It might be a good proxy for overall environmental toxicity indeed. The toxicity in the case of a microorganism is probably mainly a function of the
molecules reactivity, size, and polarity (how easily it passes the cell membrane), apart from specific interactions with biological/enzymatic
processes in the cell itself. Vibrio Fischeri is a faculattve anaerobe, probably can't deal very well with all these oxidative high nitrogen molecules
anyway. Curious what hydrogen peroxide or sodium nitrite would have done.
Speaking of microorganisms and energetic materials:
https://www.serdp-estcp.org/content/download/46735/436861/fi...
Quite amazing to see the proposed formation of N-nitroglcyine from the amino acid glycine by some Streptomyces species, a true high explosive!
Formation of nitric oxides from ammonia is well described for several bacteria, though a nitramine?! Maybe through some isomerization of an NO derived
diazeniium diolate? Curious which enzymes would be responsible. If this occurs like this, the reverse enzymatic process could be interesting as well
seen the therapeutic importance of diazenium diolates as NO donors.
[Edited on 26-10-2020 by nitro-genes] |