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Sample records for acidophilic methanotroph isolate

  1. Detection, isolation, and characterization of acidophilic methanotrophs from Sphagnum mosses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kip, Nardy; Ouyang, Wenjing; van Winden, Julia; Raghoebarsing, Ashna; van Niftrik, Laura; Pol, Arjan; Pan, Yao; Bodrossy, Levente; van Donselaar, Elly G; Reichart, Gert-Jan; Jetten, Mike S M; Damsté, Jaap S Sinninghe; Op den Camp, Huub J M

    2011-08-15

    Sphagnum peatlands are important ecosystems in the methane cycle. Methane-oxidizing bacteria in these ecosystems serve as a methane filter and limit methane emissions. Yet little is known about the diversity and identity of the methanotrophs present in and on Sphagnum mosses of peatlands, and only a few isolates are known. The methanotrophic community in Sphagnum mosses, originating from a Dutch peat bog, was investigated using a pmoA microarray. A high biodiversity of both gamma- and alphaproteobacterial methanotrophs was found. With Sphagnum mosses as the inoculum, alpha- and gammaproteobacterial acidophilic methanotrophs were isolated using established and newly designed media. The 16S rRNA, pmoA, pxmA, and mmoX gene sequences showed that the alphaproteobacterial isolates belonged to the Methylocystis and Methylosinus genera. The Methylosinus species isolated are the first acid-tolerant members of this genus. Of the acidophilic gammaproteobacterial strains isolated, strain M5 was affiliated with the Methylomonas genus, and the other strain, M200, may represent a novel genus, most closely related to the genera Methylosoma and Methylovulum. So far, no acidophilic or acid-tolerant methanotrophs in the Gammaproteobacteria class are known. All strains showed the typical features of either type I or II methanotrophs and are, to the best of our knowledge, the first isolated (acidophilic or acid-tolerant) methanotrophs from Sphagnum mosses.

  2. Detection, Isolation, and Characterization of Acidophilic Methanotrophs from Sphagnum Mosses ▿ †

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kip, Nardy; Ouyang, Wenjing; van Winden, Julia; Raghoebarsing, Ashna; van Niftrik, Laura; Pol, Arjan; Pan, Yao; Bodrossy, Levente; van Donselaar, Elly G.; Reichart, Gert-Jan; Jetten, Mike S. M.; Sinninghe Damsté, Jaap S.; Op den Camp, Huub J. M.

    2011-01-01

    Sphagnum peatlands are important ecosystems in the methane cycle. Methane-oxidizing bacteria in these ecosystems serve as a methane filter and limit methane emissions. Yet little is known about the diversity and identity of the methanotrophs present in and on Sphagnum mosses of peatlands, and only a few isolates are known. The methanotrophic community in Sphagnum mosses, originating from a Dutch peat bog, was investigated using a pmoA microarray. A high biodiversity of both gamma- and alphaproteobacterial methanotrophs was found. With Sphagnum mosses as the inoculum, alpha- and gammaproteobacterial acidophilic methanotrophs were isolated using established and newly designed media. The 16S rRNA, pmoA, pxmA, and mmoX gene sequences showed that the alphaproteobacterial isolates belonged to the Methylocystis and Methylosinus genera. The Methylosinus species isolated are the first acid-tolerant members of this genus. Of the acidophilic gammaproteobacterial strains isolated, strain M5 was affiliated with the Methylomonas genus, and the other strain, M200, may represent a novel genus, most closely related to the genera Methylosoma and Methylovulum. So far, no acidophilic or acid-tolerant methanotrophs in the Gammaproteobacteria class are known. All strains showed the typical features of either type I or II methanotrophs and are, to the best of our knowledge, the first isolated (acidophilic or acid-tolerant) methanotrophs from Sphagnum mosses. PMID:21724892

  3. Detection, Isolation, and Characterization of Acidophilic Methanotrophs from

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kip, N.; Ouyang, W.J.; van Winden, J.; Raghoebarsing, A.; van Niftrik, L.; Pol, A.; Pan, Y.; Bodrossy, L.; van Donselaar, E.G.; Reichart, G.J.; Jetten, M.S.M.; Sinninghe Damsté, J.S.; Op den Camp, H.J.M.

    2011-01-01

    Sphagnum peatlands are important ecosystems in the methane cycle. Methane-oxidizing bacteria in these ecosystems serve as a methane filter and limit methane emissions. Yet little is known about the diversity and identity of the methanotrophs present in and on Sphagnum mosses of peatlands, and only a

  4. Methyloferula stellata gen. nov., sp. nov., an acidophilic, obligately methanotrophic bacterium that possesses only a soluble methane monooxygenase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vorobev, Alexey V; Baani, Mohamed; Doronina, Nina V; Brady, Allyson L; Liesack, Werner; Dunfield, Peter F; Dedysh, Svetlana N

    2011-10-01

    Two strains of aerobic methanotrophic bacteria, AR4(T) and SOP9, were isolated from acidic (pH 3.8-4.0) Sphagnum peat bogs in Russia. Another phenotypically similar isolate, strain LAY, was obtained from an acidic (pH 4.0) forest soil in Germany. Cells of these strains were Gram-negative, non-pigmented, non-motile, thin rods that multiplied by irregular cell division and formed rosettes or amorphous cell conglomerates. Similar to Methylocella species, strains AR4(T), SOP9 and LAY possessed only a soluble form of methane monooxygenase (sMMO) and lacked intracytoplasmic membranes. Growth occurred only on methane and methanol; the latter was the preferred growth substrate. mRNA transcripts of sMMO were detectable in cells when either methane or both methane and methanol were available. Carbon was assimilated via the serine and ribulose-bisphosphate (RuBP) pathways; nitrogen was fixed via an oxygen-sensitive nitrogenase. Strains AR4(T), SOP9 and LAY were moderately acidophilic, mesophilic organisms capable of growth between pH 3.5 and 7.2 (optimum pH 4.8-5.2) and at 4-33 °C (optimum 20-23 °C). The major cellular fatty acid was 18 : 1ω7c and the quinone was Q-10. The DNA G+C content was 55.6-57.5 mol%. The isolates belonged to the family Beijerinckiaceae of the class Alphaproteobacteria and were most closely related to the sMMO-possessing methanotrophs of the genus Methylocella (96.4-97.0 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), particulate MMO (pMMO)-possessing methanotrophs of the genus Methylocapsa (96.1-97.0 %), facultative methylotrophs of the genus Methylovirgula (96.1-96.3 %) and non-methanotrophic organotrophs of the genus Beijerinckia (96.5-97.0 %). Phenotypically, strains AR4(T), SOP9 and LAY were most similar to Methylocella species, but differed from members of this genus by cell morphology, greater tolerance of low pH, detectable activities of RuBP pathway enzymes and inability to grow on multicarbon compounds. Therefore, we propose a novel

  5. Characterization of methanotrophic bacteria on the basis of intact phospholipid profiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, J; Barcelona, M J; Semrau, J D

    2000-08-01

    The intact phospholipid profiles (IPPs) of seven species of methanotrophs from all three physiological groups, type I, II and X, were determined using liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry. In these methanotrophs, two major classes of phospholipids were found, phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) as well as its derivatives phosphatidylmethylethanolamine (PME) and phosphatidyldimethylethanolamine (PDME). Specifically, the type I methanotrophs, Methylomonas methanica, Methylomonas rubra and Methylomicrobium album BG8 were characterized by PE and PG phospholipids with predominantly C16:1 fatty acids. The type II methanotrophs, Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b and CSC1 were characterized by phospholipids of PG, PME and PDME with predominantly C18:1 fatty acids. Methylococcus capsulatus Bath, a representative of type X methanotrophs, contained mostly PE (89% of the total phospholipids). Finally, the IPPs of a recently isolated acidophilic methanotroph, Methylocella palustris, showed it had a preponderance of PME phospholipids with 18:1 fatty acids (94% of total). Principal component analysis showed these methanotrophs could be clearly distinguished based on phospholipid profiles. Results from this study suggest that IPP can be very useful in bacterial chemotaxonomy.

  6. Bacteriohopanepolyol signatures as markers for methanotrophic bacteria in peat moss

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Winden, Julia F.; Talbot, Helen M.; Kip, Nardy; Reichart, Gert-Jan; Pol, Arjan; McNamara, Niall P.; Jetten, Mike S. M.; Op den Camp, Huub J. M.; Sinninghe Damsté, Jaap S.

    2012-01-01

    Bacteriohopanepolyols (BHPs) are bacterial biomarkers with a likely potential to identify present and past methanotrophic communities. To unravel the methanotrophic community in peat bogs, we report the BHP signatures of type I and type II methanotrophs isolated from Sphagnum mosses and of an extreme acidophilic verrucomicrobial methanotroph. A type I Methylovulum-like strain (M200) contains a remarkable combination of BHPs, including a complete suite of mono-unsaturated aminobacteriohopanepentol, -tetrol and -triol. The Methylomonas-like strain (M5) mainly produces aminobacteriohopanepentol, characteristic for type I methanotrophs, and the Methylosinus-like strain (29) contains both aminobacteriohopanetetrol and aminobacteriohopanetriol, typical for a type II methanotroph. The type II methanotroph Methylocella palustris and the verrucomicrobial Methylacidiphilum fumariolicum strain SolV primarily produce aminotriol, which is also produced by many other bacteria. In Sphagnum mosses and underlying peat from a peat bog from Moorhouse, UK, the only detectable BHPs indicative of methanotrophs are aminobacteriohopanepentol (aminopentol) and aminobacteriohopanetetrol (aminotetrol), although both are relatively low in abundance compared to other BHPs. Aminopentol serves as a marker for type I methanotrophs, while aminotetrol may reflect the presence of both type I and type II methanotrophs. The similar quantities of aminotetrol and aminopentol indicate that the methanotrophic community in Sphagnum peat probably consist of a combination of both type I and type II methanotrophs, which is in line with previously published pmoA-based micro-array results.

  7. Complete genome sequence of the extremely acidophilic methanotroph isolate V4, Methylacidiphilum infernorum, a representative of the bacterial phylum Verrucomicrobia

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    Stott Matthew B

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The phylum Verrucomicrobia is a widespread but poorly characterized bacterial clade. Although cultivation-independent approaches detect representatives of this phylum in a wide range of environments, including soils, seawater, hot springs and human gastrointestinal tract, only few have been isolated in pure culture. We have recently reported cultivation and initial characterization of an extremely acidophilic methanotrophic member of the Verrucomicrobia, strain V4, isolated from the Hell's Gate geothermal area in New Zealand. Similar organisms were independently isolated from geothermal systems in Italy and Russia. Results We report the complete genome sequence of strain V4, the first one from a representative of the Verrucomicrobia. Isolate V4, initially named "Methylokorus infernorum" (and recently renamed Methylacidiphilum infernorum is an autotrophic bacterium with a streamlined genome of ~2.3 Mbp that encodes simple signal transduction pathways and has a limited potential for regulation of gene expression. Central metabolism of M. infernorum was reconstructed almost completely and revealed highly interconnected pathways of autotrophic central metabolism and modifications of C1-utilization pathways compared to other known methylotrophs. The M. infernorum genome does not encode tubulin, which was previously discovered in bacteria of the genus Prosthecobacter, or close homologs of any other signature eukaryotic proteins. Phylogenetic analysis of ribosomal proteins and RNA polymerase subunits unequivocally supports grouping Planctomycetes, Verrucomicrobia and Chlamydiae into a single clade, the PVC superphylum, despite dramatically different gene content in members of these three groups. Comparative-genomic analysis suggests that evolution of the M. infernorum lineage involved extensive horizontal gene exchange with a variety of bacteria. The genome of M. infernorum shows apparent adaptations for existence under extremely

  8. Acidophilic algae isolated from mine-impacted environments and their roles in sustaining heterotrophic acidophiles

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    David Barrie Johnson

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Two acidophilic algae, identified as strains of Chlorella protothecoides var. acidicola and Euglena mutabilis, were isolated in pure culture from abandoned copper mines in Spain and Wales and grown in pH- and temperature-controlled bioreactors. The Chlorella isolate grew optimally at pH 2.5 and 30 ˚C, with a corresponding culture doubling time of 9 hours. The isolates displayed similar tolerance (10-50 mM to four transition metals tested. Growth of the algae in liquid media was paralleled with increasing concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC. Glycolic acid was identified as a significant component (12- 14% of total DOC. Protracted incubation resulted in concentrations of glycolic acid declining in both cases, and glycolic acid added to a culture of Chlorella incubated in the dark was taken up by the alga (~100% within three days. Two monosaccharides were identified in cell-free liquors of each algal isolate: fructose and glucose (Chlorella, and mannitol and glucose (Euglena. These were rapidly metabolised by acidophilic heterotrophic bacteria (Acidiphilium and Acidobacterium spp. though only fructose was utilised by the more fastidious heterotroph Acidocella aromatica. The significance of algae in promoting the growth of iron- (and sulfate- reducing heterotrophic acidophiles that are important in remediating mine-impacted waters is discussed.

  9. Methylocella palustris gen. nov., sp. nov., a new methane-oxidizing acidophilic bacterium from peat bogs, representing a novel subtype of serine-pathway methanotrophs.

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    Dedysh, S N; Liesack, W; Khmelenina, V N; Suzina, N E; Trotsenko, Y A; Semrau, J D; Bares, A M; Panikov, N S; Tiedje, J M

    2000-05-01

    A new genus, Methylocella, and a new species, Methylocella palustris, are proposed for three strains of methane-oxidizing bacteria isolated from acidic Sphagnum peat bogs. These bacteria are aerobic, Gram-negative, colourless, non-motile, straight and curved rods that utilize the serine pathway for carbon assimilation, multiply by normal cell division and contain intracellular poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate granules (one at each pole). These strains use methane and methanol as sole sources of carbon and energy and are moderately acidophilic organisms with growth between pH 4.5 and pH 7.0, the optimum being at pH 5.0-5.5. The temperature range for growth is 10-28 degrees C with the optimum at 15-20 degrees C. The intracytoplasmic membrane system is different from those of type I and II methanotrophs. Cells contain an extensive periplasmic space and a vesicular membrane system connected to the cytoplasmic membrane. The strains grew only on media with a low salt content (0.2-0.5 g l(-1)). All three strains were found to possess soluble methane monooxygenase and are able to fix atmospheric nitrogen via an oxygen-sensitive nitrogenase. No products were observed in a PCR with particulate methane monooxygenase-targeted primers; hybridization with a pmoA probe was also negative. The major phospholipid fatty acids are 18:1 acids. The G+C content of the DNA is 61.2 mol%. The three strains share identical 16S rRNA gene sequences and represent a novel lineage of methane-oxidizing bacteria within the alpha-subclass of the class Proteobacteria and are only moderately related to type II methanotrophs of the Methylocystis-Methylosinus group. The three strains are most closely related to the acidophilic heterotrophic bacterium Beijerinckia indica subsp. indica (96.5% 16S rDNA sequence similarity). Collectively, these strains comprise a new species and genus Methylocella palustris gen. nov., sp. nov.; strain KT (= ATCC 700799T) is the type strain.

  10. [Methanotrophic bacteria of acid sphagnum bogs].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dedysh, S N

    2002-01-01

    Acid sphagnum bogs cover a considerable part of the territory of Russia and are an important natural source of biogenic methane, which is formed in their anaerobic layers. A considerable portion of this methane is consumed in the aerobic part of the bog profile by acidophilic methanotrophic bacteria, which comprise the methane filter of sphagnum bogs and decrease CH4 emission to the atmosphere. For a long time, these bacteria escaped isolation, which became possible only after the elucidation of the optimal conditions of their functioning in situ: pH 4.5 to 5.5; temperature, from 15 to 20 degrees C; and low salt concentration in the solution. Reproduction of these conditions and rejection of earlier used media with a high content of biogenic elements allowed methanotrophic bacteria of two new genera and species--Methylocella palustris and Methylocapsa acidophila--to be isolated from the peat of sphagnum bogs of the northern part of European Russia and West Siberia. These bacteria are well adapted to the conditions in cold, acid, oligotrophic sphagnum bogs. They grow in a pH range of 4.2-7.5 with an optimum at 5.0-5.5, prefer moderate temperatures (15-25 degrees C) and media with a low content of mineral salts (200-500 mg/l), and are capable of active nitrogen fixation. Design of fluorescently labeled 16S rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes for the detection of Methylocella palustris and Methylocapsa acidophila and their application to the analysis of sphagnum peat samples showed that these bacteria represent dominant populations of methanotrophs with a density of 10(5)-10(6) cells/g peat. In addition to Methylocella and Methylocapsa populations, one more abundant population of methanotrophs was revealed (10(6) cells/g peat), which were phylogenetically close to the genus Methylocystis.

  11. Draft Genome Sequence of Methyloferula stellata AR4, an Obligate Methanotroph Possessing Only a Soluble Methane Monooxygenase

    OpenAIRE

    Dedysh, Svetlana N.; Naumoff, Daniil G.; Vorobev, Alexey V.; Kyrpides, Nikos; Woyke, Tanja; Shapiro, Nicole; Crombie, Andrew T.; Murrell, J. Colin; Kalyuzhnaya, Marina G.; Smirnova, Angela V.; Dunfield, Peter F.

    2015-01-01

    Methyloferula stellata AR4 is an aerobic acidophilic methanotroph, which, in contrast to most known methanotrophs but similar to Methylocella spp., possesses only a soluble methane monooxygenase. However, it differs from Methylocella spp. by its inability to grow on multicarbon substrates. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of this bacterium.

  12. Biological conversion of biogas to methanol using methanotrophs isolated from solid-state anaerobic digestate.

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    Sheets, Johnathon P; Ge, Xumeng; Li, Yueh-Fen; Yu, Zhongtang; Li, Yebo

    2016-02-01

    The aim of this work was to isolate methanotrophs (methane oxidizing bacteria) that can directly convert biogas produced at a commercial anaerobic digestion (AD) facility to methanol. A methanotrophic bacterium was isolated from solid-state anaerobic digestate. The isolate had characteristics comparable to obligate methanotrophs from the genus Methylocaldum. This newly isolated methanotroph grew on biogas or purified CH4 and successfully converted biogas from AD to methanol. Methanol production was achieved using several methanol dehydrogenase (MDH) inhibitors and formate as an electron donor. The isolate also produced methanol using phosphate with no electron donor or using formate with no MDH inhibitor. The maximum methanol concentration (0.43±0.00gL(-1)) and 48-h CH4 to methanol conversion (25.5±1.1%) were achieved using biogas as substrate and a growth medium containing 50mM phosphate and 80mM formate. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Draft Genome Sequence of Methyloferula stellata AR4, an Obligate Methanotroph Possessing Only a Soluble Methane Monooxygenase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dedysh, Svetlana N; Naumoff, Daniil G; Vorobev, Alexey V; Kyrpides, Nikos; Woyke, Tanja; Shapiro, Nicole; Crombie, Andrew T; Murrell, J Colin; Kalyuzhnaya, Marina G; Smirnova, Angela V; Dunfield, Peter F

    2015-03-05

    Methyloferula stellata AR4 is an aerobic acidophilic methanotroph, which, in contrast to most known methanotrophs but similar to Methylocella spp., possesses only a soluble methane monooxygenase. However, it differs from Methylocella spp. by its inability to grow on multicarbon substrates. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of this bacterium. Copyright © 2015 Dedysh et al.

  14. Sulfobacillus benefaciens sp. nov., an acidophilic facultative anaerobic Firmicute isolated from mineral bioleaching operations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, D Barrie; Joulian, Catherine; d'Hugues, Patrick; Hallberg, Kevin B

    2008-11-01

    Gram-positive bacteria found as the sole Firmicutes present in two mineral bioleaching stirred tanks, and a third bacterium isolated from a heap leaching operation, were shown to be closely related to each other but distinct from characterized acidophilic iron- and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria of the genus Sulfobacillus, to which they were affiliated. One of the isolates (BRGM2) was shown to be a thermo-tolerant (temperature optimum 38.5 degrees C, and maximum 47 degrees C) obligate acidophile (pH optimum 1.5, and minimum 0.8), and also noted to be a facultative anaerobe, growing via ferric iron respiration in the absence of oxygen. Although isolates BRGM2 and TVK8 were able to metabolize many monomeric organic substrates, their propensity for autotrophic growth was found to be greater than that of Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans and the related acidophile, Sb. acidophilus. Faster growth rates of the novel isolates in the absence of organic carbon was considered to be a major reason why they, rather than Sb. thermosulfidooxidans (which shared many physiological characteristics) more successfully exploited conditions in the stirred tanks. Based on their phylogenetic and phenotypic characteristics, the isolates are designated strains of the proposed novel species, Sulfobacillus benefaciens, with isolate BRGM2 nominated as the type strain.

  15. Enrichment culture and identification of endophytic methanotrophs isolated from peatland plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stępniewska, Zofia; Goraj, Weronika; Kuźniar, Agnieszka; Łopacka, Natalia; Małysza, Magdalena

    2017-09-01

    Aerobic methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) are an environmentally significant group of microorganisms due to their role in the global carbon cycle. Research conducted over the past few decades has increased the interest in discovering novel genera of methane-degrading bacteria, which efficiently utilize methane and decrease the global warming effect. Moreover, methanotrophs have more promising applications in environmental bioengineering, biotechnology, and pharmacy. The investigations were undertaken to recognize the variety of endophytic methanotrophic bacteria associated with Carex nigra, Vaccinium oxycoccus, and Eriophorum vaginatum originating from Moszne peatland (East Poland). Methanotrophic bacteria were isolated from plants by adding sterile fragments of different parts of plants (roots and stems) to agar mineral medium (nitrate mineral salts (NMS)) and incubated at different methane values (1-20% CH4). Single colonies were streaked on new NMS agar media and, after incubation, transferred to liquid NMS medium. Bacterial growth dynamics in the culture solution was studied by optical density-OD600 and methane consumption. Changes in the methane concentration during incubation were controlled by the gas chromatography technique. Characterization of methanotrophs was made by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with Mg705 and Mg84 for type I methanotrophs and Ma450 for type II methanotrophs. Identification of endophytes was performed after 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and mmoX gene amplification. Our study confirmed the presence of both types of methanotrophic bacteria (types I and II) with the predominance of type I methanotrophs. Among cultivable methanotrophs, there were different strains of the genus Methylomonas and Methylosinus. Furthermore, we determined the potential of the examined bacteria for methane oxidation, which ranged from 0.463 ± 0.067 to 5.928 ± 0.169 μmol/L CH4/mL/day.

  16. Isolation of methanotrophic bacteria from a london landfill: a preliminary study using molecular and stable isotopic techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sriskantharajah, S.; Cutting, S.; Lowry, D.; Grassineau, N.; Nisbet, E.

