Dr. Gerben Zylstra Director, Biotech Center and Professor of Biochemistry and Microbiology Foran Hall, Room 322A 59 Dudley Road Cook College, Rutgers University New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8520 Phone: 732-932-8165 x320 and x210 Fax:  732-932-0312 Email:  zylstra@aesop.rutgers.edu Lab Web Page: www.rci.rutgers.edu/~zylstra

Education
B.S. (Biology), Calvin College, 1981
Ph.D. (Cellular and Molecular Biology), University of Michigan, 1987

Research Interests
Research in our laboratory is directed toward understanding the mechanisms by which different bacterial strains utilize aromatic compounds as carbon and energy sources. Projects in the laboratory emphasize the use of molecular genetic tools in the analysis of gene (and protein) evolution, the regulation of gene expression, the identification of intermediate compounds in catabolic pathways, and the functional analysis of the enzymes involved. The primary theme for projects in the laboratory is the examination of microbial diversity and how this affects the degradation of aromatic compounds in the environment. For instance, different bacterial strains may utilize different biochemical pathways for the degradation of the same aromatic compound. In contrast, different bacterial strains may degrade an aromatic compound by the same catabolic pathway but possess genes that have diverged widely in their nucleotide sequence. This diversity in nucleotide sequence also plays a role in the specificity and activity of the enzymes produced. Research thus focuses on a detailed biochemical, physiological, and molecular genetic investigation and comparison of different model catabolic pathways in different bacterial genera. Specific areas of research include: (1) site-directed modification of enzymes to understand their function and to perhaps enhance their ability to transform aromatic compounds to oxygenated intermediates, (2) analysis of gene regulation and how this can be used to enhance microbial biodegradation of xenobiotic compounds in the environment, (3) design and use of molecular probes to track genes and their expression in the environment, and (4) construction of hybrid catabolic pathways for the degradation of recalcitrant compounds. The laboratory is currently focusing on the degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by Sphingomonas, Comamonas, and Mycobacterium strains, the degradation of nitrophenols and nitrobenzoates by several different Pseudomonas species, and the degradation of phthalates by P. cepacia, C. testosteroni, and Acinetobacter.

Recent Publications

Daane, L. L., I. Harjono, G. J. Zylstra, and M. M. Häggblom.  2001.  Isolation and characterization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria associated with the rhizosphere of salt marsh plants.  Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67:2683-2691.

Austin, R. N., H.-K. Chang, G. J. Zylstra, and J. T. Groves.  2000.  The non-heme diiron alkane monooxygenase of Pseudomonas oleovorans (AlkB) hydroxylates via a substrate radical intermediate.  J. Am. Chem. Soc. 122:11747-11748.

Song, J., J. Sung, Y. M. Kim, G. J. Zylstra, and E. Kim.  2000.  Roles of the meta- and ortho-cleavage pathways for the efficient utilization of aromatic hydrocarbons by Sphingomonas yanoikuyae B1.  J. Microbiol. 38:245-249.

Chae, J.-C., Y. Kim, Y.-C. Kim, G. J. Zylstra, and C.-K. Kim.  2000.  Genetic structure and functional implication of the fcb gene cluster for hydrolytic dechlorination of 4-chlorobenzoate from Pseudomonas sp. DJ-12.  Gene 258:109-116.

Bick, J. A., J. J. Dennis, G. J. Zylstra, J. Nowack, and T. Leustek.  2000.  Identification of a new class of 5' adenylylsulfate APS reductase from sulfate assimilating bacteria.  J. Bacteriol 182:135-142.

Kim, E., and G. J. Zylstra.  1999.  Functional analysis of genes involved in biphenyl, naphthalene, phenanthrene, and m-xylene degradation by Sphingomonas yanoikuyae B1.  J. Ind. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 23:294-302.

Chang, H.-K., and G. J. Zylstra.  1999. Characterization of the phthalate permease OphD from Burkholderia cepacia ATCC 17616.  J. Bacteriol. 181:6197-6199.

Chang, H.-K., and G. J. Zylstra. 1999.  Role of quinolinate phosphoribosyl transferase in the degradation of phthalate by B. cepacia DBO1.  J. Bacteriol. 181:3069-3075.

Chang, H.-K., and G. J. Zylstra.  1998.  Novel organization of the genes for phthalate degradation from Burkholderia cepacia DBO1.  J. Bacteriol. 180:6529-6537.

Kieboom, J., J. Dennis, G. J. Zylstra, and J. A. M. de Bont.  1998.  Active efflux of organic solvents in Pseudomonas putida S12 is induced by solvents.  J. Bacteriol. 180:6769-6772.

Dennis, J. J., and G. J. Zylstra.  1998.  Improved antibiotic resistance cassettes through restriction site elimination using Pfu DNA polymerase PCR.  BioTechniques 25:772-776.

Dennis, J. J., and G. J. Zylstra.  1998.  Plasposons: modular self-cloning mini-transposon derivatives for the rapid genetic analysis of gram-negative bacterial genomes.  Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 64:2710-2715.

Kieboom, J., Dennis, J. J., de Bont, J. A. M. and Zylstra, G. J.  1998.  Identification and molecular characterization of an efflux pump involved in Pseudomonas putida S12 solvent tolerance. J. Biol. Chem. 273:85-91.

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