PD Dr. Dietmar H. Pieper, Head of the Microbial Interactions and Processes Research Group at HZI, is the coordinator of Biotool consortium, a European Commission funded project (STREP) under the Sixth Framework Programme, Priority 6: Sustainable Development, Global Change and Ecosystems. Code: STREP GOCE 003998

This project is a cooperative cluster of nine labs at leading research institutions from five different countries, aiming, through custom state-of-the-art genomic, proteomic and analytical technologies, the assessment, evaluation and prediction of natural attenuation processes to implement this technology as the accepted key groundwater and soil remediation strategy in Europe.

More information at:

Project web site: [ www.gbf.de/biotools ]

Download Biotool EC project brochure [ here ]

Publications of AG Biodegradation on Biotool [here] (note: automatic search on Google Scholar. Subject to innacuracies or frequent changes)

Entry of FP6 Biotool project at CORDIS database [ here ]

Record of Biotool at EUGRIS portal [here], SEMIDE/EMWIS [here], www.sites-pollues.ecologie.gouv.fr [here]

New Pseudomonas enzymes acting on 4-substituted but-2-en-4-olides on the third period of the International Research Training Group "Pseudomonas: Pathogenicity and Biotechnology"

AG Microbial Interactions and Processes has been participating since the beginning of this European Graduate

School (EGK) carrying out studies on Pseudomonas sp. strain MT1, a chloroaromatic degrader: In this phase the project is entitled:

New Pseudomonas enzymes acting on 4-substituted but-2-en-4-olides

Background and objectives:

4-Chloromuconolactone (4-carboxymethyl-4-chlorobut-2-en-4-olide) and protoanemonin (4-methylenbut-2-en-4-olide) are key intermediates in a 4-membered community degrading chlorosalicylate by a complex net of metabolic interactions and are subject to transformation by either a new type of hydrolase termed trans-dienelactone hydrolase (acting on 4-chloromuconolactone) or thus far unknown enzymes. The proposed project aims on elucidating the structure, mechanism and substrate specificity of the new type of supposedly metal-dependent hydrolase and on the characterization of the metal centers and on the elucidation of the metabolic pathway and enzymes involved in protoanemonin degradation.

More information at:

http://www99.mh-hannover.de/kliniken/kinderheilkunde/kfg/egs/index.htm