    2003-04-01

    Methane emissions from landfills are an important source of European greenhouse emissions, and could be reduced by a biological management program that used methanotrophs in landfill cover soils. Topsoil samples taken from a London Landfill were incubated on Nitrate Mineral Salts medium in the presence of methane. The resulting colonies were probed for methanotrophic DNA using PCR amplification. DNA from methanotroph positive colonies was cloned and sequenced for identification. Isolates belonging to the genera Methylocaldum, Methylomonas and Methylosinus were detected. Phylogenetic analysis suggests the presence of possible new species. In addition dried samples of the isolates were analysed for their stable carbon isotope (δ 13C) composition. The results were δ 13C values of -27 per mil and -25 per mil for Methylomonas isolates, -35 per mil and -44 per mil for Methylosinus isolates, -58 per mil and -60 per mil for some of the Methylocaldum isolates and -35 per mil and -45 per mil for the others. This isotopic variation is reflected in a phylogenetic tree of the isolates. The differences shown in the δ 13C analysis could be due to differing biochemical properties, and if the technique is further developed, it may be used for rapid identification of bacteria useful in landfill management for reducing methane emissions. The results suggest that useful reductions in methane emissions could be achieved by a careful design of landfill cover to culture methanotrophs.

  17. Draft Genome Sequence of Methylocella silvestris TVC, a Facultative Methanotroph Isolated from Permafrost

    OpenAIRE

    Wang, Jing; Geng, Kan; Farhan Ul Haque, Muhammad; Crombie, Andrew; Street, Lorna E.; Wookey, Philip A.; Ma, Ke; Murrell, J. Colin; Pratscher, Jennifer

    2018-01-01

    Permafrost environments play a crucial role in global carbon and methane cycling. We report here the draft genome sequence of Methylocella silvestris TVC, a new facultative methanotroph strain, isolated from the Siksik Creek catchment in the continuous permafrost zone of Inuvik (Northwest Territories, Canada).

  18. Draft Genome Sequence of Methylocella silvestris TVC, a Facultative Methanotroph Isolated from Permafrost.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jing; Geng, Kan; Farhan Ul Haque, Muhammad; Crombie, Andrew; Street, Lorna E; Wookey, Philip A; Ma, Ke; Murrell, J Colin; Pratscher, Jennifer

    2018-02-22

    Permafrost environments play a crucial role in global carbon and methane cycling. We report here the draft genome sequence of Methylocella silvestris TVC, a new facultative methanotroph strain, isolated from the Siksik Creek catchment in the continuous permafrost zone of Inuvik (Northwest Territories, Canada). Copyright © 2018 Wang et al.

  19. Methane Oxidation and Molecular Characterization of Methanotrophs from a Former Mercury Mine Impoundment

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    Shaun M. Baesman

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The Herman Pit, once a mercury mine, is an impoundment located in an active geothermal area. Its acidic waters are permeated by hundreds of gas seeps. One seep was sampled and found to be composed of mostly CO2 with some CH4 present. The δ13CH4 value suggested a complex origin for the methane: i.e., a thermogenic component plus a biological methanogenic portion. The relatively 12C-enriched CO2 suggested a reworking of the ebullitive methane by methanotrophic bacteria. Therefore, we tested bottom sediments for their ability to consume methane by conducting aerobic incubations of slurried materials. Methane was removed from the headspace of live slurries, and subsequent additions of methane resulted in faster removal rates. This activity could be transferred to an artificial, acidic medium, indicating the presence of acidophilic or acid-tolerant methanotrophs, the latter reinforced by the observation of maximum activity at pH = 4.5 with incubated slurries. A successful extraction of sterol and hopanoid lipids characteristic of methanotrophs was achieved, and their abundances greatly increased with increased sediment methane consumption. DNA extracted from methane-oxidizing enrichment cultures was amplified and sequenced for pmoA genes that aligned with methanotrophic members of the Gammaproteobacteria. An enrichment culture was established that grew in an acidic (pH 4.5 medium via methane oxidation.

  20. Methane oxidation and molecular characterization of methanotrophs from a former mercury mine impoundment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baesman, Shaun; Miller, Laurence G.; Wei, Jeremy H.; Cho, Yirang; Matys, Emily D.; Summons, Roger E.; Welander, Paula V.; Oremland, Ronald S.

    2015-01-01

    The Herman Pit, once a mercury mine, is an impoundment located in an active geothermal area. Its acidic waters are permeated by hundreds of gas seeps. One seep was sampled and found to be composed of mostly CO2 with some CH4 present. The δ13CH4 value suggested a complex origin for the methane: i.e., a thermogenic component plus a biological methanogenic portion. The relatively 12C-enriched CO2 suggested a reworking of the ebullitive methane by methanotrophic bacteria. Therefore, we tested bottom sediments for their ability to consume methane by conducting aerobic incubations of slurried materials. Methane was removed from the headspace of live slurries, and subsequent additions of methane resulted in faster removal rates. This activity could be transferred to an artificial, acidic medium, indicating the presence of acidophilic or acid-tolerant methanotrophs, the latter reinforced by the observation of maximum activity at pH = 4.5 with incubated slurries. A successful extraction of sterol and hopanoid lipids characteristic of methanotrophs was achieved, and their abundances greatly increased with increased sediment methane consumption. DNA extracted from methane-oxidizing enrichment cultures was amplified and sequenced for pmoA genes that aligned with methanotrophic members of the Gammaproteobacteria. An enrichment culture was established that grew in an acidic (pH 4.5) medium via methane oxidation.

  1. Bacteriohopanepolyol signatures as markers for methanotrophic bacteria in peat moss

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Winden, J.F.; Talbot, H.M.; Kip, N.; Reichart, G.J.; Pol, A.; McNamara, N.P.; Jetten, M.S.M.; Op den Camp, H.J.M.; Sinninghe Damsté, J.S.

    2012-01-01

    Bacteriohopanepolyols (BHPs) are bacterial biomarkers with a likely potential to identify present and past methanotrophic communities. To unravel the methanotrophic community in peat bogs, we report the BHP signatures of type I and type II methanotrophs isolated from Sphagnum mosses and of an

  2. Bacteriohopanepolyol signatures as markers for methanotrophic bacteria in peat moss

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Winden, J.F. van; Talbot, H.M.; Kip, N.; Reichart, G.-J.; Pol, A.; McNamara, N.P.; Jetten, M.S.M.; Camp, H.J.M. Op den; Sinninghe Damsté, J.S.

    2012-01-01

    Bacteriohopanepolyols (BHPs) are bacterial biomarkers with a likely potential to identify present and past methanotrophic communities. To unravel the methanotrophic community inpeat bogs, we report the BHP signatures of type I and type II methanotrophs isolated from Sphagnummosses and of an extreme

  3. Amplification of marine methanotrophic enrichment DNA with 16S rDNA PCR primers for type II alpha proteobacteria methanotrophs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rockne, Karl J; Strand, Stuart E

    2003-09-01

    Type II alpha proteobacteria methanotrophs are capable of a wide range of cometabolic transformations of chlorinated solvents and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and this activity has been exploited in many terrestrial bioremediation systems. However, at present, all known obligately marine methanotrophic isolates are Type I gamma proteobacteria which do not have this activity to the extent of Type II methanotrophs. In previous work in our laboratory, determining the presence of Type II alpha proteobacteria methanotrophs in marine enrichment cultures that co-metabolized PAHs required a more sensitive assay. 16S rDNA PCR primers were designed based on oligonucleotide probes for serine pathway methanotrophs and serine pathway methylotrophs with an approximate amplification fragment size of 870 base pairs. Comparison of the primers using double primer BLAST searches in established nucleotide databases showed potential amplification with all Methylocystis and Methylosinus spp., as well as potential amplification with Methylocella palustrus. DNA from Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b, a Type II methanotroph, amplified with the primers with a fragment size of approximately 850 base pairs, whereas DNA extracted from Methylomonas methanica, a Type I methanotroph, did not. The primers were used to amplify DNA extracted from two marine methanotrophic enrichment cultures: a low nitrogen/low copper enrichment to select for Type II methanotrophs and a high nitrogen/high copper enrichment to select for Type I methanotrophs. Although DNA from both cultures amplified with the PCR primers, amplification was stronger in cultures that were specifically enriched for Type II methanotrophs, suggesting the presence of higher numbers of Type II methanotrophs. These results provide further evidence for the existence of Type II marine methanotrophs, suggesting the possibility of exploiting cometabolic activity in marine systems.

  4. Aerobic methanotrophic bacteria of cold ecosystems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trotsenko, Yuri A; Khmelenina, Valentina N

    2005-06-01

    This review summarizes the recent advances in understanding the ecophysiological role and structure-function features of methanotrophic bacteria living in various cold ecosystems. The occurrence of methanotrophs in a majority of psychrosphere sites was verified by direct measurement of their methane-utilizing activity, by electron microscopy and immunofluorescent observations, and analyses of specific signatures in cellular phospholipids and total DNAs extracted from environmental samples. Surprisingly, the phenotypic and genotypic markers of virtually all extant methanotrophs were detected in various cold habitats, such as underground waters, Northern taiga and tundra soils, polar lakes and permafrost sediments. Also, recent findings indicated that even after long-term storage in permafrost, some methanotrophs can oxidize and assimilate methane not only at positive but also at subzero temperatures. Pure cultures of psychrophilic and psychrotolerant methanotrophs were isolated and characterized as new genera and species: Methylobacter psychrophilus, Methylosphaera hansonii, Methylocella palustris, Methylocella silvestris, Methylocella tundrae, Methylocapsa acidiphila and Methylomonas scandinavica. However, our knowledge about their adaptive mechanisms and survival in cold ecosystems remains limited and needs to be established using both traditional and molecular microbiological methods.

  5. Facultative and obligate methanotrophs how to identify and differentiate them.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dedysh, Svetlana N; Dunfield, Peter F

    2011-01-01

    Aerobic methanotrophs are metabolically unique bacteria that are able to utilize methane and some other C1-compounds as sole sources of carbon and energy. A defining characteristic of these organisms is the use of methane monooxygenase (MMO) enzymes to catalyze the oxidation of methane to methanol. For a long time, all methanotrophs were considered to be obligately methylotrophic, that is, unable to grow on compounds containing C-C bonds. This notion has recently been revised. Some members of the genera Methylocella, Methylocystis, and Methylocapsa are now known to be facultative methanotrophs, that is, capable of growing on methane as well as on some multicarbon substrates. The diagnosis of facultative methanotrophy in new isolates requires a great degree of caution since methanotrophic cultures are frequently contaminated by heterotrophic bacteria that survive on metabolic by-products of methanotrophs. The presence of only a few satellite cells in a culture may lead to false conclusions regarding substrate utilization, and several early reports of facultative methanotrophy are likely attributable to impure cultures. Another recurring mistake is the misidentification of nonmethanotrophic facultative methylotrophs as facultative methanotrophs. This chapter was prepared as an aid to avoid both kinds of confusion when examining methanotrophic isolates. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Methylohalobius crimeensis gen. nov., sp. nov., a moderately halophilic, methanotrophic bacterium isolated from hypersaline lakes of Crimea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heyer, Jürgen; Berger, Ursula; Hardt, Martin; Dunfield, Peter F

    2005-09-01

    A novel genus and species are proposed for two strains of methanotrophic bacteria isolated from hypersaline lakes in the Crimean Peninsula of Ukraine. Strains 10Ki(T) and 4Kr are moderate halophiles that grow optimally at 1-1.5 M (5.8-8.7%, w/v) NaCl and tolerate NaCl concentrations from 0.2 M up to 2.5 M (1.2-15%). This optimum and upper limit are the highest for any methanotrophic bacterium known to date. The strains are Gram-negative, aerobic, non-pigmented, motile, coccoid to spindle-shaped bacteria that grow on methane or methanol only and utilize the ribulose monophosphate pathway for carbon assimilation. They are neutrophilic (growth occurs only in the range pH 6.5-7.5) and mesophilic (optimum growth occurs at 30 degrees C). On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence phylogeny, strains 10Ki(T) and 4Kr represent a type I methanotroph within the 'Gammaproteobacteria'. However, the 16S rRNA gene sequence displays <91.5 % identity to any public-domain sequence. The most closely related methanotrophic bacterium is the thermophilic strain HB. The DNA G+C content is 58.7 mol%. The major phospholipid fatty acids are 18:1omega7 (52-61%), 16:0 (22-23%) and 16:1omega7 (14-20%). The dominance of 18:1 over 16:0 and 16:1 fatty acids is unique among known type I methanotrophs. The data suggest that strains 10Ki(T) and 4Kr should be considered as belonging to a novel genus and species of type I methanotrophic bacteria, for which the name Methylohalobius crimeensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. Strain 10Ki(T) (=DSM 16011(T)=ATCC BAA-967(T)) is the type strain.

  7. Acidophiles of saline water at thermal vents of Vulcano, Italy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simmons, Susan; Norris, R

    2002-06-01

    DNA was extracted from samples taken from close to acidic hydrothermal vents on shore of the Aeolian Island of Vulcano (Italy). RNA gene sequences were amplified by PCR, cloned, and sequenced. A sequence with an origin in samples at 35 degrees and 45 degrees C corresponded to that of a novel Acidithiobacillus species that was isolated from water close to the vents. Novel, iron-oxidizing mesophilic acidophiles were isolated through enrichment cultures with ferrous iron but were not represented in the clone banks of environmental rDNA. These acidophiles were related to Thiobacillus prosperus, which was isolated previously from Vulcano. The archaeal sequences that comprised a clone bank representing a high-temperature sample (75 degrees C) corresponded to those of Acidianus brierleyi and of thermophiles previously isolated from Vulcano, Thermoplasma volcanium and Acidianus infernus.

  8. [Culturable psychrotolerant methanotrophic bacteria in landfill cover soil].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kallistova, A Iu; Montonen, L; Jurgens, G; Munster, U; Kevbrina, M V; Nozhevnikova, A N

    2014-01-01

    Methanotrophs closely related to psychrotolerant members of the genera Methylobacter and Methylocella were identified in cultures enriched at 10@C from landfill cover soil samples collected in the period from April to November. Mesophilic methanotrophs of the genera Methylobacter and Methylosinus were found in cultures enriched at 20 degrees C from the same cover soil samples. A thermotolerant methanotroph related to Methylocaldum gracile was identified in the culture enriched at 40 degrees C from a sample collected in May (the temperature of the cover soil was 11.5-12.5 degrees C). In addition to methanotrophs, methylobacteria of the genera Methylotenera and Methylovorus and members of the genera Verrucomicrobium, Pseudomonas, Pseudoxanthomonas, Dokdonella, Candidatus Protochlamydia, and Thiorhodospira were also identified in the enrichment cultures. A methanotroph closely related to the psychrotolerant species Methylobacter tundripaludum (98% sequence identity of 16S r-RNA genes with the type strain SV96(T)) was isolated in pure culture. The introduction of a mixture of the methanotrophic enrichments, grown at 15 degrees C, into the landfill cover soil resulted in a decrease in methane emission from the landfill surface in autumn (October, November). The inoculum used was demonstrated to contain methanotrophs closely related to Methylobacter tundripaludum SV96.

  9. Differential detection of type II methanotrophic bacteria in acidic peatlands using newly developed 16S rRNA-targeted fluorescent oligonucleotide probes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dedysh, Svetlana N; Dunfield, Peter F; Derakshani, Manigee; Stubner, Stephan; Heyer, Jürgen; Liesack, Werner

    2003-04-01

    Abstract Based on an extensive 16S rRNA sequence database for type II methanotrophic bacteria, a set of 16S rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes was developed for differential detection of specific phylogenetic groups of these bacteria by fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH). This set of oligonucleotides included a genus-specific probe for Methylocystis (Mcyst-1432) and three species-specific probes for Methylosinus sporium (Msins-647), Methylosinus trichosporium (Msint-1268) and the recently described acidophilic methanotroph Methylocapsa acidiphila (Mcaps-1032). These novel probes were applied to further characterise the type II methanotroph community that was detected in an acidic Sphagnum peat from West Siberia in a previous study (Dedysh et al. (2001) Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67, 4850-4857). The largest detectable population of indigenous methanotrophs simultaneously hybridised with a group-specific probe targeting all currently known Methylosinus/Methylocystis spp. (M-450), with a genus-specific probe for Methylocystis spp. (Mcyst-1432), and with an additional probe (Mcyst-1261) that had been designed to target a defined phylogenetic subgroup of Methylocystis spp. The same subgroup of Methylocystis was also detected in acidic peat sampled from Sphagnum-dominated wetland in northern Germany. The population size of this peat-inhabiting Methylocystis subgroup was 2.0+/-0.1x10(6) cells g(-1) (wet weight) of peat from Siberia and 5.5+/-0.5x10(6) cells g(-1) of peat from northern Germany. This represented 60 and 95%, respectively, of the total number of methanotroph cells detected by FISH in these two wetland sites. Other major methanotroph populations were M. acidiphila and Methylocella palustris. Type I methanotrophs accounted for not more than 1% of total methanotroph cells. Neither M. trichosporium nor M. sporium were detected in acidic Sphagnum peat.

  10. Astrobiological significance of chemolithoautotrophic acidophiles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pikuta, Elena V.; Hoover, Richard B.

    2004-02-01

    For more than a century (since Winogradsky discovered lithautotrophic bacteria) there has been a dilemma in microbiology about life that first inhabited the Earth. Which types of life forms first appeared in the primordial oceans during the earliest geological period on Earth as the primary ancestors of modern biological diversity? How did a metabolism of ancestors evolve: from lithoautotrophic to lithoheterotrophic and organoheterotrophic or from organoheterotrophic to organautotrophic and lithomixotrophic types? At the present time, it is known that chemolithoheterotrophic and chemolithoautotrophic metabolizing bacteria are wide spread in different ecosystems. On Earth the acidic ecosystems are associated with geysers, volcanic fumaroles, hot springs, deep sea hydrothermal vents, caves, acid mine drainage and other technogenic ecosystems. Bioleaching played a significant roel on a global geological scale during the Earth's formation. This important feature of bacteria has been successfully applied in industry. The lithoautotrophs include Bacteria and Archaea belonging to diverse genera containing thermophilic and mesophilic species. In this paper we discuss the lithotrophic microbial acidophiles and present some data with a description of new acidophilic iron- and sulfur-oxidizing bacterium isolated from the Chena Hot Springs in Alaska. We also consider the possible relevance of microbial acidophiles to Venus, Io, and acidic inclusions in glaciers and icy moons.

  11. Methylocella tundrae sp. nov., a novel methanotrophic bacterium from acidic tundra peatlands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dedysh, Svetlana N; Berestovskaya, Yulia Y; Vasylieva, Lina V; Belova, Svetlana E; Khmelenina, Valentina N; Suzina, Natalia E; Trotsenko, Yuri A; Liesack, Werner; Zavarzin, George A

    2004-01-01

    A novel species, Methylocella tundrae, is proposed for three methanotrophic strains (T4T, TCh1 and TY1) isolated from acidic Sphagnum tundra peatlands. These strains are aerobic, Gram-negative, non-motile, dinitrogen-fixing rods that possess a soluble methane monooxygenase and utilize the serine pathway for carbon assimilation. Strains T4T, TCh1 and TY1 are moderately acidophilic organisms capable of growth between pH 4.2 and 7.5 (optimum 5.5-6.0) and between 5 and 30 degrees C (optimum 15 degrees C). The major phospholipid fatty acid is 18:1omega7c. The DNA G+C content of strain T4T is 63.3 mol%. The three strains possess almost identical 16S rRNA gene sequences and are most closely related to two previously identified species of Methylocella, Methylocella palustris (97% similarity) and Methylocella silvestris (97.5% similarity). DNA-DNA hybridization values of strain T4T with Methylocella palustris KT and Methylocella silvestris BL2T were respectively 27 and 36%. Thus, the tundra strains represent a novel species, for which the name Methylocella tundrae sp. nov. is proposed. Strain T4T (=DSM 15673T=NCIMB 13949T) is the type strain.

  12. Diversity and activity of methanotrophs in alkaline soil from a Chinese coal mine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Bing; Chen, Yin; Abell, Guy; Jiang, Hao; Bodrossy, Levente; Zhao, Jiangang; Murrell, J Colin; Xing, Xin-Hui

    2009-11-01

    Culture-independent molecular biological techniques, including 16S rRNA gene and functional gene clone libraries and microarray analyses using pmoA (encoding a key subunit of particulate methane monooxygenase), were applied to investigate the methanotroph community structure in alkaline soil from a Chinese coal mine. This environment contained a high diversity of methanotrophs, including the type II methanotrophs Methylosinus/Methylocystis, type I methanotrophs related to Methylobacter/Methylosoma and Methylococcus, and a number of as yet uncultivated methanotrophs. In order to identify the metabolically active methane-oxidizing bacteria from this alkaline environment, DNA stable isotope probing (DNA-SIP) experiments using (13)CH(4) were carried out. This showed that both type I and type II methanotrophs were active, together with methanotrophs related to Methylocella, which had previously been found only in acidic environments. Methylotrophs, including Methylopila and Hyphomicrobium, were also detected in soil DNA and after DNA-SIP experiments. DNA sequence information on the most abundant, active methanotrophs in this alkaline soil will facilitate the design of oligonucleotide probes to monitor enrichment cultures when isolating key alkaliphilic methanotrophs from such environments.

  13. Diversity and activity of methanotrophs in alkaline soil from a Chinese coal mine

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Han, Bing; Chen, Yin; Abell, Guy; Jiang, Hao; Bodrossy, Levente; Zhao, Jiangang; Murrell, J. Colin; Xing, Xin-Hui [Tsinghua University, Beijing (China). Dept. of Chemical Engineering

    2009-11-15

    Culture-independent molecular biological techniques, including 16S rRNA gene and functional gene clone libraries and microarray analyses using pmoA (encoding a key subunit of particulate methane monooxygenase), were applied to investigate the methanotroph community structure in alkaline soil from a Chinese coal mine. This environment contained a high diversity of methanotrophs, including the type II methanotrophs Methylosinus/Methylocystis, type I methanotrophs related to Methylobacter/Methylosoma and Methylococcus, and a number of as yet uncultivated methanotrophs. In order to identify the metabolically active methane-oxidizing bacteria from this alkaline environment, DNA stable isotope probing (DNA-SIP) experiments using {sup 13}CH{sub 4} were carried out. This showed that both type I and type II methanotrophs were active, together with methanotrophs related to Methylocella, which had previously been found only in acidic environments. Methylotrophs, including Methylopila and Hyphomicrobium, were also detected in soil DNA and after DNA-SIP experiments. DNA sequence information on the most abundant, active methanotrophs in this alkaline soil will facilitate the design of oligonucleotide probes to monitor enrichment cultures when isolating key alkaliphilic methanotrophs from such environments.

