic sea-ice bacteria [ASAC_1012]). ---- Public Summary from Project ---- Cold-adapted bacteria resident in the Antarctic express proteins that have unusual properties.

To date, only one metal containing protein (metalloprotein) expressed by cold-loving bacteria has been preliminarily characterised. The characterisation of cold-adapted metalloproteins will provide an innovative Australian-based research program that may lead to novel biotechnology and/or bioremediation applications.