Genetic Aspects of Toxic Chemical Degradation

All naturally occurring molecules are continuously being recycled in nature, constantly being synthesized, and constantly being degraded. Synthetic molecules on the other hand, often are unable to enter nature's recycling scheme because organisms that have an ability to degrade these xenobiotic compounds simply do not exist. Moreover, many synthetic chemicals are not only recalcitrant to biodegradation, but also are toxic and therefore can cause significant pollution problems even at very low concentrations. The chemical industry will continue to produce an evergrowing number of molecules, even though severe environmental problems have resulted from synthetic molecules already produced. We must find a means of bringing synthetic molecules back into nature's recycling systems if we are to preserve the environment. Biotechnology, through the genetic manipulation of microorganisms, provides a means of accomplishing this goal.