  14. Methylocapsa palsarum sp. nov., a methanotroph isolated from a subArctic discontinuous permafrost ecosystem.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dedysh, Svetlana N; Didriksen, Alena; Danilova, Olga V; Belova, Svetlana E; Liebner, Susanne; Svenning, Mette M

    2015-10-01

    An aerobic methanotrophic bacterium was isolated from a collapsed palsa soil in northern Norway and designated strain NE2T. Cells of this strain were Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, non-pigmented, slightly curved thick rods that multiplied by normal cell division. The cells possessed a particulate methane monooxygenase enzyme (pMMO) and utilized methane and methanol. Strain NE2T grew in a wide pH range of 4.1–8.0 (optimum pH 5.2–6.5) at temperatures between 6 and 32 °C (optimum 18–25 °C), and was capable of atmospheric nitrogen fixation under reduced oxygen tension. The major cellular fatty acids were C18 : 1ω7c, C16 : 0 and C16 : 1ω7c, and the DNA G+C content was 61.7 mol%. The isolate belonged to the family Beijerinckiaceae of the class Alphaproteobacteria and was most closely related to the facultative methanotroph Methylocapsa aurea KYGT (98.3 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity and 84 % PmoA sequence identity). However, strain NE2T differed from Methylocapsa aurea KYGT by cell morphology, the absence of pigmentation, inability to grow on acetate, broader pH growth range, and higher tolerance to NaCl. Therefore, strain NE2T represents a novel species of the genus Methylocapsa, for which we propose the name Methylocapsa palsarum sp. nov. The type strain is NE2T ( = LMG 28715T = VKM B-2945T).

  15. Methylocapsa acidiphila gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel methane-oxidizing and dinitrogen-fixing acidophilic bacterium from Sphagnum bog.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dedysh, Svetlana N; Khmelenina, Valentina N; Suzina, Natalia E; Trotsenko, Yuri A; Semrau, Jeremy D; Liesack, Werner; Tiedje, James M

    2002-01-01

    A novel genus and species, Methylocapsa acidiphila gen. nov., sp. nov., are proposed for a methane-oxidizing bacterium isolated from an acidic Sphagnum peat bog. This bacterium, designated strain B2T, represents aerobic, gram-negative, colourless, non-motile, curved coccoids that form conglomerates covered by an extracellular polysaccharide matrix. The cells use methane and methanol as sole sources of carbon and energy and utilize the serine pathway for carbon assimilation. Strain B2T is a moderately acidophilic organism with growth between pH 4.2 and 7.2 and at temperatures from 10 to 30 degrees C. The cells possess a well-developed system of intracytoplasmic membranes (ICM) packed in parallel on only one side of the cell membrane. This type of ICM structure represents a novel arrangement, which was termed type III. The resting cells are Azotobacter-type cysts. Strain B2T is capable of atmospheric nitrogen fixation; it possesses particulate methane monooxygenase and does not express soluble methane monooxygenase. The major phospholipid fatty acid is 18:1omega7c and the major phospholipids are phosphatidylglycerols. The G+C content of the DNA is 63.1 mol%. This bacterium belongs to the alpha-subclass of the Proteobacteria and is most closely related to the acidophilic methanotroph Methylocella palustris KT (97.3% 16S rDNA sequence similarity). However, the DNA-DNA hybridization value between strain B2T and Methylocella palustris K(T) is only 7%. Thus, strain B2T is proposed to comprise a novel genus and species, Methylocapsa acidiphila gen. nov., sp. nov. Strain B2T (= DSM 13967T = NCIMB 13765T) is the type strain.

  16. Detection and enumeration of methanotrophs in acidic Sphagnum peat by 16S rRNA fluorescence in situ hybridization, including the use of newly developed oligonucleotide probes for Methylocella palustris.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dedysh, S N; Derakshani, M; Liesack, W

    2001-10-01

    Two 16S rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes, Mcell-1026 and Mcell-181, were developed for specific detection of the acidophilic methanotroph Methylocella palustris using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The fluorescence signal of probe Mcell-181 was enhanced by its combined application with the oligonucleotide helper probe H158. Mcell-1026 and Mcell-181, as well as 16S rRNA oligonucleotide probes with reported group specificity for either type I methanotrophs (probes M-84 and M-705) or the Methylosinus/Methylocystis group of type II methanotrophs (probes MA-221 and M-450), were used in FISH to determine the abundance of distinct methanotroph groups in a Sphagnum peat sample of pH 4.2. M. palustris was enumerated at greater than 10(6) cells per g of peat (wet weight), while the detectable population size of type I methanotrophs was three orders of magnitude below the population level of M. palustris. The cell counts with probe MA-221 suggested that only 10(4) type II methanotrophs per g of peat (wet weight) were present, while the use of probe M-450 revealed more than 10(6) type II methanotroph cells per g of the same samples. This discrepancy was due to the fact that probe M-450 targets almost all currently known strains of Methylosinus and Methylocystis, whereas probe MA-221, originally described as group specific, does not detect a large proportion of Methylocystis strains. The total number of methanotrophic bacteria detected by FISH was 3.0 (+/-0.2) x 10(6) cells per g (wet weight) of peat. This was about 0.8% of the total bacterial cell number. Thus, our study clearly suggests that M. palustris and a defined population of Methylocystis spp. were the predominant methanotrophs detectable by FISH in an acidic Sphagnum peat bog.

  17. NifH and NifD phylogenies: an evolutionary basis for understanding nitrogen fixation capabilities of methanotrophic bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dedysh, Svetlana N; Ricke, Peter; Liesack, Werner

    2004-05-01

    The ability to utilize dinitrogen as a nitrogen source is an important phenotypic trait in most currently known methanotrophic bacteria (MB). This trait is especially important for acidophilic MB, which inhabit acidic oligotrophic environments, highly depleted in available nitrogen compounds. Phylogenetically, acidophilic MB are most closely related to heterotrophic dinitrogen-fixing bacteria of the genus BEIJERINCKIA: To further explore the phylogenetic linkage between these metabolically different organisms, the sequences of nifH and nifD gene fragments from acidophilic MB of the genera Methylocella and Methylocapsa, and from representatives of Beijerinckia, were determined. For reference, nifH and nifD sequences were also obtained from some type II MB of the alphaproteobacterial Methylosinus/Methylocystis group and from gammaproteobacterial type I MB. The trees constructed for the inferred amino acid sequences of nifH and nifD were highly congruent. The phylogenetic relationships among MB in the NifH and NifD trees also agreed well with the corresponding 16S rRNA-based phylogeny, except for two distinctive features. First, different methods used for phylogenetic analysis grouped the NifH and NifD sequences of strains of the gammaproteobacterial MB Methylococcus capsulatus within a clade mainly characterized by Alphaproteobacteria, including acidophilic MB and type II MB of the Methylosinus/Methylocystis group. From this and other genomic data from Methylococcus capsulatus Bath, it is proposed that an ancient event of lateral gene transfer was responsible for this aberrant branching. Second, the identity values of NifH and NifD sequences between Methylocapsa acidiphila B2 and representatives of Beijerinckia were clearly higher (98.5 and 96.6 %, respectively) than would be expected from their 16S rRNA-based relationships. Possibly, these two bacteria originated from a common acidophilic dinitrogen-fixing ancestor, and were subject to similar evolutionary pressure

  18. Complete genome sequence of the aerobic facultative methanotroph Methylocella silvestris BL2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yin; Crombie, Andrew; Rahman, M Tanvir; Dedysh, Svetlana N; Liesack, Werner; Stott, Matthew B; Alam, Maqsudul; Theisen, Andreas R; Murrell, J Colin; Dunfield, Peter F

    2010-07-01

    Methylocella silvestris BL2 is an aerobic methanotroph originally isolated from an acidic forest soil in Germany. It is the first fully authenticated facultative methanotroph. It grows not only on methane and other one-carbon (C(1)) substrates, but also on some compounds containing carbon-carbon bonds, such as acetate, pyruvate, propane, and succinate. Here we report the full genome sequence of this bacterium.

  19. FY1995 acquisition of useful and high ability genes for acidophilic bacteria; 1995 nendo kosansei saikin ni takai noryoku wo fuyosuru idenshi no kakutoku

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1997-03-01

    The purpose of this project is to obtain and to study useful and high ability genes which can use for gene engineering of acidophilic bacteria. 130 isolates of acidophilic bacteria (major species are iron-oxidizing bacteria) were isolated from various environment. 10 isolates of iron-oxidizing bacteria were selected in the point of high ferrous iron oxidizing ability and heavy metal tolerance. Mercury ion resistance genes of iron-oxidizing bacteria were identified and cloned in E.coli. Sequencing analysis and functional identification of gene products were performed. These genes are thought to be useful for selection marker of gen engineering of acidophilic bacteria. (NEDO)

  20. Complete Genome Sequence of the Aerobic Facultative Methanotroph Methylocella silvestris BL2▿

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yin; Crombie, Andrew; Rahman, M. Tanvir; Dedysh, Svetlana N.; Liesack, Werner; Stott, Matthew B.; Alam, Maqsudul; Theisen, Andreas R.; Murrell, J. Colin; Dunfield, Peter F.

    2010-01-01

    Methylocella silvestris BL2 is an aerobic methanotroph originally isolated from an acidic forest soil in Germany. It is the first fully authenticated facultative methanotroph. It grows not only on methane and other one-carbon (C1) substrates, but also on some compounds containing carbon-carbon bonds, such as acetate, pyruvate, propane, and succinate. Here we report the full genome sequence of this bacterium. PMID:20472789

  1. Complete Genome Sequence of the Aerobic Facultative Methanotroph Methylocella silvestris BL2▿

    OpenAIRE

    Chen, Yin; Crombie, Andrew; Rahman, M. Tanvir; Dedysh, Svetlana N.; Liesack, Werner; Stott, Matthew B.; Alam, Maqsudul; Theisen, Andreas R.; Murrell, J. Colin; Dunfield, Peter F.

    2010-01-01

    Methylocella silvestris BL2 is an aerobic methanotroph originally isolated from an acidic forest soil in Germany. It is the first fully authenticated facultative methanotroph. It grows not only on methane and other one-carbon (C1) substrates, but also on some compounds containing carbon-carbon bonds, such as acetate, pyruvate, propane, and succinate. Here we report the full genome sequence of this bacterium.

  2. Environmental factors influenting species composition of acidophilous grasslands patches in agricultural landscape

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Halas, Petr

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 20, č. 1 (2012), s. 16-27 ISSN 1210-8812 Institutional support: RVO:68145535 Keywords : acidophilous grasslands * hemeroby * patch isolation * patch area * regression trees Subject RIV: DE - Earth Magnetism, Geodesy, Geography http://www.geonika.cz/EN/research/ENMgr/MGR_2012_01.pdf

  3. Enhanced Productivity of a Lutein-Enriched Novel Acidophile Microalga Grown on Urea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Vilchez

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Coccomyxa acidophila is an extremophile eukaryotic microalga isolated from the Tinto River mining area in Huelva, Spain. Coccomyxa acidophila accumulates relevant amounts of b-carotene and lutein, well-known carotenoids with many biotechnological applications, especially in food and health-related industries. The acidic culture medium (pH < 2.5 that prevents outdoor cultivation from non-desired microorganism growth is one of the main advantages of acidophile microalgae production. Conversely, acidophile microalgae growth rates are usually very low compared to common microalgae growth rates. In this work, we show that mixotrophic cultivation on urea efficiently enhances growth and productivity of an acidophile microalga up to typical values for common microalgae, therefore approaching acidophile algal production towards suitable conditions for feasible outdoor production. Algal productivity and potential for carotenoid accumulation were analyzed as a function of the nitrogen source supplied. Several nitrogen conditions were assayed: nitrogen starvation, nitrate and/or nitrite, ammonia and urea. Among them, urea clearly led to the best cell growth (~4 ´ 108 cells/mL at the end of log phase. Ammonium led to the maximum chlorophyll and carotenoid content per volume unit (220 mg·mL-1 and 35 mg·mL-1, respectively. Interestingly, no significant differences in growth rates were found in cultures grown on urea as C and N source, with respect to those cultures grown on nitrate and CO2 as nitrogen and carbon sources (control cultures. Lutein accumulated up to 3.55 mg·g-1 in the mixotrophic cultures grown on urea. In addition, algal growth in a shaded culture revealed the first evidence for an active xanthophylls cycle operative in acidophile microalgae.

  4. Resilience of (seed bank) aerobic methanotrophs and methanotrophic activity to desiccation and heat stress.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ho, A.; Lueke, C.; Reim, A.; Frenzel, P.

    2016-01-01

    In seasonally changing environments, aerobic methanotrophs are exposed to elevated temperatures and drought. Prior exposure to adverse conditions (site history) may leave an imprint on the methanotrophic community composition in the form of a seed bank. While the significance of a microbial seed

  5. Environmental factors influencing the species composition of acidophilous grassland patches in agricultural lanscapes

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Halas, Petr

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 20, č. 1 (2012), s. 16-27 ISSN 1210-8812 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30860518 Keywords : acidophilous grasslands * hemeroby * patch isolation * regression trees * Bohemian-Moravian Highland Subject RIV: DE - Earth Magnetism, Geodesy, Geography http://www.geonika.cz/CZ/CZresearch/CZMgrArchive.html

  6. Active methanotrophs in two contrasting North American peatland ecosystems revealed using DNA-SIP.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Varun; Smemo, Kurt A; Yavitt, Joseph B; Basiliko, Nathan

    2012-02-01

    The active methanotroph community was investigated in two contrasting North American peatlands, a nutrient-rich sedge fen and nutrient-poor Sphagnum bog using in vitro incubations and (13)C-DNA stable-isotope probing (SIP) to measure methane (CH(4)) oxidation rates and label active microbes followed by fingerprinting and sequencing of bacterial and archaeal 16S rDNA and methane monooxygenase (pmoA and mmoX) genes. Rates of CH(4) oxidation were slightly, but significantly, faster in the bog and methanotrophs belonged to the class Alphaproteobacteria and were similar to other methanotrophs of the genera Methylocystis, Methylosinus, and Methylocapsa or Methylocella detected in, or isolated from, European bogs. The fen had a greater phylogenetic diversity of organisms that had assimilated (13)C, including methanotrophs from both the Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria classes and other potentially non-methanotrophic organisms that were similar to bacteria detected in a UK and Finnish fen. Based on similarities between bacteria in our sites and those in Europe, including Russia, we conclude that site physicochemical characteristics rather than biogeography controlled the phylogenetic diversity of active methanotrophs and that differences in phylogenetic diversity between the bog and fen did not relate to measured CH(4) oxidation rates. A single crenarchaeon in the bog site appeared to be assimilating (13)C in 16S rDNA; however, its phylogenetic similarity to other CO(2)-utilizing archaea probably indicates that this organism is not directly involved in CH(4) oxidation in peat.

  7. Bioleaching of metals from electronic scrap by moderately thermophilic acidophilic bacteria

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ilyas, Sadia; Anwar, Munir A.; Niazi, Shahida B.; Ghauri, M. Afzal

    The present work was aimed at studying the bioleachability of metals from electronic scrap by the selected moderately thermophilic strains of acidophilic chemolithotrophic and acidophilic heterotrophic bacteria. These included Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans and an unidentified acidophilic

  8. Bacteria that degrade hazardous waste: The isolation of trichloroethylene-degrading methanotrophic bacteria and development of monoclonal antibodies specific to them

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Little, C.D.

    1988-01-01

    Trichloroethylene (TCE), a suspected carcinogen, is one of the most frequently reported groundwater contaminants at hazardous waste sites in the US. An aerobic, methane-oxidizing bacterium was isolated that degrades TCE in pure culture at concentrations commonly observed in contaminated groundwater. Strain 46-1, a Type I methanotrophic bacterium, degraded TCE when growing on methane or methanol, producing CO 2 and water-soluble products. Gas chromatography and 14 C radiotracer techniques were used to determine the rate, methane dependence, and mechanism of TCE biodegradation. TCE biodegradation by strain 46-1 appears to be a co-metabolic process that occurs when the organism is actively metabolizing a suitable growth substrate such as methane or methanol. Five mouse monoclonal antibodies (MABS) that specifically bind strain 46-1 were prepared by conventional hybridoma technology. These MABS are apparently biochemically distinct and were used to develop enzyme-linked and fluorescent immunoassays to detect strain 46-1 cells in environmental samples. A fluorescent immunoassay utilizing four of these MABS easily distinguished laboratory-grown 46-1 cells from other methanotrophic and heterotrophic bacteria, but failed to detect 46-1 cells in groundwater samples and cultures

  9. Termites facilitate methane oxidation and shape the methanotrophic community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho, Adrian; Erens, Hans; Mujinya, Basile Bazirake; Boeckx, Pascal; Baert, Geert; Schneider, Bellinda; Frenzel, Peter; Boon, Nico; Van Ranst, Eric

    2013-12-01

    Termite-derived methane contributes 3 to 4% to the total methane budget globally. Termites are not known to harbor methane-oxidizing microorganisms (methanotrophs). However, a considerable fraction of the methane produced can be consumed by methanotrophs that inhabit the mound material, yet the methanotroph ecology in these environments is virtually unknown. The potential for methane oxidation was determined using slurry incubations under conditions with high (12%) and in situ (∼0.004%) methane concentrations through a vertical profile of a termite (Macrotermes falciger) mound and a reference soil. Interestingly, the mound material showed higher methanotrophic activity. The methanotroph community structure was determined by means of a pmoA-based diagnostic microarray. Although the methanotrophs in the mound were derived from populations in the reference soil, it appears that termite activity selected for a distinct community. Applying an indicator species analysis revealed that putative atmospheric methane oxidizers (high-indicator-value probes specific for the JR3 cluster) were indicative of the active nest area, whereas methanotrophs belonging to both type I and type II were indicative of the reference soil. We conclude that termites modify their environment, resulting in higher methane oxidation and selecting and/or enriching for a distinct methanotroph population.

  10. Termites facilitate methane oxidation and shape the methanotrophic community

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ho, A.; Erens, H.; Mujinya, B.B.; Boeckx, P.; Baert, G.; Schneider, B.; Frenzel, P.; Boon, N.; Van Ranst, E.

    2013-01-01

    Termite-derived methane contributes 3-4% to the total methane budget globally. Termites are not known to harbor methane-oxidizing microorganisms (methanotrophs). However, a considerable fraction of methane produced can be consumed by methanotrophs that inhabit the mound material. Yet, methanotroph

  11. Biodegradation of trichloroethylene (TCE) by methanotrophic community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shukla, Awadhesh K; Vishwakarma, Pranjali; Upadhyay, S N; Tripathi, Anil K; Prasana, H C; Dubey, Suresh K

    2009-05-01

    Laboratory incubation experiments were carried out to assess the potential of methanotrophic culture for degrading TCE. Measurements of the growth rate and TCE degradation showed that the methanotrophs not only grew in presence of TCE but also degraded TCE. The rate of TCE degradation was found to be 0.19 ppm h(-1). The reverse transcriptase-PCR test was conducted to quantify expression of pmoA and mmoX genes. RT-PCR revealed expression of pmoA gene only. This observation provides evidence that the pmoA gene was functionally active for pMMO enzyme during the study. The diversity of the methanotrophs involved in TCE degradation was assessed by PCR amplification, cloning, restriction fragment length polymorphism and phylogenetic analysis of pmoA genes. Results suggested the occurrence of nine different phylotypes belonging to Type II methanotrophs in the enriched cultures. Out of the nine, five clustered with, genera Methylocystis and rest got clustered in to a separate group.

  12. Production of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) by Methylobacterium organophilum isolated from a methanotrophic consortium in a two-phase partition bioreactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zuniga, C.; Morales, M.; Le Borgne, S.; Revah, S.

    2011-01-01

    The biodegradation of methane, a greenhouse gas, and the accumulation of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) were studied using a methanotrophic consortium and an isolated strain thereof. The specific rates for methane consumption were 100 and 17mg CH 4 g x -1 h -1 for the isolate and the consortium, respectively. Also the effect of including 10% (v v -1 ) of silicone oil in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor (TPPB) was assayed for the elimination of 1% methane in air stream. TPPB allowed a 33-45% increase of methane elimination under growing conditions. Nitrogen limitation was assayed in bioreactors to promote PHB production. Under this condition, the specific methane degradation rate remained unchanged for the consortium and decreased to 36mg CH 4 g x -1 h -1 for the isolated strain. The accumulated PHB in the reactor was 34% and 38% (w w -1 ) for the consortium and the isolate, respectively. The highest productivity was obtained in the TPPB and was 1.61mg PHB g x -1 h -1 . The CZ-2 isolate was identified as Methylobacterium organophilum, this is the first study that reports this species as being able to grow on methane and accumulate up to 57% (w w -1 ) of PHB under nitrogen limitation in microcosm experiments.

  13. Methanotrophic abundance and community fingerprint in pine and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    methanotrophs) is important to assess the microbial oxidation of the greenhouse gas methane (CH4) in soil under different land uses. Soil samples were collected from two plantation plots of pine and tea in southern China. Methanotrophic abundance ...

  14. Secretion of Flavins by Three Species of Methanotrophic Bacteria▿ †

    OpenAIRE

    Balasubramanian, Ramakrishnan; Levinson, Benjamin T.; Rosenzweig, Amy C.

    2010-01-01

    We detected flavins in the growth medium of the methanotrophic bacterium Methylocystis species strain M. Flavin secretion correlates with growth stage and increases under iron starvation conditions. Two other methanotrophs, Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b and Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath), secrete flavins, suggesting that flavin secretion may be common to many methanotrophic bacteria.

  15. [Methanotrophs of the psychrophilic microbial community of the Russian Arctic tundra].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berestovskaia, Iu Iu; Vasil'eva, L V; Chestnykh, O V; Zavarzin, G A

    2002-01-01

    In tundra, at a low temperature, there exists a slowly developing methanotrophic community. Methane-oxidizing bacteria are associated with plants growing at high humidity, such as sedge and sphagnum; no methonotrophs were found in polytrichous and aulacomnious mosses and lichens, typical of more arid areas. The methanotrophic bacterial community inhabits definite soil horizons, from moss dust to peat formed from it. Potential ability of the methanotrophic community to oxidize methane at 5 degrees C enhances with the depth of the soil profile in spite of the decreasing soil temperature. The methanotrophic community was found to gradually adapt to various temperatures due to the presence of different methane-oxidizing bacteria in its composition. Depending on the temperature and pH, different methanotrophs occupy different econiches. Within a temperature range from 5 to 15 degrees C, three morphologically distinct groups of methanotrophs could be distinguished. At pH 5-7 and 5-15 degrees C, forms morphologically similar to Methylobacter psychrophilus predominated, whereas at the acidic pH 4-6 and 10-15 degrees C, bipolar cells typical of Methylocella palustris were mostly found. The third group of methanotrophic bacteria growing at pH 5-7 and 5-10 degrees C was represented by a novel methanotroph whole large coccoid cells had a thick mucous capsule.

