Fungal Cleaning Crew: Chemists Determine the Structure of an Enzyme That Breaks Down Dyes
Summary:
Fungi have been used in many factories and industries to help dispose of or break down waste products. There is a fungi used in some textile companies that uses its enzymes to break down the leftover synthetic dyes of the factory. This fungi is what is used in place of other possible chemical reagents. Scientists have been trying to analyze these enzymes and trying to learn something from them. These scientists have been able to identify different structures of this enzyme and while doing so have learned how the enzyme actually worked.
Relevance:
We have talked about fungi and how they don't get energy like other organisms. Instead fungi use absorptive nutrition. This means they secrete enzymes to break down the dead organism. Then they absorb the broken down substances and use it for energy.
Article Title: Fungal Cleaning Crew: Chemists Determine the Structure of an Enzyme That Breaks Down Dyes
Published: 2/26/13
Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130226092008.htm
What in the enzyme's structure helps it be so good at breaking down the waste products?
ReplyDeleteWhat method did scientists use to look at the enzyme's structure (as in X-ray crystallography, or if there is a different method they used.)?
ReplyDelete