Chemists and biologists from the University of California in Berkeley and the National Laboratory of Lawrence Berkeley constructed bacteria that are capable of synthesize non-agricultural substances, until now, obtained only in the laboratory. This is reported in the article published in the magazine Nature Chemistry.
Researchers created a metall farm, which is a hybrid of the natural enzyme P450, widely used in the body (especially in the liver) for oxidation of various compounds, and metal iridium. Iridium in this molecule replaced the iron atom in the composition of the hem – complex compound, which is also the kernel of the hemoglobin molecule. The metal farm is able to attach the cyclopropans (ring of three carbon atoms) to other organic molecules.
In the course of scientific work, scientists managed to transport the heme molecule containing iridium into the cell of the bacteria of E. coli intestinal stick. As a result, the bacteria began to absorb the iridium contained in the nutrient medium on which microorganisms grew. In the laboratory, it was possible to modify the metabolism of the intestinal sticks in such a way that it began to produce the final product – cyclopropanized lemon.
Research results will help develop new methods for producing synthetic preparations and environmentally friendly fuel types.