  16. The oxidative TCA cycle operates during methanotrophic growth of the Type I methanotroph Methylomicrobium buryatense 5GB1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Yanfen; Li, Yi; Lidstrom, Mary

    2017-07-01

    Methanotrophs are a group of bacteria that use methane as sole carbon and energy source. Type I methanotrophs are gamma-proteobacterial methanotrophs using the ribulose monophosphate cycle (RuMP) cycle for methane assimilation. In order to facilitate metabolic engineering in the industrially promising Type I methanotroph Methylomicrobium buryatense 5GB1, flux analysis of cellular metabolism is needed and 13 C tracer analysis is a foundational tool for such work. This biological system has a single-carbon input and a special network topology that together pose challenges to the current well-established methodology for 13 C tracer analysis using a multi-carbon input such as glucose, and to date, no 13 C tracer analysis of flux in a Type I methanotroph has been reported. In this study, we showed that by monitoring labeling patterns of several key intermediate metabolites in core metabolism, it is possible to quantitate the relative flux ratios for important branch points, such as the malate node. In addition, it is possible to assess the operation of the TCA cycle, which has been thought to be incomplete in Type I methanotrophs. Surprisingly, our analysis provides direct evidence of a complete, oxidative TCA cycle operating in M. buryatense 5GB1 using methane as sole carbon and energy substrate, contributing about 45% of the total flux for de novo malate production. Combined with mutant analysis, this method was able to identify fumA (METBUDRAFT_1453/MBURv2__60244) as the primary fumarase involved in the oxidative TCA cycle, among 2 predicted fumarases, supported by 13 C tracer analysis on both fumA and fumC single knockouts. Interrupting the oxidative TCA cycle leads to a severe growth defect, suggesting that the oxidative TCA cycle functions to not only provide precursors for de novo biomass synthesis, but also to provide reducing power to the system. This information provides new opportunities for metabolic engineering of M. buryatense for the production of

  17. Production of poly-{beta}-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) by Methylobacterium organophilum isolated from a methanotrophic consortium in a two-phase partition bioreactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zuniga, C., E-mail: cristal7n@gmail.com [Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana-Cuajimalpa, Departamento de Procesos y Tecnologia, Artificios 40, Col. Miguel Hidalgo, C.P. 01120, Mexico D.F. (Mexico); Morales, M., E-mail: mmorales@correo.cua.uam.mx [Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana-Cuajimalpa, Departamento de Procesos y Tecnologia, Artificios 40, Col. Miguel Hidalgo, C.P. 01120, Mexico D.F. (Mexico); Le Borgne, S., E-mail: sylvielb@correo.cua.uam.mx [Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana-Cuajimalpa, Departamento de Procesos y Tecnologia, Artificios 40, Col. Miguel Hidalgo, C.P. 01120, Mexico D.F. (Mexico); Revah, S., E-mail: srevah@correo.cua.uam.mx [Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana-Cuajimalpa, Departamento de Procesos y Tecnologia, Artificios 40, Col. Miguel Hidalgo, C.P. 01120, Mexico D.F. (Mexico)

    2011-06-15

    The biodegradation of methane, a greenhouse gas, and the accumulation of poly-{beta}-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) were studied using a methanotrophic consortium and an isolated strain thereof. The specific rates for methane consumption were 100 and 17mg{sub CH{sub 4}}g{sub x}{sup -1} h{sup -1} for the isolate and the consortium, respectively. Also the effect of including 10% (v v{sup -1}) of silicone oil in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor (TPPB) was assayed for the elimination of 1% methane in air stream. TPPB allowed a 33-45% increase of methane elimination under growing conditions. Nitrogen limitation was assayed in bioreactors to promote PHB production. Under this condition, the specific methane degradation rate remained unchanged for the consortium and decreased to 36mg{sub CH{sub 4}}g{sub x}{sup -1} h{sup -1} for the isolated strain. The accumulated PHB in the reactor was 34% and 38% (w w{sup -1}) for the consortium and the isolate, respectively. The highest productivity was obtained in the TPPB and was 1.61mg{sub PHB}g{sub x}{sup -1} h{sup -1}. The CZ-2 isolate was identified as Methylobacterium organophilum, this is the first study that reports this species as being able to grow on methane and accumulate up to 57% (w w{sup -1}) of PHB under nitrogen limitation in microcosm experiments.

  18. Oxidation of inorganic sulfur compounds in acidophilic prokaryotes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rohwerder, T.; Sand, W. [Universitaet Duisburg-Essen, Biofilm Centre, Aquatic Biotechnology, Duisburg (Germany)

    2007-07-15

    The oxidation of reduced inorganic sulfur compounds to sulfuric acid is of great importance for biohydrometallurgical technologies as well as the formation of acidic (below pH 3) and often heavy metal-contaminated environments. The use of elemental sulfur as an electron donor is the predominant energy-yielding process in acidic natural sulfur-rich biotopes but also at mining sites containing sulfidic ores. Contrary to its significant role in the global sulfur cycle and its biotechnological importance, the microbial fundamentals of acidophilic sulfur oxidation are only incompletely understood. Besides giving an overview of sulfur-oxidizing acidophiles, this review describes the so far known enzymatic reactions related to elemental sulfur oxidation in acidophilic bacteria and archaea. Although generally similar reactions are employed in both prokaryotic groups, the stoichiometry of the key enzymes is different. Bacteria oxidize elemental sulfur by a sulfur dioxygenase to sulfite whereas in archaea, a sulfur oxygenase reductase is used forming equal amounts of sulfide and sulfite. In both cases, the activation mechanism of elemental sulfur is not known but highly reactive linear sulfur forms are assumed to be the actual substrate. Inhibition as well as promotion of these biochemical steps is highly relevant in bioleaching operations. An efficient oxidation can prevent the formation of passivating sulfur layers. In other cases, a specific inhibition of sulfur biooxidation may be beneficial for reducing cooling and neutralization costs. In conclusion, the demand for a better knowledge of the biochemistry of sulfur-oxidizing acidophiles is underlined. (Abstract Copyright [2007], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

  19. [Research progress and discovery process of facultative methanotrophs--a review].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Tiantao; Xing, Zhilin; Zhang, Lijie

    2013-08-04

    Facultative methanotrophs are a group of phylogenetically diverse microorganisms characterized by their ability to use methane and some other compounds containing C-C bond as their sole source of carbon and energy. Recently, which belong to the facultative methanotrophs in the genera Methylocella, Methylocapsa and Methylocystis, which belong to the Alphaproteobacteria, have been reported that can grow on larger organic acids or ethanol for some species, as well as methane. In this paper, the research history of facultative methanotrophs was summarized systematically, some other facultative methane-oxidizing microorganisms were introduced, the metabolic mechanisms of utilizing multi-carbon compounds by facultative methanotrophs were analyzed, and the current problems and the future engineering applications were discussed.

  20. The Ecology of Acidophilic Microorganisms in the Corroding Concrete Sewer Environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guangming Jiang

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Concrete corrosion is one of the most significant problems affecting valuable sewer infrastructure on a global scale. This problem occurs in the aerobic zone of the sewer, where a layer of surface corrosion develops on the exposed concrete and the surface pH is typically lowered from around 11–10 (pristine concrete to pH 2–4. Acidophilic microorganisms become established as biofilms within the concrete corrosion layer and enhance the loss of concrete mass. Until recently, the acidophilic community was considered to comprise relatively few species of microorganisms, however, the biodiversity of the corrosion community is now recognized as being extensive and varying from different sewer environmental conditions. The diversity of acidophiles in the corrosion communities includes chemolithoautotrophs, chemolithoheterotrophs, and chemoorganoheterotrophs. The activity of these microorganisms is strongly affected by H2S levels in the sewer gas phase, although CO2, organic matter, and iron in the corrosion layer influence this acidic ecosystem. This paper briefly presents the conditions within the sewer that lead to the development of concrete corrosion in that environment. The review focuses on the acidophilic microorganisms detected in sewer corrosion environments, and then summarizes their proposed functions and physiology, especially in relation to the corrosion process. To our knowledge, this is the first review of acidophilic corrosion microbial communities, in which, the ecology and the environmental conditions (when available are considered. Ecological studies of sewer corrosion are limited, however, where possible, we summarize the important metabolic functions of the different acidophilic species detected in sewer concrete corrosion layers. It is evident that microbial functions in the acidic sewer corrosion environment can be linked to those occurring in the analogous acidic environments of acid mine drainage and bioleaching.

  1. A novel approach for rapidly and cost-effectively assessing toxicity of toxic metals in acidic water using an acidophilic iron-oxidizing biosensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Shih-Hung; Cheng, Kuo-Chih; Liao, Vivian Hsiu-Chuan

    2017-11-01

    Contamination by heavy metals and metalloids is a serious environmental and health concern. Acidic wastewaters are often associated with toxic metals which may enter and spread into agricultural soils. Several biological assays have been developed to detect toxic metals; however, most of them can only detect toxic metals in a neutral pH, not in an acidic environment. In this study, an acidophilic iron-oxidizing bacterium (IOB) Strain Y10 was isolated, characterized, and used to detect toxic metals toxicity in acidic water at pH 2.5. The colorimetric acidophilic IOB biosensor was based on the inhibition of the iron oxidizing ability of Strain Y10, an acidophilic iron-oxidizing bacterium, by metals toxicity. Our results showed that Strain Y10 is acidophilic iron-oxidizing bacterium. Thiobacillus caldus medium (TCM) (pH 2.5) supplied with both S 4 O 6 2- and glucose was the optimum growth medium for Strain Y10. The optimum temperature and pH for the growth of Strain Y10 was 45 °C and pH 2.5, respectively. Our study demonstrates that the color-based acidophilic IOB biosensor can be semi-quantitatively observed by eye or quantitatively measured by spectrometer to detect toxicity from multiple toxic metals at pH 2.5 within 45 min. Our study shows that monitoring toxic metals in acidic water is possible by using the acidophilic IOB biosensor. Our study thus provides a novel approach for rapid and cost-effective detection of toxic metals in acidic conditions that can otherwise compromise current methods of chemical analysis. This method also allows for increased efficiency when screening large numbers of environmental samples. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Methylovulum psychrotolerans sp. nov., a cold-adapted methanotroph from low-temperature terrestrial environments, and emended description of the genus Methylovulum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oshkin, Igor Y; Belova, Svetlana E; Danilova, Olga V; Miroshnikov, Kirill K; Rijpstra, W Irene C; Sinninghe Damsté, Jaap S; Liesack, Werner; Dedysh, Svetlana N

    2016-06-01

    Two isolates of aerobic methanotrophic bacteria, strains Sph1T and Sph2, were obtained from cold methane seeps in a floodplain of the river Mukhrinskaya, Irtysh basin, West Siberia. Another morphologically and phenotypically similar methanotroph, strain OZ2, was isolated from a sediment of a subarctic freshwater lake, Archangelsk region, northern Russia. Cells of these three strains were Gram-stain-negative, light-pink-pigmented, non-motile, encapsulated, large cocci that contained an intracytoplasmic membrane system typical of type I methanotrophs. They possessed a particulate methane monooxygenase enzyme and utilized only methane and methanol. Strains Sph1T, Sph2 and OZ2 were able to grow at a pH range of 4.0-8.9 (optimum at pH 6.0-7.0) and at temperatures between 2 and 36 °C. Although their temperature optimum was at 20-25 °C, these methanotrophs grew well at lower temperatures, down to 4 °C. The major cellular fatty acids were C16 : 1ω5c, C16 : 1ω6c, C16 : 1ω7c, C16 : 1ω8c, C16 : 0 and C14 : 0; the DNA G+C content was 51.4-51.9 mol%. Strains Sph1T, Sph2 and OZ2 displayed nearly identical (99.1-99.7 % similarity) 16S rRNA gene sequences and belonged to the family Methylococcaceae of the class Gammaproteobacteria. The most closely related organism was Methylovulum miyakonense HT12T (96.0-96.5 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity and 90 % pmoA sequence similarity). The novel isolates, however, differed from Methylovulum miyakonense HT12T by cell morphology, pigmentation, absence of soluble methane monooxygenase, more active growth at low temperatures, growth over a broader pH range and higher DNA G+C content. On the basis of these differences, we propose a novel species, Methylovulum psychrotolerans sp. nov., to accommodate these methanotrophs. Strain Sph1T (=LMG 29227T=VKM B-3018T) is the type strain.

  3. Production of thermophilic and acidophilic endoglucanases by ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Production of thermophilic and acidophilic endoglucanases by mutant Trichoderma atroviride 102C1 using agro-industrial by-products. ... The effect of the carbon (sugarcane bagasse: SCB) and nitrogen (corn steep liquor: CSL) sources on ...

  4. Detection of autotrophic verrucomicrobial methanotrophs in a geothermal environment using stable isotope probing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christine eSharp

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Genomic analysis of the methanotrophic verrucomicrobium Methylacidiphilum infernorum strain V4 has shown that most pathways conferring its methanotrophic lifestyle are similar to those found in proteobacterial methanotrophs. However, due to the large sequence divergence of its methane monooxygenase-encoding genes (pmo, ‘universal’ pmoA polymerase chain reaction (PCR primers do not target these bacteria. Unlike proteobacterial methanotrophs, Methylacidiphilum fixes carbon autotrophically, and uses methane only for energy generation. As a result, techniques used to detect methanotrophs in the environment such as 13CH4-stable isotope probing (SIP and pmoA-targeted PCR do not detect verrucomicrobial methanotrophs, and they may have been overlooked in previous environmental studies. We developed a modified SIP technique to identify active methanotrophic verrucomicrobia in the environment by labelling with 13CO2 and 13CH4, individually and in combination. Testing the protocol in M. infernorum strain V4 resulted in assimilation of 13CO2 but not 13CH4, verifying its autotrophic lifestyle. To specifically detect methanotrophs (as opposed to other autotrophs via 13CO2-SIP, a quantitative PCR (qPCR assay specific for verrucomicrobial-pmoA genes was developed and used in combination with SIP. Incubation of an acidic, high-temperature geothermal soil with 13CH4 + 12CO2 caused little shift in the density distribution of verrucomicrobial-pmoA genes relative to controls. However, labelling with 13CO2 in combination with 12CH4 or 13CH4 induced a strong shift in the distribution of verrucomicrobial-pmoA genes towards the heavy DNA fractions. The modified SIP technique demonstrated that the primary methanotrophs active in the soil were autotrophs and belonged to the Verrucomicrobia. This is the first demonstration of autotrophic, non-proteobacterial methanotrophy in situ, and provides a tool to detect verrucomicrobial methanotrophs in other ecosystems.

  5. Detection of autotrophic verrucomicrobial methanotrophs in a geothermal environment using stable isotope probing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharp, Christine E; Stott, Matthew B; Dunfield, Peter F

    2012-01-01

    Genomic analysis of the methanotrophic verrucomicrobium "Methylacidiphilum infernorum" strain V4 has shown that most pathways conferring its methanotrophic lifestyle are similar to those found in proteobacterial methanotrophs. However, due to the large sequence divergence of its methane monooxygenase-encoding genes (pmo), "universal" pmoA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers do not target these bacteria. Unlike proteobacterial methanotrophs, "Methylacidiphilum" fixes carbon autotrophically, and uses methane only for energy generation. As a result, techniques used to detect methanotrophs in the environment such as (13)CH(4)-stable isotope probing (SIP) and pmoA-targeted PCR do not detect verrucomicrobial methanotrophs, and they may have been overlooked in previous environmental studies. We developed a modified SIP technique to identify active methanotrophic Verrucomicrobia in the environment by labeling with (13)CO(2) and (13)CH(4), individually and in combination. Testing the protocol in "M. infernorum" strain V4 resulted in assimilation of (13)CO(2) but not (13)CH(4), verifying its autotrophic lifestyle. To specifically detect methanotrophs (as opposed to other autotrophs) via (13)CO(2)-SIP, a quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay specific for verrucomicrobial-pmoA genes was developed and used in combination with SIP. Incubation of an acidic, high-temperature geothermal soil with (13)CH(4) + (12)CO(2) caused little shift in the density distribution of verrucomicrobial-pmoA genes relative to controls. However, labeling with (13)CO(2) in combination with (12)CH(4) or (13)CH(4) induced a strong shift in the distribution of verrucomicrobial-pmoA genes towards the heavy DNA fractions. The modified SIP technique demonstrated that the primary methanotrophs active in the soil were autotrophs and belonged to the Verrucomicrobia. This is the first demonstration of autotrophic, non-proteobacterial methanotrophy in situ, and provides a tool to detect verrucomicrobial methanotrophs

  6. Methane and Trichloroethylene Oxidation by an Estuarine Methanotroph, Methylobacter sp. Strain BB5.1

    OpenAIRE

    Smith, Kelly S.; Costello, Andria M.; Lidstrom, Mary E.

    1998-01-01

    An estuarine methanotroph was isolated from sediment enrichments and designated Methylobacter sp. strain BB5.1. In cells grown on medium with added copper, oxidation of methane and trichloroethylene occurred with similar Ks values, but the Vmax for trichloroethylene oxidation was only 0.1% of the methane oxidation Vmax. Cells grown on low-copper medium did not oxidize trichloroethylene and showed a variable rate of methane oxidation.

  7. Recurrence and frequency of disturbance have cumulative effect on methanotrophic activity, abundance, and community structure.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adrian eHo

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Alternate prolonged drought and heavy rainfall is predicted to intensify with global warming. Desiccation-rewetting events alter the soil quality and nutrient concentrations which drive microbial-mediated processes, including methane oxidation, a key biogeochemical process catalyzed by methanotrophic bacteria. Although aerobic methanotrophs showed remarkable resilience to a suite of physical disturbances induced as a single event, their resilience to recurring disturbances is less known. Here, using a rice field soil in a microcosm study, we determined whether recurrence and frequency of desiccation-rewetting impose an accumulating effect on the methanotrophic activity. The response of key aerobic methanotroph subgroups (type Ia, Ib, and II were monitored using qPCR assays, and was supported by a t-RFLP analysis. The methanotrophic activity was resilient to recurring desiccation-rewetting, but increasing the frequency of the disturbance by two-fold significantly decreased methane uptake rate. Both the qPCR and t-RFLP analyses were congruent, showing the dominance of type Ia/Ib methanotrophs prior to disturbance, and after disturbance, the recovering community was predominantly comprised of type Ia (Methylobacter methanotrophs. Both type Ib and type II (Methylosinus/Methylocystis methanotrophs were adversely affected by the disturbance, but type II methanotrophs showed recovery over time, indicating relatively higher resilience to the disturbance. This revealed distinct, yet unrecognized traits among the methanotroph community members. Our results show that recurring desiccation-rewetting before a recovery in community abundance had an accumulated effect, compromising methanotrophic activity. While methanotrophs may recover well following sporadic disturbances, their resilience may reach a ‘tipping point’ where activity no longer recovered if disturbance persists and increase in frequency.

  8. Assessing the Efficacy of the Aerobic Methanotrophic Biofilter in Methane Hydrate Environments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Valentine, David

    2012-09-30

    In October 2008 the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) initiated investigations of water column methane oxidation in methane hydrate environments, through a project funded by the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) entitled: assessing the efficacy of the aerobic methanotrophic biofilter in methane hydrate environments. This Final Report describes the scientific advances and discoveries made under this award as well as the importance of these discoveries in the broader context of the research area. Benthic microbial mats inhabit the sea floor in areas where reduced chemicals such as sulfide reach the more oxidizing water that overlies the sediment. We set out to investigate the role that methanotrophs play in such mats at locations where methane reaches the sea floor along with sulfide. Mats were sampled from several seep environments and multiple sets were grown in-situ at a hydrocarbon seep in the Santa Barbara Basin. Mats grown in-situ were returned to the laboratory and used to perform stable isotope probing experiments in which they were treated with 13C-enriched methane. The microbial community was analyzed, demonstrating that three or more microbial groups became enriched in methane?s carbon: methanotrophs that presumably utilize methane directly, methylotrophs that presumably consume methanol excreted by the methanotrophs, and sulfide oxidizers that presumably consume carbon dioxide released by the methanotrophs and methylotrophs. Methanotrophs reached high relative abundance in mats grown on methane, but other bacterial processes include sulfide oxidation appeared to dominate mats, indicating that methanotrophy is not a dominant process in sustaining these benthic mats, but rather a secondary function modulated by methane availability. Methane that escapes the sediment in the deep ocean typically dissolved into the overlying water where it is available to methanotrophic bacteria. We set out to better understand the efficacy of this

  9. Aquatic plant surface as a niche for methanotrophs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naoko eYoshida

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated the potential local CH4 sink in various plant parts as a boundary environment of CH4 emission and consumption. By comparing CH4 consumption activities in cultures inoculated with parts from 39 plant species, we observed significantly higher consumption of CH4 associated with aquatic plants than other emergent plant parts such as woody plant leaves, macrophytic marine algae, and sea grass. In situ activity of CH4 consumption by methanotrophs associated with different species of aquatic plants was in the range of 3.7 – 37 μmol⋅h-1⋅g-1 dry weight, which was ca 5.7-370 fold higher than epiphytic CH4 consumption in submerged parts of emergent plants. The qPCR-estimated copy numbers of the particulate methane monooxygenase-encoding gene pmoA were variable among the aquatic plants and ranged in the order of 105 to 107 copies⋅g-1 dry weight, which correlated with the observed CH4 consumption activities. Phylogenetic identification of methanotrophs on aquatic plants based on the pmoA sequence analysis revealed a predominance of diverse gammaproteobacterial type-I methanotrophs, including a phylotype of a possible plant-associated methanotroph with the closest identity (86-89% to Methylocaldum gracile.

