Honors Theses

Advisor

Justin Biffinger

Department

Chemistry

Publication Date

4-1-2022

Document Type

Honors Thesis

Abstract

Though plastic polymers such as polyester polyurethanes have many applications from electronics to aircraft coatings, their resistance to natural degradation presents an environmental concern. Therefore, elucidating the mechanism of degradation from microorganisms that were discovered breaking down the coating of a cargo aircraft may offer insights into a method of bioremediation. To explore this, the fungus Papiliotrema laurentii (one microorganism isolated from the consortium) was cultured in several different media types at different pH levels in order to understand how it adjusts its protein secretion patterns to environmental changes. 2D gel electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing (IEF) and a variety of gel stains and assays were used in order to identify the proteins capable of the degradation. In addition, a catalytic triad composed of serine-aspartate-histidine was identified as being involved in the active site and catalysis of the characterized hydrolase.

Permission Statement

This item is protected by copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code) and may only be used for noncommercial, educational, and scholarly purposes.

Keywords

Undergraduate research

Disciplines

Chemistry

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