Keywords
biodegradation, metalloenzymes, explosives, nitramines, environmental, heme
Subject Categories
Biochemistry | Molecular Biology
Abstract
Nitramines are N-N-bond-containing compounds that are often high-energy materials. More specifically, nitramines are compounds that contain a nitro group bound to an amine group. The family of compounds is split into two main groups: anthropogenic compounds and natural products. As can be inferred from the names, anthropogenic nitramines are compounds synthesized by humans, whereas natural products are biosynthesized by bacteria, plants, and fungi. Nitramine contamination, resulting from explosive use and products of amine-based post-carbon capture technology, is a growing and widespread global concern. These toxic and carcinogenic compounds often degrade in the environment to nitrosamines, the more toxic reduced counterparts to nitramines. Research into green technologies, metal nanoparticles, and biodegradation aims to remove these compounds without further damage to the environment. Nitramine-degrading proteins are key to biodegradation. Locating and understanding these proteins would enable future integration into species and materials that could remove these compounds. One such nitramine-degrading protein is N-nitroglycine lyase A (NnlA), a heme-containing protein that degrades the natural product nitramine N-nitroglycine. The purpose of this dissertation is to give insight into the location of the active site and the role of the heme cofactor in NnlA. Throughout this dissertation, it will be explained how the heme cofactor was determined, how the identification and confirmation of other NnlA proteins were achieved, and how the substrate binding site was identified through mutagenesis and kinetic experiments.
Completion Date
2026
Semester
Summer
Committee Chair
Caranto, Jonathan
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
College
College of Sciences
Department
Chemistry
Format
Document Type
Dissertation
Language
English
Release Date
8-15-2028
STARS Citation
Strickland, Kara Ann, "Elucidating the active site and role of the heme cofactor in the protein N-Nitroglycine Lyase A" (2026). Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026. 358.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/gradstudies_etd_2026/358
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