  10. Facultative methanotrophs are abundant at terrestrial natural gas seeps.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farhan Ul Haque, Muhammad; Crombie, Andrew T; Ensminger, Scott A; Baciu, Calin; Murrell, J Colin

    2018-06-28

    Natural gas contains methane and the gaseous alkanes ethane, propane and butane, which collectively influence atmospheric chemistry and cause global warming. Methane-oxidising bacteria, methanotrophs, are crucial in mitigating emissions of methane as they oxidise most of the methane produced in soils and the subsurface before it reaches the atmosphere. Methanotrophs are usually obligate, i.e. grow only on methane and not on longer chain alkanes. Bacteria that grow on the other gaseous alkanes in natural gas such as propane have also been characterised, but they do not grow on methane. Recently, it was shown that the facultative methanotroph Methylocella silvestris grew on ethane and propane, other components of natural gas, in addition to methane. Therefore, we hypothesised that Methylocella may be prevalent at natural gas seeps and might play a major role in consuming all components of this potent greenhouse gas mixture before it is released to the atmosphere. Environments known to be exposed to biogenic methane emissions or thermogenic natural gas seeps were surveyed for methanotrophs. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing revealed that Methylocella were the most abundant methanotrophs in natural gas seep environments. New Methylocella-specific molecular tools targeting mmoX (encoding the soluble methane monooxygenase) by PCR and Illumina amplicon sequencing were designed and used to investigate various sites. Functional gene-based assays confirmed that Methylocella were present in all of the natural gas seep sites tested here. This might be due to its ability to use methane and other short chain alkane components of natural gas. We also observed the abundance of Methylocella in other environments exposed to biogenic methane, suggesting that Methylocella has been overlooked in the past as previous ecological studies of methanotrophs often used pmoA (encoding the alpha subunit of particulate methane monooxygenase) as a marker gene. New biomolecular tools designed in

  11. Community Structure of Active Aerobic Methanotrophs in Red Mangrove (Kandelia obovata) Soils Under Different Frequency of Tides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shiau, Yo-Jin; Cai, Yuanfeng; Lin, Yu-Te; Jia, Zhongjun; Chiu, Chih-Yu

    2018-04-01

    Methanotrophs are important microbial communities in coastal ecosystems. They reduce CH 4 emission in situ, which is influenced by soil conditions. This study aimed to understand the differences in active aerobic methanotrophic communities in mangrove forest soils experiencing different inundation frequency, i.e., in soils from tidal mangroves, distributed at lower elevations, and from dwarf mangroves, distributed at higher elevations. Labeling of pmoA gene of active methanotrophs using DNA-based stable isotope probing (DNA-SIP) revealed that methanotrophic activity was higher in the dwarf mangrove soils than in the tidal mangrove soils, possibly because of the more aerobic soil conditions. Methanotrophs affiliated with the cluster deep-sea-5 belonging to type Ib methanotrophs were the most dominant methanotrophs in the fresh mangrove soils, whereas type II methanotrophs also appeared in the fresh dwarf mangrove soils. Furthermore, Methylobacter and Methylosarcina were the most important active methanotrophs in the dwarf mangrove soils, whereas Methylomonas and Methylosarcina were more active in the tidal mangrove soils. High-throughput sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene also confirmed similar differences in methanotrophic communities at the different locations. However, several unclassified methanotrophic bacteria were found by 16S rRNA MiSeq sequencing in both fresh and incubated mangrove soils, implying that methanotrophic communities in mangrove forests may significantly differ from the methanotrophic communities documented in previous studies. Overall, this study showed the feasibility of 13 CH 4 DNA-SIP to study the active methanotrophic communities in mangrove forest soils and revealed differences in the methanotrophic community structure between coastal mangrove forests experiencing different tide frequencies.

  12. Metal resistance or tolerance? Acidophiles confront high metal loads via both abiotic and biotic mechanisms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark eDopson

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available All metals are toxic at high concentrations and consequently their intracellular concentrations must be regulated. Acidophilic microorganisms have an optimum growth pH < 3 and proliferate in natural and anthropogenic low pH environments. Some acidophiles are involved in the catalysis of sulfide mineral dissolution, resulting in high concentrations of metals in solution. Acidophiles are often described as highly metal resistant via mechanisms such as multiple and/or more efficient active resistance systems than are present in neutrophiles. However, this is not the case for all acidophiles and we contend that their growth in high metal concentrations is partially due to an intrinsic tolerance as a consequence of the environment in which they live. In this perspective, we highlight metal tolerance via complexation of free metals by sulfate ions and passive tolerance to metal influx via an internal positive cytoplasmic transmembrane potential. These tolerance mechanisms have been largely ignored in past studies of acidophile growth in the presence of metals and should be taken into account.

  13. Production and consumption of nitric oxide by three methanotrophic bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, T; Roy, R; Knowles, R

    2000-09-01

    We studied nitrogen oxide production and consumption by methanotrophs Methylobacter luteus (group I), Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b (group II), and an isolate from a hardwood swamp soil, here identified by 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing as Methylobacter sp. strain T20 (group I). All could consume nitric oxide (nitrogen monoxide, NO), and produce small amounts of nitrous oxide (N(2)O). Only Methylobacter strain T20 produced large amounts of NO (>250 parts per million by volume [ppmv] in the headspace) at specific activities of up to 2.0 x 10(-17) mol of NO cell(-1) day(-1), mostly after a culture became O(2) limited. Production of NO by strain T20 occurred mostly in nitrate-containing medium under anaerobic or nearly anaerobic conditions, was inhibited by chlorate, tungstate, and O(2), and required CH(4). Denitrification (methanol-supported N(2)O production from nitrate in the presence of acetylene) could not be detected and thus did not appear to be involved in the production of NO. Furthermore, cd(1) and Cu nitrite reductases, NO reductase, and N(2)O reductase could not be detected by PCR amplification of the nirS, nirK, norB, and nosZ genes, respectively. M. luteus and M. trichosporium produced some NO in ammonium-containing medium under aerobic conditions, likely as a result of methanotrophic nitrification and chemical decomposition of nitrite. For Methylobacter strain T20, arginine did not stimulate NO production under aerobiosis, suggesting that NO synthase was not involved. We conclude that strain T20 causes assimilatory reduction of nitrate to nitrite, which then decomposes chemically to NO. The production of NO by methanotrophs such as Methylobacter strain T20 could be of ecological significance in habitats near aerobic-anaerobic interfaces where fluctuating O(2) and nitrate availability occur.

  14. Genomic insights into a new acidophilic, copper-resistant Desulfosporosinus isolate from the oxidized tailings area of an abandoned gold mine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mardanov, Andrey V; Panova, Inna A; Beletsky, Alexey V; Avakyan, Marat R; Kadnikov, Vitaly V; Antsiferov, Dmitry V; Banks, David; Frank, Yulia A; Pimenov, Nikolay V; Ravin, Nikolai V; Karnachuk, Olga V

    2016-08-01

    Microbial sulfate reduction in acid mine drainage is still considered to be confined to anoxic conditions, although several reports have shown that sulfate-reducing bacteria occur under microaerophilic or aerobic conditions. We have measured sulfate reduction rates of up to 60 nmol S cm(-3) day(-1) in oxidized layers of gold mine tailings in Kuzbass (SW Siberia). A novel, acidophilic, copper-tolerant Desulfosporosinus sp. I2 was isolated from the same sample and its genome was sequenced. The genomic analysis and physiological data indicate the involvement of transporters and additional mechanisms to tolerate metals, such as sequestration by polyphosphates. Desulfosporinus sp. I2 encodes systems for a metabolically versatile life style. The genome possessed a complete Embden-Meyerhof pathway for glycolysis and gluconeogenesis. Complete oxidation of organic substrates could be enabled by the complete TCA cycle. Genomic analysis found all major components of the electron transfer chain necessary for energy generation via oxidative phosphorylation. Autotrophic CO2 fixation could be performed through the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway. Multiple oxygen detoxification systems were identified in the genome. Taking into account the metabolic activity and genomic analysis, the traits of the novel isolate broaden our understanding of active sulfate reduction and associated metabolism beyond strictly anaerobic niches. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  15. Eosin-related fluorescence of acidophil pituitary cells

    OpenAIRE

    Friedman, H.; Friedman, I.V.C.; Mello, C.V.

    1988-01-01

    The examination of haematoxylin and eosin stained sections of normal and neoplastic pituitary glands under ultraviolet light illumination discloses fluorescence of acidophil cells. The distinction between prolactin and growth hormone-producing cells is not possible. Such fluorescence depends on previous eosin staining.

  16. Methanotrophic bacteria in warm geothermal spring sediments identified using stable-isotope probing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharp, Christine E; Martínez-Lorenzo, Azucena; Brady, Allyson L; Grasby, Stephen E; Dunfield, Peter F

    2014-10-01

    We investigated methanotrophic bacteria in sediments of several warm geothermal springs ranging in temperature from 22 to 45 °C. Methane oxidation was measured at potential rates up to 141 μmol CH4 d(-1) g(-1) sediment. Active methanotrophs were identified using (13) CH4 stable-isotope probing (SIP) incubations performed at close to in situ temperatures for each site. Quantitative (q) PCR of pmoA genes identified the position of the heavy ((13) C-labelled) DNA fractions in density gradients, and 16S rRNA gene pyrotag sequencing of the heavy fractions was performed to identify the active methanotrophs. Methanotroph communities identified in heavy fractions of all samples were predominated by species similar (≥ 95% 16S rRNA gene identities) to previously characterized Gammaproteobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria methanotrophs. Among the five hottest samples (45 °C), members of the Gammaproteobacteria genus Methylocaldum dominated in two cases, while three others were dominated by an OTU closely related (96.8% similarity) to the Alphaproteobacteria genus Methylocapsa. These results suggest that diverse methanotroph groups are adapted to warm environments, including the Methylocapsa-Methylocella-Methyloferula group, which has previously only been detected in cooler sites. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Acidithrix ferrooxidans gen. nov., sp. nov.; a filamentous and obligately heterotrophic, acidophilic member of the Actinobacteria that catalyzes dissimilatory oxido-reduction of iron.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Rose M; Johnson, D Barrie

    2015-01-01

    A novel acidophilic member of the phylum Actinobacteria was isolated from an acidic stream draining an abandoned copper mine in north Wales. The isolate (PY-F3) was demonstrated to be a heterotroph that catalyzed the oxidation of ferrous iron (but not of sulfur or hydrogen) under aerobic conditions, and the reduction of ferric iron under micro-aerobic and anaerobic conditions. PY-F3 formed long entangled filaments of cells (>50 μm long) during active growth phases, though these degenerated into smaller fragments and single cells in late stationary phase. Although isolate PY-F3 was not observed to grow below pH 2.0 and 10 °C, harvested biomass was found to oxidize ferrous iron at relatively fast rates at pH 1.5 and 5 °C. Phylogenetic analysis, based on comparisons of 16S rRNA gene sequences, showed that isolate PY-F3 has 91-93% gene similarity to those of the four classified genera and species of acidophilic Actinobacteria, and therefore is a representative of a novel genus. The binomial Acidithrix ferrooxidans is proposed for this new species, with PY-F3 as the designated type strain (=DSM 28176(T), =JCM 19728(T)). Copyright © 2015 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  18. A novel acidophilic, thermophilic iron and sulfur-oxidizing archaeon isolated from a hot spring of tengchong, yunnan, China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiannan Ding

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available A novel thermoacidophilic iron and sulfur-oxidizing archaeon, strain YN25, was isolated from an in situ enriched acid hot spring sample collected in Yunnan, China. Cells were irregular cocci, about 0.9-1.02 µm×1.0-1.31 µm in the medium containing elemental sulfur and 1.5-2.22 µm×1.8-2.54 µm in ferrous sulfate medium. The ranges of growth and pH were 50-85 (optimum 65 and pH 1.0-6.0 (optimum 1.5-2.5. The acidophile was able to grow heterotrophically on several organic substrates, including various monosaccharides, alcohols and amino acids, though the growth on single substrate required yeast extract as growth factor. Growth occurred under aerobic conditions or via anaerobic respiration using elemental sulfur as terminal electron acceptor. Results of morphology, physiology, fatty acid analysis and analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that the strain YN25 should be grouped in the species Acidianus manzaensis. Bioleaching experiments indicated that this strain had excellent leaching capacity, with a copper yielding ratio up to 79.16% in 24 d. The type strain YN25 was deposited in China Center for Type Culture Collection (=CCTCCZNDX0050.

  19. Methylocella silvestris sp. nov., a novel methanotroph isolated from an acidic forest cambisol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunfield, Peter F; Khmelenina, Valentina N; Suzina, Natalia E; Trotsenko, Yuri A; Dedysh, Svetlana N

    2003-09-01

    Two strains of Gram-negative, aerobic, non-pigmented, non-motile, rod-shaped, methane-oxidizing bacteria were isolated from an acidic forest cambisol near Marburg, Germany, and were designated as strains BL2(T) and A1. These bacteria were morphologically and phenotypically similar to Methylocella palustris K(T). The cells possess a highly specific bipolar appearance. They lack the intracytoplasmic membranes common to all methane-oxidizing bacteria except Methylocella, but contain a vesicular membrane system connected to the cytoplasmic membrane. A soluble methane monooxygenase was present, but no particulate methane monooxygenase could be detected. These bacteria utilize the serine pathway for carbon assimilation. Strains BL2(T) and A1 are moderately acidophilic, mesophilic organisms capable of growth at pH values between 4.5 and 7 (with an optimum at pH 5.5) and at temperatures between 4 and 30 degrees C. Compared with Methylocella palustris K(T), these strains have greater tolerance of cold temperatures, dissolved salts and methanol. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence identity, of species with validly published names, strain BL2(T) is most closely related to Methylocella palustris K(T) (97.3 % identity), Beijerinckia indica subsp. indica ATCC 9039(T) (97.1 %) and Methylocapsa acidiphila B2(T) (96.2 %). The DNA G+C content is 60 mol% and the major phospholipid fatty acid is 18 : 1omega7. Strain BL2(T) showed only 21-22 % DNA-DNA hybridization with Methylocella palustris K(T). The data therefore suggest that strains BL2(T) and A1 represent a novel species of Methylocella; the name Methylocella silvestris sp. nov. is proposed, with strain BL2(T) (=DSM 15510(T)=NCIMB 13906(T)) as the type strain.

  20. The lipid response of aerobic marine methanotroph communities under changing environmental conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rush, D.; Villanueva, L.; van der Meer, M.; S Sinninghe Damsté, J.

    2017-12-01

    Methane (CH4) originating from marine environments accounts for a significant amount of atmospheric greenhouse gas. Aerobic methanotrophs, which convert CH4 to CO­2, are responsible for quenching a part of this methane before its release. Modern-day climate projections show a rapid shift towards a warmer, more acidic ocean. How do these important methanotrophic communities respond to such changes to their environment? Here, we present the results of microcosm experiments from three marine regions influenced by CH4. Particulate organic matter and sediment were collected from the Black Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the North Sea, at depths ideal for aerobic methanotroph communities at the time of sampling (e.g. oxic, in area of active CH4 release). These were incubated under different temperatures, pHs, and labelled 13CH4 concentrations. We monitored methane concentration in these microcosms as an indication of 13CH4 consumption by methanotrophs. Once the methane concentration was lipids of the organisms oxidising methane in order to elucidate which organisms are performing methane oxidation and whether they synthesize specific biomarker lipids. Particular attention will be paid to the abundances and diversity of bacteriohopanepolyol lipids, known methanotroph biomarkers. The ultimate goal of our investigation is to determine the effect changes in these environmental parameters have on aerobic methanotroph community structures and their lipid fingerprints. By establishing reliable biomarker lipids for aerobic methanotrophy at certain conditions, we will then be able to investigate the contribution of aerobic methanotrophy throughout Earth's history, especially at times when CH4 concentrations were higher than they are at present.

  1. Starvation and recovery in the deep-sea methanotroph Methyloprofundus sedimenti

    OpenAIRE

    Tavormina, Patricia L.; Kellermann, Matthias Y.; Antony, Chakkiath Paul; Tocheva, Elitza I.; Dalleska, Nathan F.; Jensen, Ashley J.; Valentine, David L.; Hinrichs, Kai-Uwe; Jensen, Grant J.; Dubilier, Nicole; Orphan, Victoria J.

    2017-01-01

    In the deep ocean, the conversion of methane into derived carbon and energy drives the establishment of diverse faunal communities. Yet specific biological mechanisms underlying the introduction of methane-derived carbon into the food web remain poorly described, due to a lack of cultured representative deep-sea methanotrophic prokaryotes. Here, the response of the deep-sea aerobic methanotroph Methyloprofundus sedimenti to methane starvation and recovery was characterized. By combining lipid...

  2. Responses of mixed methanotrophic consortia to variable Cu2+/Fe2+ ratios.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chidambarampadmavathy, Karthigeyan; Karthikeyan, Obulisamy Parthiba; Huerlimann, Roger; Maes, Gregory E; Heimann, Kirsten

    2017-07-15

    Methane mitigation in landfill top cover soils is mediated by methanotrophs whose optimal methane (CH 4 ) oxidation capacity is governed by environmental and complex microbial community interactions. Optimization of CH 4 remediating bio-filters need to take microbial responses into account. Divalent copper (Cu 2+ ) and iron (Fe 2+ ) are present in landfills at variable ratios and play a vital role in methane oxidation capacity and growth of methanotrophs. This study, as a first of its kind, therefore quantified effects of variable Cu 2+ and Fe 2+ (5:5, 5:25 and 5:50 μM) ratios on mixed methanotrophic communities enriched from landfill top cover (LB) and compost soils (CB). CH 4 oxidation capacity, CH 4 removal efficiencies, fatty acids content/profiles and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB; a biopolymer) contents were also analysed to quantify performance and potential co-product development. Mixed methanotroph cultures were raised in 10 L continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTRs, Bioflo ® & Celligen ® 310 Fermentor/Bioreactor; John Morris Scientific, Chatswood, NSW, Australia). Community structure was determined by amplifying the V3-V4 region of 16s rRNA gene. Community structure and, consequently, fatty acid-profiles changed significantly with increasing Cu 2+ /Fe 2+ ratios, and responses were different for LB and CB. Effects on methane oxidation capacities and PHB content were similar in the LB- and CB-CSTR, decreasing with increasing Cu 2+ /Fe 2+ ratios, while biomass growth was unaffected. In general, high Fe 2+ concentration favored growth of the type -II methanotroph Methylosinus in the CB-CSTR, but methanotroph abundances decreased in the LB-CSTR. Increase in Cu 2+ /Fe 2+ ratio increased the growth of Sphingopyxis in both systems, while Azospirllum was co-dominant in the LB- but absent in the CB-CSTR. After 13 days, methane oxidation capacities and PHB content decreased by ∼50% and more in response to increasing Fe 2+ concentrations. Although methanotroph

  3. Modelling the growth of a methanotrophic biofilm

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Arcangeli, J.-P.; Arvin, E.

    1999-01-01

    This article discusses the growth of methanotrophic biofilms. Several independent biofilm growths scenarios involving different inocula were examined. Biofilm growth, substrate removal and product formation were monitored throughout the experiments. Based on the oxygen consumption it was concluded...... that heterotrophs and nitrifiers co-existed with methanotrophs in the biofilm. Heterotrophic biomass grew on soluble polymers formed by the hydrolysis of dead biomass entrapped in the biofilm. Nitrifier populations developed because of the presence of ammonia in the mineral medium. Based on these experimental...... was performed on this model. It indicated that the most influential parameters were those related to the biofilm (i.e. density; solid-volume fraction; thickness). This suggests that in order to improve the model, further research regarding the biofilm structure and composition is needed....

  4. Final Technical Report: Role of Methanotrophs in Metal Mobilization, Metal Immobilization and Mineral Weathering: Effects on the In Situ Microbial Community and the Sustainability of Subsurface Water Systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Semrau, Jeremy D. [Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); DiSpirito, Alan A. [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

    2016-11-06

    Activities from this DOE sponsored project can be divided into four broad areas: (1) investigations into the potential of methanobactin, a biogenic metal-binding agent produced by methanotrophs, in mitigating mercury toxicity; (2) elucidation of the genetic basis for methanobactin synthesis from methanotrophs; (3) examination of differential gene expression of M. trichosporium OB3b when grown in the presence of varying amounts of copper and/or cerium, and (4) collection and characterization of soil cores from Savannah River Test Site to determine the ubiquity of methanobactin producing methanotrophs. From these efforts, we have conclusively shown that methanobactin can strongly bind mercury as Hg[II], and in so doing significantly reduce the toxicity of this metal to microbes. Further, we have deduced the genetic basis of methanobactin production in methanotrophs, enabling us to construct mutants such that we can now ascribe function to different genes as well as propose a pathway for methanobactin biosynthesis. We have also clear evidence that copper and cerium (as an example of a rare earth element) dramatically affect gene expression in methanotrophs, and thus have an important impact on the activity and application of these microbes to a variety of environmental and industrial issues. Finally, we successfully isolated one methanotroph from the deep subsurface of the Savannah River Test Site and characterized the ability of different forms of methanobactin to mobilize copper and mercury from these soils.

  5. Diversity of active aerobic methanotrophs along depth profiles of arctic and subarctic lake water column and sediments

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Ruo; Wooller, Matthew J.; Pohlman, John W.; Quensen, John; Tiedje, James M.; Leigh, Mary Beth

    2012-01-01

    Methane (CH4) emitted from high-latitude lakes accounts for 2–6% of the global atmospheric CH4 budget. Methanotrophs in lake sediments and water columns mitigate the amount of CH4 that enters the atmosphere, yet their identity and activity in arctic and subarctic lakes are poorly understood. We used stable isotope probing (SIP), quantitative PCR (Q-PCR), pyrosequencing and enrichment cultures to determine the identity and diversity of active aerobic methanotrophs in the water columns and sediments (0–25 cm) from an arctic tundra lake (Lake Qalluuraq) on the north slope of Alaska and a subarctic taiga lake (Lake Killarney) in Alaska's interior. The water column CH4 oxidation potential for these shallow (~2m deep) lakes was greatest in hypoxic bottom water from the subarctic lake. The type II methanotroph, Methylocystis, was prevalent in enrichment cultures of planktonic methanotrophs from the water columns. In the sediments, type I methanotrophs (Methylobacter, Methylosoma and Methylomonas) at the sediment-water interface (0–1 cm) were most active in assimilating CH4, whereas the type I methanotroph Methylobacter and/or type II methanotroph Methylocystis contributed substantially to carbon acquisition in the deeper (15–20 cm) sediments. In addition to methanotrophs, an unexpectedly high abundance of methylotrophs also actively utilized CH4-derived carbon. This study provides new insight into the identity and activity of methanotrophs in the sediments and water from high-latitude lakes.

  6. Survival and Recovery of Methanotrophic Bacteria Starved Under Oxic and Anoxic Conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roslev, Peter; King, Gary M.

