Metabolic engineering has emerged as viable, environmentally friendly, option for degrading these recalcitrant compounds. A three step degradation pathway will be assembled into E. coli and Pseudomonas using a two-plasmid system. The successful use of a two plasmid system will greatly increase the number of contaminants that are candidates for detoxification in the future. This increase in pesticide application could have long-term consequences. Given the complex nature of agrochemical mixtures, it is important to have a tool to estimate their effects upon ecosystem health.
Fish are a key organism in the aquatic food web and are very susceptible to pesticide toxicity.
This project will assay activity of an enzyme in fish that is responsible for detoxification of pyrethroid insecticides. Organophosphate and carbamate insecticides also block this enzyme, which prevents it from detoxifying pyrethroids. There is therefore a subsequent increase in toxicity upon exposure to multiple pesticide classes. By analyzing enzyme response to these compounds and correlating it with fish toxicity, we can determine combinations of pesticides that minimize environmental risk and protect ecosystem health. FA is one of four major air pollutants that are correlated with 8600 excess lifetime cancer cases in California.