Bernardo GONZALEZ Ph.D. Professor, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.

Dr. González is a well-known microbiologist with doctoral studies in Cell Biology (P. Universidad Católica de Chile) and additional training on Environmental Microbiology. His current main research interest is the molecular basis of the bacterial degradation of chloroaromatic pollutants, both at laboratory and environment level using as models a well-known catabolic bacterial strain, and polluted soils. He has made important contributions in the field of bacterial degradation of chloroguaiacols, chlorophenols and other chloroaromatic compounds, specially deciphering the complex biochemistry and genetics of redundant, specialized gene clusters involved in chloroaromatic degradation. His studies on the role of microorganisms in the natural, autodepurative ability of polluted soils have also contributed to better understanding of the basis for bioremediation procedures. Dr. González is member of the National Committee on Biotechnology, coordinator of one of the Study Groups in Biology of FONDECYT (www.fondecyt.cl )(the main Chilean governmental agency financing science), and chairman of the Molecular Genetics and Microbiology Department at the Faculty of Biological Sciences at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Dr. González has been advisor to several graduate and undergraduate students in Biochemistry, Microbiology, Bacterial Genetics and Environmental Microbiology.

ACADEMIC POSITIONS: Full Professor, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.

PUBLICATIONS: 36 publications in mainstream journals.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Role of tfdCIDIEIFI and tfdDIICIIEIIFII gene modules in catabolism of 3-chlorobenzoate by Ralstonia eutropha JMP134 (pJP4). Pérez-Pantoja, D., Guzmán, L., Manzano, M., Pieper, D., & GONZÁLEZ, B. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 66:1602-1608. (2000).

Molecular characterization of a deletion/duplication rearrangement in tfd genes from Ralstonia eutropha JMP134 (pJP4) that improves growth on 3-chlorobenzoic acid but abolishes growth on 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. Clément,P., Pieper D. & GONZÁLEZ,B. Microbiol. 147:2141-2148. (2001).

The importance of different tfd genes during the degradation of chloroaromatics by Ralstonia eutropha JMP134. Plumeier, I., Pérez-Pantoja, D., Heim, S., GONZÁLEZ, B., & Pieper, D.H. J. Bacteriol. 184:4054-4064. (2002).

The copy number of the catabolic plasmid pJP4 affects growth of Ralstonia eutropha JMP134 (pJP4) on 3-chlorobenzoate. Trefault, N., Clément,P., Manzano, M., Pieper, D.H, & GONZÁLEZ, B. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 212, 95-100. (2002).

Novel insights into interplay between xyl genes-encoded peripheral reactions and tfd genes-encoded chlorocatechol pathway for degradation of chlorobenzoates by Ralstonia eutropha JMP134. Ledger, Th., Pieper, D.H., Pérez-Pantoja, D., & GONZÁLEZ, B. Microbiol. 148:3431-3440. (2002).

Efficient turnover of chlorocatechols is essential for growth of Ralstonia eutropha JMP134 (pJP4) in 3-chlorobenzoic acid. Pérez-Pantoja, D., Ledger, T., Pieper, D.H. & GONZÁLEZ, B. J. Bacteriol. 185: 1534-1542. (2003).