    1994-01-01

    The effects of carbon deprivation on survival of methanotrophic bacteria were compared in cultures incubated in the presence and absence of oxygen in the starvation medium. Survival and recovery of the examined methanotrophs were generally highest for cultures starved under anoxic conditions as indicated by poststarvation measurements of methane oxidation, tetrazolium salt reduction, plate counts, and protein synthesis. Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b survived up to 6 weeks of carbon deprivation under anoxic conditions while maintaining a physiological state that allowed relatively rapid (hours) methane oxidation after substrate addition. A small fraction of cells starved under oxic and anoxic conditions (4 and 10%, respectively) survived more than 10 weeks but required several days for recovery on plates and in liquid medium. A non-spore-forming methanotroph, strain WP 12, displayed 36 to 118% of its initial methane oxidation capacity after 5 days of carbon deprivation. Oxidation rates varied with growth history prior to the experiments as well as with starvation conditions. Strain WP 12 starved under anoxic conditions showed up to 90% higher methane oxidation activity and 46% higher protein production after starvation than did cultures starved under oxic conditions. Only minor changes in biomass and niorpholow were seen for methanotrophic bacteria starved tinder anoxic conditions. In contrast, starvation under oxic conditions resulted in morphology changes and an initial 28 to 35% loss of cell protein. These data suggest that methanotrophic bacteria can survin,e carbon deprivation under anoxic conditions by using maintenance energy derived Solelyr from an anaerobic endogenous metabolism. This capability could partly explain a significant potential for methane oxidation in environments not continuously, supporting aerobic methanotrophic growth.

  7. Complete genome sequence of Beijerinckia indica subsp. indica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tamas, Ivica; Dedysh, Svetlana N; Liesack, Werner; Stott, Matthew B; Alam, Maqsudul; Murrell, J Colin; Dunfield, Peter F

    2010-09-01

    Beijerinckia indica subsp. indica is an aerobic, acidophilic, exopolysaccharide-producing, N(2)-fixing soil bacterium. It is a generalist chemoorganotroph that is phylogenetically closely related to facultative and obligate methanotrophs of the genera Methylocella and Methylocapsa. Here we report the full genome sequence of this bacterium.

  8. Test Plan for Methanotrophic Bioreactor at Savannah River Site-TNX

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berry, C.J.

    1994-01-01

    The primary purpose of this project is to demonstrate the feasibility and practicality of operating a methanotrophic mobile trickle filter bioreactor (MMB) unit to effectively reduce or eliminate trichloroethylene (TCE) and associated hydrocarbons from contaminated groundwater. The two-column trickle filter system can process 1.67 gallons per minute (gpm) of contaminated groundwater. During this project, the pilot system will evaluate, optimize, and demonstrate methanotrophic treatment technology (MTT). The mobile system will receive a 1--4% methane to air mixture for stimulating the methanotrophic TCE degrading bacteria, thereby increasing the rates of degradation of these contaminants. This project will also evaluate the efficacy of different bacteria for degrading TCE for use in the system at the laboratory-scale sample groundwater monitoring wells at TNX and set up the system for continued operation. The trickle filter system may be used to inexpensively treat other small-scale organic waste streams at SRS after the initial start-up. The MTT was demonstrated as an effective and efficient method of degrading TCE in the laboratory and during a field-scale in situ demonstration for degrading TCE in a groundwater plume at SRS. The methanotrophic bacteria increase significantly in population numbers and in the production of methane monooxygenase (MMO), an extremely powerful oxidizer. MMO was demonstrated as effective in oxidizing TCE and other recalcitrant compounds in laboratory studies. In the presence of MMO, TCE is oxidized to TCE-epoxide, which breaks down spontaneously into simple, easily degraded, daughter compounds. The system will receive a 1--4% methane to air mixture, which will effectively grow and maintain the methanotrophic bacteria that will degrade TCE. This demonstration will have broad applications to bioremediating contaminated groundwater systems where in situ bioremediation is not practical

  9. Effects of nitrogen load on the function and diversity of methanotrophs in the littoral wetland of a boreal lake

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Henri MP Siljanen

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Methane is the second most abundant greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. A major part of the total methane emissions from lake ecosystems are emitted from littoral wetlands. Methane emissions are significantly reduced by methanotrophs as they use methane as the sole energy and carbon source. Function of methanotrophs can be either activated or suppressed by nitrogen. However, the effects of nitrogen on methanotrophs in littoral wetlands are unknown. Here we report how nitrogen loading in situ affected the function and diversity of methanotrophs in a littoral wetland. Methanotrophic community composition and functional diversity were analyzed with particulate methane monooxygenase (pmoA gene targeted microarray. Nitrogen load had no effects on methane oxidation potential and methane fluxes. Nitrogen load activated pmoA gene transcription of type I (Methylobacter, Methylomonas and LW21-freshwater phylotypes methanotrophs, but decreased the relative abundance of type II (Methylocystis, Methylosinus trichosporium and Methylosinus phylotypes methanotrophs. Hence, the overall activity of a methanotroph community in littoral wetlands is unlikely to be affected by nitrogen leached from the catchment area.

  10. Methanotrophic bacteria in oilsands tailings ponds of northern Alberta

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saidi-Mehrabad, Alireza; He, Zhiguo; Tamas, Ivica; Sharp, Christine E; Brady, Allyson L; Rochman, Fauziah F; Bodrossy, Levente; Abell, Guy CJ; Penner, Tara; Dong, Xiaoli; Sensen, Christoph W; Dunfield, Peter F

    2013-01-01

    We investigated methanotrophic bacteria in slightly alkaline surface water (pH 7.4–8.7) of oilsands tailings ponds in Fort McMurray, Canada. These large lakes (up to 10 km2) contain water, silt, clay and residual hydrocarbons that are not recovered in oilsands mining. They are primarily anoxic and produce methane but have an aerobic surface layer. Aerobic methane oxidation was measured in the surface water at rates up to 152 nmol CH4 ml−1 water d−1. Microbial diversity was investigated via pyrotag sequencing of amplified 16S rRNA genes, as well as by analysis of methanotroph-specific pmoA genes using both pyrosequencing and microarray analysis. The predominantly detected methanotroph in surface waters at all sampling times was an uncultured species related to the gammaproteobacterial genus Methylocaldum, although a few other methanotrophs were also detected, including Methylomonas spp. Active species were identified via 13CH4 stable isotope probing (SIP) of DNA, combined with pyrotag sequencing and shotgun metagenomic sequencing of heavy 13C-DNA. The SIP-PCR results demonstrated that the Methylocaldum and Methylomonas spp. actively consumed methane in fresh tailings pond water. Metagenomic analysis of DNA from the heavy SIP fraction verified the PCR-based results and identified additional pmoA genes not detected via PCR. The metagenome indicated that the overall methylotrophic community possessed known pathways for formaldehyde oxidation, carbon fixation and detoxification of nitrogenous compounds but appeared to possess only particulate methane monooxygenase not soluble methane monooxygenase. PMID:23254511

  11. Complete Genome Sequence of Beijerinckia indica subsp. indica▿

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tamas, Ivica; Dedysh, Svetlana N.; Liesack, Werner; Stott, Matthew B.; Alam, Maqsudul; Murrell, J. Colin; Dunfield, Peter F.

    2010-01-01

    Beijerinckia indica subsp. indica is an aerobic, acidophilic, exopolysaccharide-producing, N2-fixing soil bacterium. It is a generalist chemoorganotroph that is phylogenetically closely related to facultative and obligate methanotrophs of the genera Methylocella and Methylocapsa. Here we report the full genome sequence of this bacterium. PMID:20601475

  12. Identity of active methanotrophs in landfill cover soil as revealed by DNA-stable isotope probing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cébron, Aurélie; Bodrossy, Levente; Chen, Yin; Singer, Andrew C; Thompson, Ian P; Prosser, James I; Murrell, J Colin

    2007-10-01

    A considerable amount of methane produced during decomposition of landfill waste can be oxidized in landfill cover soil by methane-oxidizing bacteria (methanotrophs) thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere. The identity of active methanotrophs in Roscommon landfill cover soil, a slightly acidic peat soil, was assessed by DNA-stable isotope probing (SIP). Landfill cover soil slurries were incubated with (13)C-labelled methane and under either nutrient-rich nitrate mineral salt medium or water. The identity of active methanotrophs was revealed by analysis of (13)C-labelled DNA fractions. The diversity of functional genes (pmoA and mmoX) and 16S rRNA genes was analyzed using clone libraries, microarrays and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. 16S rRNA gene analysis revealed that the cover soil was mainly dominated by Type II methanotrophs closely related to the genera Methylocella and Methylocapsa and to Methylocystis species. These results were supported by analysis of mmoX genes in (13)C-DNA. Analysis of pmoA gene diversity indicated that a significant proportion of active bacteria were also closely related to the Type I methanotrophs, Methylobacter and Methylomonas species. Environmental conditions in the slightly acidic peat soil from Roscommon landfill cover allow establishment of both Type I and Type II methanotrophs.

  13. Family- and genus-level 16S rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes for ecological studies of methanotrophic bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gulledge, J; Ahmad, A; Steudler, P A; Pomerantz, W J; Cavanaugh, C M

    2001-10-01

    Methanotrophic bacteria play a major role in the global carbon cycle, degrade xenobiotic pollutants, and have the potential for a variety of biotechnological applications. To facilitate ecological studies of these important organisms, we developed a suite of oligonucleotide probes for quantitative analysis of methanotroph-specific 16S rRNA from environmental samples. Two probes target methanotrophs in the family Methylocystaceae (type II methanotrophs) as a group. No oligonucleotide signatures that distinguish between the two genera in this family, Methylocystis and Methylosinus, were identified. Two other probes target, as a single group, a majority of the known methanotrophs belonging to the family Methylococcaceae (type I/X methanotrophs). The remaining probes target members of individual genera of the Methylococcaceae, including Methylobacter, Methylomonas, Methylomicrobium, Methylococcus, and Methylocaldum. One of the family-level probes also covers all methanotrophic endosymbionts of marine mollusks for which 16S rRNA sequences have been published. The two known species of the newly described genus Methylosarcina gen. nov. are covered by a probe that otherwise targets only members of the closely related genus Methylomicrobium. None of the probes covers strains of the newly proposed genera Methylocella and "Methylothermus," which are polyphyletic with respect to the recognized methanotrophic families. Empirically determined midpoint dissociation temperatures were 49 to 57 degrees C for all probes. In dot blot screening against RNA from positive- and negative-control strains, the probes were specific to their intended targets. The broad coverage and high degree of specificity of this new suite of probes will provide more detailed, quantitative information about the community structure of methanotrophs in environmental samples than was previously available.

  14. Physical disturbance to ecological niches created by soil structure alters community composition of methanotrophs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumaresan, Deepak; Stralis-Pavese, Nancy; Abell, Guy C J; Bodrossy, Levente; Murrell, J Colin

    2011-10-01

    Aggregates of different sizes and stability in soil create a composite of ecological niches differing in terms of physico-chemical and structural characteristics. The aim of this study was to identify, using DNA-SIP and mRNA-based microarray analysis, whether shifts in activity and community composition of methanotrophs occur when ecological niches created by soil structure are physically perturbed. Landfill cover soil was subject to three treatments termed: 'control' (minimal structural disruption), 'sieved' (sieved soil using 2 mm mesh) and 'ground' (grinding using mortar and pestle). 'Sieved' and 'ground' soil treatments exhibited higher methane oxidation potentials compared with the 'control' soil treatment. Analysis of the active community composition revealed an effect of physical disruption on active methanotrophs. Type I methanotrophs were the most active methanotrophs in 'sieved' and 'ground' soil treatments, whereas both Type I and Type II methanotrophs were active in the 'control' soil treatment. The result emphasize that changes to a particular ecological niche may not result in an immediate change to the active bacterial composition and change in composition will depend on the ability of the bacterial communities to respond to the perturbation. © 2011 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  15. Differential Transcriptional Activation of Genes Encoding Soluble Methane Monooxygenase in a Facultative Versus an Obligate Methanotroph.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smirnova, Angela V; Dunfield, Peter F

    2018-03-06

    Methanotrophs are a specialized group of bacteria that can utilize methane (CH₄) as a sole energy source. A key enzyme responsible for methane oxidation is methane monooxygenase (MMO), of either a soluble, cytoplasmic type (sMMO), or a particulate, membrane-bound type (pMMO). Methylocella silvestris BL2 and Methyloferula stellata AR4 are closely related methanotroph species that oxidize methane via sMMO only. However, Methyloferula stellata is an obligate methanotroph, while Methylocella silvestris is a facultative methanotroph able to grow on several multicarbon substrates in addition to methane. We constructed transcriptional fusions of the mmo promoters of Methyloferula stellata and Methylocella silvestris to a promoterless gfp in order to compare their transcriptional regulation in response to different growth substrates, in the genetic background of both organisms. The following patterns were observed: (1) The mmo promoter of the facultative methanotroph Methylocella silvestris was either transcriptionally downregulated or repressed by any growth substrate other than methane in the genetic background of Methylocella silvetris ; (2) Growth on methane alone upregulated the mmo promoter of Methylocella silvetris in its native background but not in the obligate methanotroph Methyloferula stellata ; (3) The mmo promoter of Methyloferula stellata was constitutive in both organisms regardless of the growth substrate, but with much lower promoter activity than the mmo promoter of Methylocella silvetris . These results support a conclusion that a different mode of transcriptional regulation of sMMO contributes to the facultative lifestyle of Methylocella silvetris compared to the obligate methanotroph Methyloferula stellata .

  16. Monitoring Methanotrophic Bacteria in Hybrid Anaerobic-Aerobic Reactors with PCR and a Catabolic Gene Probe

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miguez, Carlos B.; Shen, Chun F.; Bourque, Denis; Guiot, Serge R.; Groleau, Denis

    1999-01-01

    We attempted to mimic in small upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) bioreactors the metabolic association found in nature between methanogens and methanotrophs. UASB bioreactors were inoculated with pure cultures of methanotrophs, and the bioreactors were operated by using continuous low-level oxygenation in order to favor growth and/or survival of methanotrophs. Unlike the reactors in other similar studies, the hybrid anaerobic-aerobic bioreactors which we used were operated synchronously, not sequentially. Here, emphasis was placed on monitoring various methanotrophic populations by using classical methods and also a PCR amplification assay based on the mmoX gene fragment of the soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO). The following results were obtained: (i) under the conditions used, Methylosinus sporium appeared to survive better than Methylosinus trichosporium; (ii) the PCR method which we used could detect as few as about 2,000 sMMO gene-containing methanotrophs per g (wet weight) of granular sludge; (iii) inoculation of the bioreactors with pure cultures of methanotrophs contributed greatly to increases in the sMMO-containing population (although the sMMO-containing population decreased gradually with time, at the end of an experiment it was always at least 2 logs larger than the initial population before inoculation); (iv) in general, there was a good correlation between populations with the sMMO gene and populations that exhibited sMMO activity; and (v) inoculation with sMMO-positive cultures helped increase significantly the proportion of sMMO-positive methanotrophs in reactors, even after several weeks of operation under various regimes. At some point, anaerobic-aerobic bioreactors like those described here might be used for biodegradation of various chlorinated pollutants. PMID:9925557

  17. Salinity Affects the Composition of the Aerobic Methanotroph Community in Alkaline Lake Sediments from the Tibetan Plateau.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Yongcui; Liu, Yongqin; Dumont, Marc; Conrad, Ralf

    2017-01-01

    Lakes are widely distributed on the Tibetan Plateau, which plays an important role in natural methane emission. Aerobic methanotrophs in lake sediments reduce the amount of methane released into the atmosphere. However, no study to date has analyzed the methanotroph community composition and their driving factors in sediments of these high-altitude lakes (>4000 m). To provide new insights on this aspect, the abundance and composition in the sediments of six high-altitude alkaline lakes (including both freshwater and saline lakes) on the Tibetan Plateau were studied. The quantitative PCR, terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism, and 454-pyrosequencing methods were used to target the pmoA genes. The pmoA gene copies ranged 10 4 -10 6 per gram fresh sediment. Type I methanotrophs predominated in Tibetan lake sediments, with Methylobacter and uncultivated type Ib methanotrophs being dominant in freshwater lakes and Methylomicrobium in saline lakes. Combining the pmoA-pyrosequencing data from Tibetan lakes with other published pmoA-sequencing data from lake sediments of other regions, a significant salinity and alkalinity effect (P = 0.001) was detected, especially salinity, which explained ∼25% of methanotroph community variability. The main effect was Methylomicrobium being dominant (up to 100%) in saline lakes only. In freshwater lakes, however, methanotroph composition was relatively diverse, including Methylobacter, Methylocystis, and uncultured type Ib clusters. This study provides the first methanotroph data for high-altitude lake sediments (>4000 m) and shows that salinity is a driving factor for the community composition of aerobic methanotrophs.

  18. Biological Methanol Production by a Type II Methanotroph Methylocystis bryophila.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Sanjay K S; Mardina, Primata; Kim, Sang-Yong; Lee, Jung-Kul; Kim, In-Won

    2016-04-28

    Methane (CH₄) is the most abundant component in natural gas. To reduce its harmful environmental effect as a greenhouse gas, CH₄ can be utilized as a low-cost feed for the synthesis of methanol by methanotrophs. In this study, several methanotrophs were examined for their ability to produce methanol from CH₄; including Methylocella silvestris, Methylocystis bryophila, Methyloferula stellata, and Methylomonas methanica. Among these methanotrophs, M. bryophila exhibited the highest methanol production. The optimum process parameters aided in significant enhancement of methanol production up to 4.63 mM. Maximum methanol production was observed at pH 6.8, 30°C, 175 rpm, 100 mM phosphate buffer, 50 mM MgCl₂ as a methanol dehydrogenase inhibitor, 50% CH₄ concentration, 24 h of incubation, and 9 mg of dry cell mass ml(-1) inoculum load, respectively. Optimization of the process parameters, screening of methanol dehydrogenase inhibitors, and supplementation with formate resulted in significant improvements in methanol production using M. bryophila. This report suggests, for the first time, the potential of using M. bryophila for industrial methanol production from CH₄.

  19. Differential Transcriptional Activation of Genes Encoding Soluble Methane Monooxygenase in a Facultative Versus an Obligate Methanotroph

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angela V. Smirnova

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Methanotrophs are a specialized group of bacteria that can utilize methane (CH4 as a sole energy source. A key enzyme responsible for methane oxidation is methane monooxygenase (MMO, of either a soluble, cytoplasmic type (sMMO, or a particulate, membrane-bound type (pMMO. Methylocella silvestris BL2 and Methyloferula stellata AR4 are closely related methanotroph species that oxidize methane via sMMO only. However, Methyloferula stellata is an obligate methanotroph, while Methylocella silvestris is a facultative methanotroph able to grow on several multicarbon substrates in addition to methane. We constructed transcriptional fusions of the mmo promoters of Methyloferula stellata and Methylocella silvestris to a promoterless gfp in order to compare their transcriptional regulation in response to different growth substrates, in the genetic background of both organisms. The following patterns were observed: (1 The mmo promoter of the facultative methanotroph Methylocella silvestris was either transcriptionally downregulated or repressed by any growth substrate other than methane in the genetic background of Methylocella silvetris; (2 Growth on methane alone upregulated the mmo promoter of Methylocella silvetris in its native background but not in the obligate methanotroph Methyloferula stellata; (3 The mmo promoter of Methyloferula stellata was constitutive in both organisms regardless of the growth substrate, but with much lower promoter activity than the mmo promoter of Methylocella silvetris. These results support a conclusion that a different mode of transcriptional regulation of sMMO contributes to the facultative lifestyle of Methylocella silvetris compared to the obligate methanotroph Methyloferula stellata.

  20. Differential Transcriptional Activation of Genes Encoding Soluble Methane Monooxygenase in a Facultative Versus an Obligate Methanotroph

    OpenAIRE

    Angela V. Smirnova; Peter F. Dunfield

    2018-01-01

    Methanotrophs are a specialized group of bacteria that can utilize methane (CH4) as a sole energy source. A key enzyme responsible for methane oxidation is methane monooxygenase (MMO), of either a soluble, cytoplasmic type (sMMO), or a particulate, membrane-bound type (pMMO). Methylocella silvestris BL2 and Methyloferula stellata AR4 are closely related methanotroph species that oxidize methane via sMMO only. However, Methyloferula stellata is an obligate methanotroph, while Methylocella silv...

  1. In a Quest for Engineering Acidophiles for Biomining Applications: Challenges and Opportunities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gumulya, Yosephine; Boxall, Naomi J; Khaleque, Himel N; Santala, Ville; Carlson, Ross P; Kaksonen, Anna H

    2018-01-01

    Biomining with acidophilic microorganisms has been used at commercial scale for the extraction of metals from various sulfide ores. With metal demand and energy prices on the rise and the concurrent decline in quality and availability of mineral resources, there is an increasing interest in applying biomining technology, in particular for leaching metals from low grade minerals and wastes. However, bioprocessing is often hampered by the presence of inhibitory compounds that originate from complex ores. Synthetic biology could provide tools to improve the tolerance of biomining microbes to various stress factors that are present in biomining environments, which would ultimately increase bioleaching efficiency. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art tools to genetically modify acidophilic biomining microorganisms and the limitations of these tools. The first part of this review discusses resilience pathways that can be engineered in acidophiles to enhance their robustness and tolerance in harsh environments that prevail in bioleaching. The second part of the paper reviews the efforts that have been carried out towards engineering robust microorganisms and developing metabolic modelling tools. Novel synthetic biology tools have the potential to transform the biomining industry and facilitate the extraction of value from ores and wastes that cannot be processed with existing biomining microorganisms. PMID:29466321

  2. Methylocella Species Are Facultatively Methanotrophic

    OpenAIRE

    Dedysh, Svetlana N.; Knief, Claudia; Dunfield, Peter F.

    2005-01-01

    All aerobic methanotrophic bacteria described to date are unable to grow on substrates containing carbon-carbon bonds. Here we demonstrate that members of the recently discovered genus Methylocella are an exception to this. These bacteria are able to use as their sole energy source the one-carbon compounds methane and methanol, as well as the multicarbon compounds acetate, pyruvate, succinate, malate, and ethanol. To conclusively verify facultative growth, acetate and methane were used as mod...

  3. Evaluation of in-situ methanotrophic bioremediation for contaminated groundwater, St. Joseph, Michigan. Final report, January 1989-December 1989

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McCarty, P.L.; Semprini, L.; Dolan, M.E.; Harmon, T.C.; Just, S.

