John Haddock
John Haddock
Position: Associate Professor
Field: Biodegradation and Transformation of Organic Compounds
Degree: PhD, 1990, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
At SIUC Since: 1995
Office: Life Science III 1009
Mailcode: 6508
Phone: 618-453-3818
Fax: 618-453-8036
E-mail:
Courses Taught:

MICR 201: Elementary Microbiology
MICR/MBMB 421: Biotechnology
MICR/MBMB 480: Molecular Biology of Microorganisms Laboratory
MBMB 520: Advanced Microbial Physiology and Control Mechanisms
Research Interests:
Biodegradation

Microorganisms are essential components of the biosphere because of their large biomass the extreme diversity of the biochemical transformation reactions that they perform. Mineralization of fixed carbon is one of the major activities of microorganisms that supports the global carbon cycle. Microorganisms convert photosynthetically fixed carbon polymers such as cellulose and lignin into carbon dioxide which is then available to plants to use as a substrate for biosynthesis of new organic carbon. Humans also synthesize organic compounds that are used for a variety of applications including protection of agricultural crops from weeds and insect pests, production of synthetic polymers, wood preservation, organic solvents, cleaning agents and production of munitions. Many of these compounds are released into the biosphere along with other compounds derived from the exploitation and combustion of fossil fuels, production of pulp and paper, waste disposal and the treatment of wastewater and drinking water. The chemical structures of many man-made compounds present challenges to the microbial enzymes that catalyze degradation of naturally occurring organic compounds. However, numerous bacterial and fungal species have been isolated from the environment that detoxify many of the environmental pollutants that are of concern today. A major challenge facing environmental microbiologists is to learn how to better harness the biochemical potential of microorganisms for the remediation of contaminants in the environment and to develop processes that treat wastes more efficiently.

Research in my laboratory focuses on the biochemical pathways and enzymes used by microorganisms to degrade toxic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). We have isolated enzymes of the degradation pathway and studied their ability to transform PCBs into less toxic compounds. The biphenyl 2,3-dioxygenase of Burkholderia xenovorans LB400 is the enzyme that catalyzes the first reaction of the degradation pathway. We have shown that this enzyme attacks a broad range of substrates and removes some of the chlorine present on PCBs. This finding is important because the presence of chlorine on organic compounds often makes them resistant to degradation. We would like to find ways to expand the dechlorinating activity of biphenyl 2,3-dioxygenase or similar enzymes to include other chlorinated pollutants.

Agricultural and Industrial Biotechnology Other research in the laboratory focuses on the ability of microorganisms to transform naturally occurring organic compounds present in agricultural crops such as soybeans to products that can be used as food additives to reduce serum cholesterol levels. We hope to develop a microbial fermentation process that can be used by industry to convert soybean processing wastes to useful products.

Publications:
Articles in Professional Journals

  • Parales, R.E. and Haddock, J.D. 2004. Biocatalytic degradation of pollutants. Curr. Opin. Biotechnol. 15:374-379. PubMed link
  • Frantz, E., Griswold, K., Apgar, G., Jacobson, B. and Haddock, J. 2003. Effectiveness of vegetative filter strips (VFS) for controlling pathogen loads and antibiotic resistance in dairy wastewater, p. 67-73. In: R.T. Burns (ed.), Animal, Agricultural and Food Processing Wastes IX. American Society of Agricultural Engineers. St. Joseph, MI. 3.
  • Haddock, J.D. 2002. Biodegradation: role of oxygenase enzymes, p. 2288-2300. In G. Bitton (ed.), Encyclopedia of Environmental Microbiology. John Wiley and Sons, New York.
  • Arnett, C., Parales, J. and Haddock, J. 2001. Oxidation of chlorinated biphenyls by biphenyl dioxygenase of Burkholderia sp. strain LB400. In L. Hansen and L. Robertson (eds.), Recent Advances in the Environmental Toxicology and Health Effects of PCBs. University Press of Kentucky, Lexington, 2001.
  • Fain, M.G. and Haddock, J.D. 2001. Phenotypic and phylogenetic characterization of Burkholderia (Pseudomonas) sp. strain LB400. Curr. Microbiol. 42:269-275. PubMed link
  • Arnett, C.M., Parales, J.V. and Haddock, J.D. 2000. Influence of chlorine substituents on rates of oxidation of chlorinated biphenyls by the biphenyl dioxygenase of Burkholderia sp. strain LB400. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 66:2928-2933. PubMed link
  • Coates, J.D., Bruce, R.A. and Haddock, J.D. 1998. Microbial chlorite dismutation stimulates rapid polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon oxidation in anoxic sediments. Nature. 396:730. PubMed link
  • Broadus, R.M. and Haddock, J.D. 1998. Purification and characterization of the NADPH:ferredoxinBPH oxidoreductase component of biphenyl 2,3-dioxygenase from Pseudomonas sp. strain LB400. Arch. Microbiol. 170:106-112. PubMed link
  • Haddock, J.D. , Pelletier, D.A. and Gibson, D.T. 1997. Purification and properties of ferredoxinBPH, a component of biphenyl 2,3-dioxygenase of Pseudomonas sp. strain LB400. J. Ind. Microbiol. 19:355-359. PubMed link
  • Haddock, J.D. and Gibson, D.T. 1995. Purification and characterization of the oxygenase component of biphenyl 2,3-dioxygenase from Pseudomonas sp. strain LB400. J. Bacteriol. 177:5834-5839. PubMed link
  • Haddock, J.D. , Horton, J.R. and Gibson, D.T. 1995. Dihydroxylation and dechlorination of chlorinated biphenyls by purified biphenyl 2,3-dioxygenase from Pseudomonas sp. strain LB400. J. Bacteriol. 177:20-26. PubMed link
  • Gibson, D.T., Cruden, D.L., Haddock, J.D., Zylstra, G.J. and Brand, J.M. 1993. Oxidation of polychlorinated biphenyls by Pseudomonas sp. strain LB400 and Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes KF707. J. Bacteriol. 175:4561-4564. PubMed link
  • Haddock, J.D. and Ferry, J.G.. 1993. Initial steps in the anaerobic degradation of 3,4,5- trihydroxybenzoate by Eubacterium oxidoreducens: characterization of mutants and role of 1,2,3,5-tetrahydroxybenzene. J. Bacteriol. 175:669-673. PubMed link
  • Haddock, J.D. , Nadim, L.M. and Gibson, D.T. 1993. Oxidation of biphenyl by a multicomponent enzyme from Pseudomonas sp. LB400. J. Bacteriol. 175:395-400. PubMed link
  • Robertson, J.B., Spain, J.C., Haddock, J.D. and Gibson, D.T. 1992. Oxidation of nitrotoluenes by toluene dioxygenase: evidence for a monooxygenase reaction. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 58:2643-2648. PubMed link
  • Haddock, J.D. and Ferry, J.G. 1990. Anaerobic metabolism of aromatic compounds. In D.L. Wise (ed.), Bioprocessing and Biotreatment of Coal. Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York.
  • Haddock, J.D. and Ferry, J.G. . 1989. Purification and properties of phloroglucinol reductase from Eubacterium oxidoreducens G-41. J. Biol. Chem. 264:4423-4427. PubMed link