Justas Vaitekūnas has defended his thesis entitled "Enzymatic Degradation of Pyridine and Pyridinols " for the degree of Doctor of Science in Biochemistry.
Scientific supervisor: Prof. Dr. Rolandas Meškys (Vilnius University, Natural Sciences, Biochemistry).
Composition of the Dissertation Defence Board: Chairperson - Dr. Julija Armalytė (Vilnius University, Natural Sciences, Biochemistry); Dr. Gražvydas Lukinavičius (Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Germany, Natural Sciences, Biochemistry), Dr. Inga Matijošytė (Vilnius University, Natural Sciences, Biochemistry), Dr. Dalius Ratautas (Vilnius University, Natural Sciences, Biochemistry), Prof. Dr. Saulius Serva (Vilnius University, Natural Sciences, Biochemistry).
Pyridine and its derivatives enter the environment from both natural and anthropogenic sources. It is widely acknowledged that a variety of environmental bacteria are capable of degrading these compounds; however, the mechanisms of pyridine derivative degradation remain insufficiently understood. This dissertation investigates novel catabolic pathways and enzymes involved in the microbial breakdown of N-heterocyclic aromatic compounds. The identification of four new metabolic routes provides crucial insights into bacterial adaptation to pyridine compounds and expands our understanding of microbial detoxification. These findings highlight the evolutionary ingenuity of bacteria in responding to the chemical diversity present in the environment.
Research on bacterial xenobiotic catabolism goes beyond the boundaries of fundamental science. The enzymes discovered in this study—spanning various classes and families—hold promise for applications in bioremediation, green chemistry, and synthetic biology. This underscores the biotechnological potential of microbial enzyme diversity and paves the way for advanced and sustainable environmental and industrial processes.
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