    1990-09-01

    A feasibility study of utilizing indigenous bacteria that use methane as a source of cell carbon and energy (methanotrophs) for in-situ bioremediation of groundwater contaminants at the St. Joseph site is summarized. The contaminants, compounds, can be biotransformed by methanotrophic bacteria, which are found in some locations of the site in adequate populations. The process involves stimulating the growth of native populations of methanotrophs by injecting water containing dissolved methane and oxygen into the aquifer. The stimulated population of methanotrophs in turn has the capability to degrade trichloroethylene, 1,2-cis-dichloroethylene, 1,2-trans-dichloroethylene, and vinyl chloride

  4. Enrichments of methanotrophic-heterotrophic cultures with high poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) accumulation capacities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Tingting; Wang, Xiaowei; Zhou, Jiti; Zhang, Yu

    2018-03-01

    Methanotrophic-heterotrophic communities were selectively enriched from sewage sludge to obtain a mixed culture with high levels of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) accumulation capacity from methane. Methane was used as the carbon source, N 2 as sole nitrogen source, and oxygen and Cu content were varied. Copper proved essential for PHB synthesis. All cultures enriched with Cu could accumulate high content of PHB (43.2%-45.9%), while only small amounts of PHB were accumulated by cultures enriched without Cu (11.9%-17.5%). Batch assays revealed that communities grown with Cu and a higher O 2 content synthesized more PHB, which had a wider optimal CH 4 :O 2 range and produced a high PHB content (48.7%) even though in the presence of N 2 . In all methanotrophic-heterotrophic communities, both methanotrophic and heterotrophic populations showed the ability to accumulate PHB. Although methane was added as the sole carbon source, heterotrophs dominated with abundances between 77.2% and 85.6%. All methanotrophs detected belonged to type II genera, which formed stable communities with heterotrophs of different PHB production capacities. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  5. Starvation and recovery in the deep-sea methanotroph Methyloprofundus sedimenti.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tavormina, Patricia L; Kellermann, Matthias Y; Antony, Chakkiath Paul; Tocheva, Elitza I; Dalleska, Nathan F; Jensen, Ashley J; Valentine, David L; Hinrichs, Kai-Uwe; Jensen, Grant J; Dubilier, Nicole; Orphan, Victoria J

    2017-01-01

    In the deep ocean, the conversion of methane into derived carbon and energy drives the establishment of diverse faunal communities. Yet specific biological mechanisms underlying the introduction of methane-derived carbon into the food web remain poorly described, due to a lack of cultured representative deep-sea methanotrophic prokaryotes. Here, the response of the deep-sea aerobic methanotroph Methyloprofundus sedimenti to methane starvation and recovery was characterized. By combining lipid analysis, RNA analysis, and electron cryotomography, it was shown that M. sedimenti undergoes discrete cellular shifts in response to methane starvation, including changes in headgroup-specific fatty acid saturation levels, and reductions in cytoplasmic storage granules. Methane starvation is associated with a significant increase in the abundance of gene transcripts pertinent to methane oxidation. Methane reintroduction to starved cells stimulates a rapid, transient extracellular accumulation of methanol, revealing a way in which methane-derived carbon may be routed to community members. This study provides new understanding of methanotrophic responses to methane starvation and recovery, and lays the initial groundwork to develop Methyloprofundus as a model chemosynthesizing bacterium from the deep sea. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Methanotrophic community dynamics in a seasonally anoxic fjord: Saanich Inlet, British Columbia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mónica Torres-Beltrán

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Marine oxygen minimum zones (OMZs play disproportionate roles in nutrient and climate active trace gas cycling including nitrous oxide and methane, in the ocean. OMZs are currently expanding due to climate change making it increasingly important to identify microbial controls on trace gas cycling at the individual, population and community levels. Here we present a two-year survey of the microbial community along seasonal redox gradients in Saanich Inlet focused on identifying microbial agents driving methane oxidation. Although methanotrophs were rare, we identified three uncultivated groups affiliated with particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO encoding phylogenetic groups (OPU, and methanotrophic symbionts as primary drivers of methane oxidation in Saanich Inlet. Distribution and activity patterns for these three groups were consistent with niche partitioning that became increasingly resolved during water column stratification. Moreover co-occurrence analysis combined with multi-level indicator species analysis revealed significant correlations between operational taxonomic units affiliated with Methylophaga, Methylophilales, SAR324, Verrucomicrobia, and Planctomycetes with OPUs and methanotrophic symbiont groups. Taken together these observations shed new light on the composition, dynamics, and potential interspecific interactions of microbes associated with CH4 cycling in the Saanich Inlet water column, provide a baseline for comparison between coastal and open ocean OMZs and support the potential role of OPUs, and methanotrophic symbiont groups as a widely distributed pelagic sink for CH4 along continental margins.

  7. Intercellular wiring enables electron transfer between methanotrophic archaea and bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wegener, Gunter; Krukenberg, Viola; Riedel, Dietmar; Tegetmeyer, Halina E; Boetius, Antje

    2015-10-22

    The anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) with sulfate controls the emission of the greenhouse gas methane from the ocean floor. In marine sediments, AOM is performed by dual-species consortia of anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME) and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) inhabiting the methane-sulfate transition zone. The biochemical pathways and biological adaptations enabling this globally relevant process are not fully understood. Here we study the syntrophic interaction in thermophilic AOM (TAOM) between ANME-1 archaea and their consortium partner SRB HotSeep-1 (ref. 6) at 60 °C to test the hypothesis of a direct interspecies exchange of electrons. The activity of TAOM consortia was compared to the first ANME-free culture of an AOM partner bacterium that grows using hydrogen as the sole electron donor. The thermophilic ANME-1 do not produce sufficient hydrogen to sustain the observed growth of the HotSeep-1 partner. Enhancing the growth of the HotSeep-1 partner by hydrogen addition represses methane oxidation and the metabolic activity of ANME-1. Further supporting the hypothesis of direct electron transfer between the partners, we observe that under TAOM conditions, both ANME and the HotSeep-1 bacteria overexpress genes for extracellular cytochrome production and form cell-to-cell connections that resemble the nanowire structures responsible for interspecies electron transfer between syntrophic consortia of Geobacter. HotSeep-1 highly expresses genes for pili production only during consortial growth using methane, and the nanowire-like structures are absent in HotSeep-1 cells isolated with hydrogen. These observations suggest that direct electron transfer is a principal mechanism in TAOM, which may also explain the enigmatic functioning and specificity of other methanotrophic ANME-SRB consortia.

  8. Peatland succession induces a shift in the community composition of Sphagnum-associated active methanotrophs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Putkinen, Anuliina; Larmola, Tuula; Tuomivirta, Tero; Siljanen, Henri M P; Bodrossy, Levente; Tuittila, Eeva-Stiina; Fritze, Hannu

    2014-06-01

    Sphagnum-associated methanotrophs (SAM) are an important sink for the methane (CH4) formed in boreal peatlands. We aimed to reveal how peatland succession, which entails a directional change in several environmental variables, affects SAM and their activity. Based on the pmoA microarray results, SAM community structure changes when a peatland develops from a minerotrophic fen to an ombrotrophic bog. Methanotroph subtypes Ia, Ib, and II showed slightly contrasting patterns during succession, suggesting differences in their ecological niche adaptation. Although the direct DNA-based analysis revealed a high diversity of type Ib and II methanotrophs throughout the studied peatland chronosequence, stable isotope probing (SIP) of the pmoA gene indicated they were active mainly during the later stages of succession. In contrast, type Ia methanotrophs showed active CH4 consumption in all analyzed samples. SIP-derived (13)C-labeled 16S rRNA gene clone libraries revealed a high diversity of SAM in every succession stage including some putative Methylocella/Methyloferula methanotrophs that are not detectable with the pmoA-based approach. In addition, a high diversity of 16S rRNA gene sequences likely representing cross-labeled nonmethanotrophs was discovered, including a significant proportion of Verrucomicrobia-related sequences. These results help to predict the effects of changing environmental conditions on SAM communities and activity. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Effects of granular activated carbon on methane removal performance and methanotrophic community of a lab-scale bioreactor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Eun-Hee; Choi, Sun-Ah; Yi, Taewoo; Kim, Tae Gwan; Lee, Sang-Don; Cho, Kyung-Suk

    2015-01-01

    Two identical lab-scale bioreactor systems were operated to examine the effects of granular activated carbon (GAC) on methane removal performance and methanotrophic community. Both bioreactor systems removed methane completely at a CH4 loading rate of 71.2 g-CH4·d(-1) for 17 days. However, the methane removal efficiency declined to 88% in the bioreactor without GAC, while the bioreactor amended with GAC showed greater methane removal efficiency of 97% at a CH4 loading rate of 107.5 g-CH4·d(-1). Although quantitative real-time PCR showed that methanotrophic populations were similar levels of 5-10 × 10(8) pmoA gene copy number·VSS(-1) in both systems, GAC addition changed the methanotrophic community composition of the bioreactor systems. Microarray assay revealed that GAC enhanced the type I methanotrophic genera including Methylobacter, Methylomicrobium, and Methylomonas of the system, which suggests that GAC probably provided a favorable environment for type I methanotrophs. These results indicated that GAC is a promising support material in bioreactor systems for CH4 mitigation.

  10. Feasibility of atmospheric methane removal using methanotrophic biotrickling filters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoon, Sukhwan; Carey, Jeffrey N; Semrau, Jeremy D

    2009-07-01

    Methane is a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential ~23 times that of carbon dioxide. Here, we describe the modeling of a biotrickling filtration system composed of methane-consuming bacteria, i.e., methanotrophs, to assess the utility of these systems in removing methane from the atmosphere. Model results indicate that assuming the global average atmospheric concentration of methane, 1.7 ppmv, methane removal is ineffective using these methanotrophic biofilters as the methane concentration is too low to enable cell survival. If the concentration is increased to 500-6,000 ppmv, however, similar to that found above landfills and in concentrated animal feeding operations (factory farms), 4.98-35.7 tons of methane can be removed per biofilter per year assuming biotrickling filters of typical size (3.66 m in diameter and 11.5 m in height). Using reported ranges of capital, operational, and maintenance costs, the cost of the equivalent ton of CO(2) removal using these systems is $90-$910 ($2,070-$20,900 per ton of methane), depending on the influent concentration of methane and if heating is required. The use of methanotrophic biofilters for controlling methane emissions is technically feasible and, provided that either the costs of biofilter construction and operation are reduced or the value of CO(2) credits is increased, can also be economically attractive.

  11. Heavy Metal Resistance Strategies of Acidophilic Bacteria and Their Acquisition: Importance for Biomining and Bioremediation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudio A Navarro

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Microbial solubilizing of metals in acid environments is successfully used in industrial bioleaching of ores or biomining to extract metals such as copper, gold, uranium and others. This is done mainly by acidophilic and other microorganisms that mobilize metals and generate acid mine drainage or AMD, causing serious environmental problems. However, bioremediation or removal of the toxic metals from contaminated soils can be achieved by using the specific properties of the acidophilic microorganisms interacting with these elements. These bacteria resist high levels of metals by using a few "canonical" systems such as active efflux or trapping of the metal ions by metal chaperones. Nonetheless, gene duplications, the presence of genomic islands, the existence of additional mechanisms such as passive instruments for pH and cation homeostasis in acidophiles and an inorganic polyphosphate-driven metal resistance mechanism have also been proposed. Horizontal gene transfer in environmental microorganisms present in natural ecosystems is considered to be an important mechanism in their adaptive evolution. This process is carried out by different mobile genetic elements, including genomic islands (GI, which increase the adaptability and versatility of the microorganism. This mini-review also describes the possible role of GIs in metal resistance of some environmental microorganisms of importance in biomining and bioremediation of metal polluted environments such as Thiomonas arsenitoxydans, a moderate acidophilic microorganism, Acidithiobacillus caldus and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans strains ATCC 23270 and ATCC 53993, all extreme acidophiles able to tolerate exceptionally high levels of heavy metals. Some of these bacteria contain variable numbers of GIs, most of which code for high numbers of genes related to metal resistance. In some cases there is an apparent correlation between the number of metal resistance genes and the metal tolerance of each

  12. Windrow composting mitigated CH4 emissions: characterization of methanogenic and methanotrophic communities in manure management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ruirui; Wang, Yiming; Wei, Shiping; Wang, Wei; Lin, Xiangui

    2014-12-01

    With increasing livestock breeding, methane (CH4 ) emissions from manure management will increasingly contribute more to atmospheric CH4 concentration. The dynamics of methanogens and methanotrophs have not yet been studied in the manure environment. The current study combines surface CH4 emissions with methanogenic and methanotrophic community analyses from two management practices, windrow composting (WCOM) and solid storage (SSTO). Our results showed that there was an c. 50% reduction of CH4 emissions with WCOM compared with SSTO over a 50-day period. A sharp decrease in the quantities of both methanogens and methanotrophs in WCOM suggested that CH4 mitigation was mainly due to decreased CH4 production rather than increased CH4 oxidation. Pyrosequencing analysis demonstrated that aeration caused a clear shift of dominant methanogens in the manure, with specifically a significant decrease in Methanosarcina and increase in Methanobrevibacter. The composition of methanogenic community was influenced by manure management and regulated CH4 production. A sharp increase in the quantity of methanotrophs in SSTO suggested that microbial CH4 oxidation is an important sink for the CH4 produced. The increased abundance of Methylococcaceae in SSTO suggested that Type I methanotrophs have an advantage in CH4 oxidation in occupying niches under low CH4 and high O2 conditions. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Oxygen-limited metabolism in the methanotroph Methylomicrobium buryatense 5GB1C

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexey Gilman

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The bacteria that grow on methane aerobically (methanotrophs support populations of non-methanotrophs in the natural environment by excreting methane-derived carbon. One group of excreted compounds are short-chain organic acids, generated in highest abundance when cultures are grown under O2-starvation. We examined this O2-starvation condition in the methanotroph Methylomicrobium buryatense 5GB1. The M. buryatense 5GB1 genome contains homologs for all enzymes necessary for a fermentative metabolism, and we hypothesize that a metabolic switch to fermentation can be induced by low-O2 conditions. Under prolonged O2-starvation in a closed vial, this methanotroph increases the amount of acetate excreted about 10-fold, but the formate, lactate, and succinate excreted do not respond to this culture condition. In bioreactor cultures, the amount of each excreted product is similar across a range of growth rates and limiting substrates, including O2-limitation. A set of mutants were generated in genes predicted to be involved in generating or regulating excretion of these compounds and tested for growth defects, and changes in excretion products. The phenotypes and associated metabolic flux modeling suggested that in M. buryatense 5GB1, formate and acetate are excreted in response to redox imbalance. Our results indicate that even under O2-starvation conditions, M. buryatense 5GB1 maintains a metabolic state representing a combination of fermentation and respiration metabolism.

  14. Niche differentiation in nitrogen metabolism among methanotrophs within an operational taxonomic unit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoefman, Sven; van der Ha, David; Boon, Nico; Vandamme, Peter; De Vos, Paul; Heylen, Kim

    2014-04-04

    The currently accepted thesis on nitrogenous fertilizer additions on methane oxidation activity assumes niche partitioning among methanotrophic species, with activity responses to changes in nitrogen content being dependent on the in situ methanotrophic community structure Unfortunately, widely applied tools for microbial community assessment only have a limited phylogenetic resolution mostly restricted to genus level diversity, and not to species level as often mistakenly assumed. As a consequence, intragenus or intraspecies metabolic versatility in nitrogen metabolism was never evaluated nor considered among methanotrophic bacteria as a source of differential responses of methane oxidation to nitrogen amendments. We demonstrated that fourteen genotypically different Methylomonas strains, thus distinct below the level at which most techniques assign operational taxonomic units (OTU), show a versatile physiology in their nitrogen metabolism. Differential responses, even among strains with identical 16S rRNA or pmoA gene sequences, were observed for production of nitrite and nitrous oxide from nitrate or ammonium, nitrogen fixation and tolerance to high levels of ammonium, nitrate, and hydroxylamine. Overall, reduction of nitrate to nitrite, nitrogen fixation, higher tolerance to ammonium than nitrate and tolerance and assimilation of nitrite were general features. Differential responses among closely related methanotrophic strains to overcome inhibition and toxicity from high nitrogen loads and assimilation of various nitrogen sources yield competitive fitness advantages to individual methane-oxidizing bacteria. Our observations proved that community structure at the deepest phylogenetic resolution potentially influences in situ functioning.

  15. Thermophilic and unusually acidophilic amylase produced by a thermophilic acidophilic bacillus sp

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Uchino, F

    1982-01-01

    Bacillus sp. 11-1S, a thermophilic acidophilic bacterial strain, produced an extracellular amylase with unusual characteristics. The enzyme was purified 40-fold by SE-Sephadex column chromatography. The pH optimum for activity was 2.0, and substantial activity was noted in the pH range of 1.5-3.5. The optimal temperature was 70 degrees C, but the activity decreased markedly in lower reaction temperatures. Arrhenius plots of the reaction showed two straight lines intersecting at about 50 degrees C. The activity or stability of the enzyme was not likely to depend on Ca2+. The molecular weight of the enzyme was 54,000 calculated from the electrophoretic mobility. The enzyme behaved like an alpha-amylase (1,4-alpha-D- glucan glucanohydrolase, E.C. 3.2.1.1). About 34% of glucosidic linkages of soluble starch was hydrolyzed at 65 degrees C and pH 2.0, in 24 hours, and the major products were maltotriose and maltose. (Refs. 14).

  16. Methylocella species are facultatively methanotrophic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dedysh, Svetlana N; Knief, Claudia; Dunfield, Peter F

    2005-07-01

    All aerobic methanotrophic bacteria described to date are unable to grow on substrates containing carbon-carbon bonds. Here we demonstrate that members of the recently discovered genus Methylocella are an exception to this. These bacteria are able to use as their sole energy source the one-carbon compounds methane and methanol, as well as the multicarbon compounds acetate, pyruvate, succinate, malate, and ethanol. To conclusively verify facultative growth, acetate and methane were used as model substrates in growth experiments with the type strain Methylocella silvestris BL2. Quantitative real-time PCR targeting the mmoX gene, which encodes a subunit of soluble methane monooxygenase, showed that copies of this gene increased in parallel with cell counts during growth on either acetate or methane as the sole substrate. This verified that cells possessing the genetic basis of methane oxidation grew on acetate as well as methane. Cloning of 16S rRNA genes and fluorescence in situ hybridization with strain-specific and genus-specific oligonucleotide probes detected no contaminants in cultures. The growth rate and carbon conversion efficiency were higher on acetate than on methane, and when both substrates were provided in excess, acetate was preferably used and methane oxidation was shut down. Our data demonstrate that not all methanotrophic bacteria are limited to growing on one-carbon compounds. This could have major implications for understanding the factors controlling methane fluxes in the environment.

  17. Diversity of the active methanotrophic community in acidic peatlands as assessed by mRNA and SIP-PLFA analyses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yin; Dumont, Marc G; McNamara, Niall P; Chamberlain, Paul M; Bodrossy, Levente; Stralis-Pavese, Nancy; Murrell, J Colin

    2008-02-01

    The active methanotroph community was investigated for the first time in heather (Calluna)-covered moorlands and Sphagnum/Eriophorum-covered UK peatlands. Direct extraction of mRNA from these soils facilitated detection of expression of methane monooxygenase genes, which revealed that particulate methane monooxygenase and not soluble methane monooxygenase was probably responsible for CH(4) oxidation in situ, because only pmoA transcripts (encoding a subunit of particulate methane monooxygenase) were readily detectable. Differences in methanotroph community structures were observed between the Calluna-covered moorland and Sphagnum/Eriophorum-covered gully habitats. As with many other Sphagnum-covered peatlands, the Sphagnum/Eriophorum-covered gullies were dominated by Methylocystis. Methylocella and Methylocapsa-related species were also present. Methylobacter-related species were found as demonstrated by the use of a pmoA-based diagnostic microarray. In Calluna-covered moorlands, in addition to Methylocella and Methylocystis, a unique group of peat-associated type I methanotrophs (Gammaproteobacteria) and a group of uncultivated type II methanotrophs (Alphaproteobacteria) were also found. The pmoA sequences of the latter were only distantly related to Methylocapsa and also to the RA-14 group of methanotrophs, which are believed to be involved in oxidation of atmospheric concentrations of CH(4). Soil samples were also labelled with (13)CH(4), and subsequent analysis of the (13)C-labelled phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) showed that 16:1 omega 7, 18:1 omega 7 and 18:1 omega 9 were the major labelled PLFAs. The presence of (13)C-labelled 18:1 omega 9, which was not a major PLFA of any extant methanotrophs, indicated the presence of novel methanotrophs in this peatland.

  18. Enhanced bioleaching on attachment of indigenous acidophilic bacteria to pyrite surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wi, D. W.; Cho, K. H.; Kim, B. J.; Choi, N. C.; Park, C. Y.

    2012-04-01

    In recent years, bioleaching has been widely applied on an industrial scale due to the advantages of low cost and environment friendliness. The direct contact mechanism of bioleaching assumes the action of a metal sulfide-attached cell oxidizing the mineral by an enzyme system with oxygen to sulfate and metal cations. Fundamental surface properties of sulfide particles and leaching-bacteria in bioleaching play the key role in the efficiency of this process. The aim of this work is to investigate of direct contact bioleaching mechanism on pyrite through attachment properties between indigenous acidophilic bacteria and pyrite surfaces. The bacteria were obtained from sulfur hot springs, Hatchobaru thermal electricity plant in Japan. And pyrite was collected from mine waste from Gwang-yang abandoned gold mines, Korea. In XRD analyses of the pyrite, x-ray diffracted d-value belong to pyrite was observed. The indigenous acidophilic bacteria grew well in a solution and over the course of incubation pH decreased and Eh increased. In relation to a bacterial growth-curve, the lag phase was hardly shown while the exponential phase was very fast. Bioleaching experiment result was showed that twenty days after the indigenous acidophilic bacteria were inoculated to a pyrite-leaching medium, the bacterial sample had a greater concentration of Fe and Zn than within the control sample. In SEM-EDS analyses, rod-shaped bacteria and round-shaped microbes were well attached to the surface of pyrite. The size of the rod-shaped bacteria ranged from 1.05~1.10 ? to 4.01~5.38 ?. Round-shaped microbes were more than 3.0 ? in diameter. Paired cells of rod-shaped bacteria were attached to the surface of pyrite linearly.

  19. Shifts in identity and activity of methanotrophs in arctic lake sediments in response to temperature changes

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Ruo; Wooller, Matthew J.; Pohlman, John W.; Quensen, John; Tiedje, James M.; Leigh, Mary Beth

    2012-01-01

    Methane (CH4) flux to the atmosphere is mitigated via microbial CH4 oxidation in sediments and water. As arctic temperaturesincrease, understanding the effects of temperature on the activity and identity of methanotrophs in arctic lake sediments is importantto predicting future CH4 emissions. We used DNA-based stable-isotope probing (SIP), quantitative PCR (Q-PCR), andpyrosequencing analyses to identify and characterize methanotrophic communities active at a range of temperatures (4°C, 10°C,and 21°C) in sediments (to a depth of 25 cm) sampled from Lake Qalluuraq on the North Slope of Alaska. CH4 oxidation activitywas measured in microcosm incubations containing sediments at all temperatures, with the highest CH4 oxidation potential of37.5 mol g1 day1 in the uppermost (depth, 0 to 1 cm) sediment at 21°C after 2 to 5 days of incubation. Q-PCR of pmoA and ofthe 16S rRNA genes of type I and type II methanotrophs, and pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes in 13C-labeled DNA obtained bySIP demonstrated that the type I methanotrophs Methylobacter, Methylomonas, and Methylosoma dominated carbon acquisitionfrom CH4 in the sediments. The identity and relative abundance of active methanotrophs differed with the incubation temperature.Methylotrophs were also abundant in the microbial community that derived carbon from CH4, especially in the deeper sediments(depth, 15 to 20 cm) at low temperatures (4°C and 10°C), and showed a good linear relationship (R0.82) with the relativeabundances of methanotrophs in pyrosequencing reads. This study describes for the first time how methanotrophiccommunities in arctic lake sediments respond to temperature variations.

