Publication Date
2025
Document Type
Thesis
Committee Members
Michael Schmidt, Ph.D. (Advisor); Kwang Jin Cho, Ph.D. (Committee Member); Michael Craig, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Abstract
Plant secondary metabolites are a diverse class of compounds that encompass small phenols to large polymeric structures such as tannins. Smaller compounds such as phenolic acids can serve as substrates for soil microbes and enzymes. We monitored the degradation of three small phenols pyrogallol, gallic acid, and benzoic acid in biotic and abiotic conditions. They were chosen to observe the impacts of specific functional groups on both degradation processes and act as model compounds to mimic larger tannin reactivity. Both abiotic and biotic degradation of pyrogallol resulted in the formation of a stable quinone, while abiotic degradation of gallic acid produced carbon dioxide and less quinone. Based on the kinetic parameters determined, pyrogallol and gallic acid are both substrates for the soil enzyme manganese peroxidase (MnP) with different products and kinetics. Pyrogallol reacts faster and produces more stable quinone than gallic acid. Benzoic acid is not a substrate for MnP.
Page Count
58
Department or Program
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Year Degree Awarded
2025
Copyright
Copyright 2025, all rights reserved. My ETD will be available under the "Fair Use" terms of copyright law.