  20. A method of genetically engineering acidophilic, heterotrophic, bacteria by electroporation and conjugation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Roberto, F.F.; Glenn, A.W.; Ward, T.E.

    1990-08-07

    A method of genetically manipulating an acidophilic bacteria is provided by two different procedures. Using electroporation, chimeric and broad-host range plasmids are introduced into Acidiphilium. Conjugation is also employed to introduce broad-host range plasmids into Acidiphilium at neutral pH.

  1. Study of silver nanoparticles synthesized by acidophilic strain of Actinobacteria isolated from the of Picea sitchensis forest soil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Railean-Plugaru, V; Pomastowski, P; Wypij, M; Szultka-Mlynska, M; Rafinska, K; Golinska, P; Dahm, H; Buszewski, B

    2016-05-01

    In the present work the acidophilic actinobacteria strain was used as a novel reducing agent for the cheap, green and single-step synthesis of nanostructure silver particles. Structural, morphological and optical properties of the synthesized nanoparticles have been characterized by spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering and electron microscopy approach. The antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles against clinical strains such as Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis and Salmonella infantis alone and in combination with antibiotics were studied. The crystalline and stable biosynthesized silver nanoparticles ranged in size from 4 to 45 nm and were mostly spherical in shape being characterized evolving several analytical techniques. The bioAgNPs inhibited growth of most bacterial strains. The highest antimicrobial activity was observed against Ps. aeruginosa (10 mm), followed by Staph. aureus, B. subtilis and Pr. mirabilis (all 8 mm). The lower activity was noticed for E. coli and Kl. pneumoniae (6 and 2 mm, respectively). Moreover, the synergistic effect of bio(AgNPs) with various commercially available antibiotics was also evaluated. The most significant results were observed for bio(AgNPs) combined with tetracycline, kanamycin, ampicillin and neomycin, followed by streptomycin and gentamycin against E. coli, Salm. infantis and Kl. pneumoniae. The most resistant bacteria to commercial antibiotics was Pr. mirabilis. The Streptacidiphilus sp. strain CGG11n isolated from acidic soil can be used to efficiently synthesize the bioactive nanoparticles using inexpensive substances in an eco-friendly and nontoxic manner. The present work provides helpful insight into the development of new antimicrobial agents with the synergistic enhancement of the antibacterial mechanism against pathogenic micro-organisms. The synthesized silver bionanoparticles from Streptacidiphilus sp. strain

  2. Heap bioleaching of uranium from low-grade granite-type ore by mixed acidophilic microbes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xuegang Wang; Zhongkui Zhou

    2017-01-01

    We evaluated uranium bioleaching from low-grade, granite-type uranium ore using mixed acidophilic microbes from uranium mine leachate. A 4854-ton plant-scale heap bioleaching process achieved sustained leaching with a uranium leaching efficiency of 88.3% using a pH of 1.0-2.0 and an Fe"3"+ dosage of 3.0-5.5 g/L. Acid consumption amounted to 25.8 g H_2SO_4 kg"-"1 ore. Uranium bioleaching follows a diffusion-controlled kinetic model with a correlation coefficient of 0.9136. Almost all uranium was dissolved in aqueous solution, except those encapsulated in quartz particles. Therefore, heap bioleaching by mixed acidophilic microbes enables efficient, economical, large-scale recovery of uranium from low-grade ores. (author)

  3. Genome Analysis of the Biotechnologically Relevant Acidophilic Iron Oxidising Strain JA12 Indicates Phylogenetic and Metabolic Diversity within the Novel Genus "Ferrovum".

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sophie R Ullrich

    Full Text Available Members of the genus "Ferrovum" are ubiquitously distributed in acid mine drainage (AMD waters which are characterised by their high metal and sulfate loads. So far isolation and microbiological characterisation have only been successful for the designated type strain "Ferrovum myxofaciens" P3G. Thus, knowledge about physiological characteristics and the phylogeny of the genus "Ferrovum" is extremely scarce.In order to access the wider genetic pool of the genus "Ferrovum" we sequenced the genome of a "Ferrovum"-containing mixed culture and successfully assembled the almost complete genome sequence of the novel "Ferrovum" strain JA12.The genome-based phylogenetic analysis indicates that strain JA12 and the type strain represent two distinct "Ferrovum" species. "Ferrovum" strain JA12 is characterised by an unusually small genome in comparison to the type strain and other iron oxidising bacteria. The prediction of nutrient assimilation pathways suggests that "Ferrovum" strain JA12 maintains a chemolithoautotrophic lifestyle utilising carbon dioxide and bicarbonate, ammonium and urea, sulfate, phosphate and ferrous iron as carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorous and energy sources, respectively.The potential utilisation of urea by "Ferrovum" strain JA12 is moreover remarkable since it may furthermore represent a strategy among extreme acidophiles to cope with the acidic environment. Unlike other acidophilic chemolithoautotrophs "Ferrovum" strain JA12 exhibits a complete tricarboxylic acid cycle, a metabolic feature shared with the closer related neutrophilic iron oxidisers among the Betaproteobacteria including Sideroxydans lithotrophicus and Thiobacillus denitrificans. Furthermore, the absence of characteristic redox proteins involved in iron oxidation in the well-studied acidophiles Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (rusticyanin and Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans (iron oxidase indicates the existence of a modified pathway in "Ferrovum" strain JA12

  4. Basis of genetic adaptation to heavy metal stress in the acidophilic green alga Chlamydomonas acidophila.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puente-Sánchez, Fernando; Díaz, Silvia; Penacho, Vanessa; Aguilera, Angeles; Olsson, Sanna

    2018-07-01

    To better understand heavy metal tolerance in Chlamydomonas acidophila, an extremophilic green alga, we assembled its transcriptome and measured transcriptomic expression before and after Cd exposure in this and the neutrophilic model microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Genes possibly related to heavy metal tolerance and detoxification were identified and analyzed as potential key innovations that enable this species to live in an extremely acid habitat with high levels of heavy metals. In addition we provide a data set of single orthologous genes from eight green algal species as a valuable resource for comparative studies including eukaryotic extremophiles. Our results based on differential gene expression, detection of unique genes and analyses of codon usage all indicate that there are important genetic differences in C. acidophila compared to C. reinhardtii. Several efflux family proteins were identified as candidate key genes for adaptation to acid environments. This study suggests for the first time that exposure to cadmium strongly increases transposon expression in green algae, and that oil biosynthesis genes are induced in Chlamydomonas under heavy metal stress. Finally, the comparison of the transcriptomes of several acidophilic and non-acidophilic algae showed that the Chlamydomonas genus is polyphyletic and that acidophilic algae have distinctive aminoacid usage patterns. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Methylocapsa aurea sp. nov., a facultative methanotroph possessing a particulate methane monooxygenase, and emended description of the genus Methylocapsa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunfield, Peter F; Belova, Svetlana E; Vorob'ev, Alexey V; Cornish, Sabrina L; Dedysh, Svetlana N

    2010-11-01

    An aerobic, methanotrophic bacterium, designated KYG(T), was isolated from a forest soil in Germany. Cells of strain KYG(T) were Gram-negative, non-motile, slightly curved rods that multiplied by binary fission and produced yellow colonies. The cells contained intracellular granules of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate at each cell pole, a particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) and stacks of intracytoplasmic membranes (ICMs) packed in parallel along one side of the cell envelope. Strain KYG(T) grew at pH 5.2-7.2 and 2-33 °C and could fix atmospheric nitrogen under reduced oxygen tension. The major cellular fatty acid was C(18 : 1)ω7c (81.5 %) and the DNA G+C content was 61.4 mol%. Strain KYG(T) belonged to the family Beijerinckiaceae of the class Alphaproteobacteria and was most closely related to the obligate methanotroph Methylocapsa acidiphila B2(T) (98.1 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity and 84.7 % pmoA sequence similarity). Unlike Methylocapsa acidiphila B2(T), which grows only on methane and methanol, strain KYG(T) was able to grow facultatively on acetate. Facultative acetate utilization is a characteristic of the methanotrophs of the genus Methylocella, but the genus Methylocella does not produce pMMO or ICMs. Strain KYG(T) differed from Methylocapsa acidiphila B2(T) on the basis of substrate utilization pattern, pigmentation, pH range, cell ultrastructure and efficiency of dinitrogen fixation. Therefore, we propose a novel species, Methylocapsa aurea sp. nov., to accommodate this bacterium. The type strain is KYG(T) (=DSM 22158(T) =VKM B-2544(T)).

  6. Isolation of amoebic-bacterial consortia capable of degrading trichloroethylene

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tyndall, R.L.; Ironside, K.; Little, C.D.; Katz, S.; Kennedy, J.

    1990-01-01

    Groundwater from a waste disposal site contaminated with chlorinated alkenes was examined for the presence of amoebic-bacterial consortia capable of degrading the suspected carcinogen, trichloroethylene (TCE). Consortia were readily isolated from all of four test wells. They contained free-living amoebae, and heterotrophic and methylotrophic bacteria. Electron microscopic examination showed bacteria localized throughout the amoebic cytoplasm and an abundance of hyphomicrobium, but not Type I methanotrophs. The presence of Type II methanotrophs was indirectly indicated by lipid analysis of one consortium. The consortia have been passaged for over two years on mineral salts media in a methane atmosphere, which would not be expected to maintain the heterotrophs or amoebae separately. The methanotrophic bacteria apparently provided a stable nutrient source, allowing the persistence of the various genera. By use of 14 C-radiotracer techniques, the degradation of TCE by the consortia was observed with 14 C eventuating predominantly in CO 2 and water-soluble products. In a more detailed examination of one consortia, the amoebae and heterotrohic components did not degrade TCE, while a mixed culture of heterotrophs and methanotrophs did degrade TCE, suggesting the latter component was the primary cause for the consortium's ability to degrade TCE. Amoebic-bacterial consortia may play a role in stabilizing and preserving methylotrophic bacteria in hostile environments

  7. Trace-gas metabolic versatility of the facultative methanotroph Methylocella silvestris

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crombie, Andrew T.; Murrell, J. Colin

    2014-06-01

    The climate-active gas methane is generated both by biological processes and by thermogenic decomposition of fossil organic material, which forms methane and short-chain alkanes, principally ethane, propane and butane. In addition to natural sources, environments are exposed to anthropogenic inputs of all these gases from oil and gas extraction and distribution. The gases provide carbon and/or energy for a diverse range of microorganisms that can metabolize them in both anoxic and oxic zones. Aerobic methanotrophs, which can assimilate methane, have been considered to be entirely distinct from utilizers of short-chain alkanes, and studies of environments exposed to mixtures of methane and multi-carbon alkanes have assumed that disparate groups of microorganisms are responsible for the metabolism of these gases. Here we describe the mechanism by which a single bacterial strain, Methylocella silvestris, can use methane or propane as a carbon and energy source, documenting a methanotroph that can utilize a short-chain alkane as an alternative to methane. Furthermore, during growth on a mixture of these gases, efficient consumption of both gases occurred at the same time. Two soluble di-iron centre monooxygenase (SDIMO) gene clusters were identified and were found to be differentially expressed during bacterial growth on these gases, although both were required for efficient propane utilization. This report of a methanotroph expressing an additional SDIMO that seems to be uniquely involved in short-chain alkane metabolism suggests that such metabolic flexibility may be important in many environments where methane and short-chain alkanes co-occur.

  8. Sulfur metabolism in the extreme acidophile Acidithiobacillus caldus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefanie eMangold

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Given the challenges to life at low pH, an analysis of inorganic sulfur compound oxidation was initiated in the chemolithoautotrophic extremophile Acidithiobacillus caldus. A. caldus is able to metabolize elemental sulfur and a broad range of inorganic sulfur compounds. It has been implicated in the production of environmentally damaging acidic solutions as well as participating in industrial bioleaching operations where it forms part of microbial consortia used for the recovery of metal ions. Based upon the recently published A. caldus type strain genome sequence, a bioinformatic reconstruction of elemental sulfur and inorganic sulfur compound metabolism predicted genes included: sulfide quinone reductase (sqr, tetrathionate hydrolase (tth, two sox gene clusters potentially involved in thiosulfate oxidation (soxABXYZ, sulfur oxygenase reductase (sor, and various electron transport components. RNA transcript profiles by semi-quantitative reverse transcription PCR suggested up-regulation of sox genes in the presence of tetrathionate. Extensive gel based proteomic comparisons of total soluble and membrane enriched protein fractions during growth on elemental sulfur and tetrathionate identified differential protein levels from the two Sox clusters as well as several chaperone and stress proteins up-regulated in the presence of elemental sulfur. Proteomics results also suggested the involvement of heterodisulfide reductase (HdrABC in A. caldus inorganic sulfur compound metabolism. A putative new function of Hdr in acidophiles is discussed. Additional proteomic analysis evaluated protein expression differences between cells grown attached to solid, elemental sulfur versus planktonic cells. This study has provided insights into sulfur metabolism of this acidophilic chemolithotroph and gene expression during attachment to solid elemental sulfur.

  9. High Throughput Sequencing to Detect Differences in Methanotrophic Methylococcaceae and Methylocystaceae in Surface Peat, Forest Soil, and Sphagnum Moss in Cranesville Swamp Preserve, West Virginia, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lau, Evan; Nolan, Edward J.; Dillard, Zachary W.; Dague, Ryan D.; Semple, Amanda L.; Wentzell, Wendi L.

    2015-01-01

    Northern temperate forest soils and Sphagnum-dominated peatlands are a major source and sink of methane. In these ecosystems, methane is mainly oxidized by aerobic methanotrophic bacteria, which are typically found in aerated forest soils, surface peat, and Sphagnum moss. We contrasted methanotrophic bacterial diversity and abundances from the (i) organic horizon of forest soil; (ii) surface peat; and (iii) submerged Sphagnum moss from Cranesville Swamp Preserve, West Virginia, using multiplex sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA (V3 region) gene amplicons. From ~1 million reads, >50,000 unique OTUs (Operational Taxonomic Units), 29 and 34 unique sequences were detected in the Methylococcaceae and Methylocystaceae, respectively, and 24 potential methanotrophs in the Beijerinckiaceae were also identified. Methylacidiphilum-like methanotrophs were not detected. Proteobacterial methanotrophic bacteria constitute Sphagnum moss) or co-occurred in both Sphagnum moss and peat. This study provides insights into the structure of methanotrophic communities in relationship to habitat type, and suggests that peat and Sphagnum moss can influence methanotroph community structure and biogeography. PMID:27682082

  10. Aerobic methanotrophic communities at the Red Sea brine-seawater interface

    KAUST Repository

    Abdallah, Rehab Z.

    2014-09-23

    Abdallah RZ, Adel M, Ouf A, Sayed A, Ghazy MA, Alam I, Essack M, Lafi FF, Bajic VB, El-Dorry H and Siam R (2014) Aerobic methanotrophic communities at the Red Sea brine-seawater interface. Front. Microbiol. 5:487. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00487

  11. [Methanotrophs and methylobacteria are found in woody plant tissues within a winter period].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doronina, N V; Ivanova, E G; Suzina, N F; Trotsenko, Iu A

    2004-01-01

    Samples of tree seeds, buds, and needles collected within a winter period at ambient temperatures from -11 to -17 degrees C were analyzed for the presence of methylotrophic microflora. Thin sections of blue spruce needles were found to contain bacteria morphologically close to pink-pigmented methylobacteria. The methylobacteria that were isolated in pure cultures from samples of linden seeds and buds, pine and blue spruce needles, as well as of lilac, maple, and apple buds, were classified into the genera Methylobacterium and Paracoccus based on the data of morphological studies, enzyme assay, and DNA-DNA hybridization analysis. The methanotrophs that were isolated in pure cultures from samples of linden buds and blue spruce needles were identified into the genus Methylocystis based on the data of morphological studies, enzyme assay, DNA-DNA hybridization, and the phylogenetic analysis of the particulate methane monooxygenase gene pmoA sequences. The inference is made that aerobic methylotrophic bacteria are permanently associated with plants. At the beginning of the vegetative period in spring, the phyllosphere of coniferous and deciduous trees is colonized by the methylotrophic bacteria that have wintered inside plant tissues.

  12. A novel methanotroph in the genus Methylomonas that contains a distinct clade of soluble methane monooxygenase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Ngoc-Loi; Yu, Woon-Jong; Yang, Hye-Young; Kim, Jong-Geol; Jung, Man-Young; Park, Soo-Je; Roh, Seong-Woon; Rhee, Sung-Keun

    2017-10-01

    Aerobic methane oxidation is a key process in the global carbon cycle that acts as a major sink of methane. In this study, we describe a novel methanotroph designated EMGL16-1 that was isolated from a freshwater lake using the floating filter culture technique. Based on a phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences, the isolate was found to be closely related to the genus Methylomonas in the family Methylococcaceae of the class Gammaproteobacteria with 94.2-97.4% 16S rRNA gene similarity to Methylomonas type strains. Comparison of chemotaxonomic and physiological properties further suggested that strain EMGL16-1 was taxonomically distinct from other species in the genus Methylomonas. The isolate was versatile in utilizing nitrogen sources such as molecular nitrogen, nitrate, nitrite, urea, and ammonium. The genes coding for subunit of the particulate form methane monooxygenase (pmoA), soluble methane monooxygenase (mmoX), and methanol dehydrogenase (mxaF) were detected in strain EMGL16-1. Phylogenetic analysis of mmoX indicated that mmoX of strain EMGL16-1 is distinct from those of other strains in the genus Methylomonas. This isolate probably represents a novel species in the genus. Our study provides new insights into the diversity of species in the genus Methylomonas and their environmental adaptations.

  13. Gene loss and horizontal gene transfer contributed to the genome evolution of the extreme acidophile Ferrovum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sophie Roxana Ullrich

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Acid mine drainage (AMD, associated with active and abandoned mining sites, is a habitat for acidophilic microorganisms that gain energy from the oxidation of reduced sulfur compounds and ferrous iron and that thrive at pH below 4. Members of the recently proposed genus Ferrovum are the first acidophilic iron oxidizers to be described within the Betaproteobacteria. Although they have been detected as typical community members in AMD habitats worldwide, knowledge of their phylogenetic and metabolic diversity is scarce. Genomics approaches appear to be most promising in addressing this lacuna since isolation and cultivation of Ferrovum has proven to be extremely difficult and has so far only been successful for the designated type strain Ferrovum myxofaciens P3G. In this study, the genomes of two novel strains of Ferrovum (PN-J185 and Z-31 derived from water samples of a mine water treatment plant were sequenced. These genomes were compared with those of Ferrovum sp. JA12 that also originated from the mine water treatment plant, and of the type strain (P3G. Phylogenomic scrutiny suggests that the four strains represent three Ferrovum species that cluster in two groups (1 and 2. Comprehensive analysis of their predicted metabolic pathways revealed that these groups harbor characteristic metabolic profiles, notably with respect to motility, chemotaxis, nitrogen metabolism, biofilm formation and their potential strategies to cope with the acidic environment. For example, while the F. myxofaciens strains (group 1 appear to be motile and diazotrophic, the non-motile group 2 strains have the predicted potential to use a greater variety of fixed nitrogen sources. Furthermore, analysis of their genome synteny provides first insights into their genome evolution, suggesting that horizontal gene transfer and genome reduction in the group 2 strains by loss of genes encoding complete metabolic pathways or physiological features contributed to the observed

  14. The relative contribution of methanotrophs to microbial communities and carbon cycling in soil overlying a coal-bed methane seep

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mills, Christopher T.; Slater, Gregory F.; Dias, Robert F.; Carr, Stephanie A.; Reddy, Christopher M.; Schmidt, Raleigh; Mandernack, Kevin W.

    2013-01-01

    Seepage of coal-bed methane (CBM) through soils is a potential source of atmospheric CH4 and also a likely source of ancient (i.e. 14C-dead) carbon to soil microbial communities. Natural abundance 13C and 14C compositions of bacterial membrane phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) and soil gas CO2 and CH4 were used to assess the incorporation of CBM-derived carbon into methanotrophs and other members of the soil microbial community. Concentrations of type I and type II methanotroph PLFA biomarkers (16:1ω8c and 18:1ω8c, respectively) were elevated in CBM-impacted soils compared with a control site. Comparison of PLFA and 16s rDNA data suggested type I and II methanotroph populations were well estimated and overestimated by their PLFA biomarkers, respectively. The δ13C values of PLFAs common in type I and II methanotrophs were as negative as −67‰ and consistent with the assimilation of CBM. PLFAs more indicative of nonmethanotrophic bacteria had δ13C values that were intermediate indicating assimilation of both plant- and CBM-derived carbon. Δ14C values of select PLFAs (−351 to −936‰) indicated similar patterns of CBM assimilation by methanotrophs and nonmethanotrophs and were used to estimate that 35–91% of carbon assimilated by nonmethanotrophs was derived from CBM depending on time of sampling and soil depth.

  15. Culture-independent detection of 'TM7' bacteria in a streptomycin-resistant acidophilic nitrifying process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurogi, T.; Linh, N. T. T.; Kuroki, T.; Yamada, T.; Hiraishi, A.

    2014-01-01

    Nitrification in biological wastewater treatment processes has been believed for long time to take place under neutral conditions and is inhibited under acidic conditions. However, we previously constructed acidophilic nitrifying sequencing-batch reactors (ANSBRs) being capable of nitrification at −1 was added. In all reactors, the pH varied between 2.7 and 4.0, and ammonium was completely converted to nitrate in every batch cycle. PCR-aided denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) targeting 16S rRNA genes revealed that some major clones assigned to TM7 bacteria and Gammaproteobacteria were constantly present during the overall period of operation. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with specific oligonucleotide probes also showed that TM7 bacteria predominated in all SRAN reactors, accounting for 58% of the total bacterial population on average. Although the biological significance of the TM7 bacteria in the SRAN reactors are unknown, our results suggest that these bacteria are possibly streptomycin-resistant and play some important roles in the acidophilic nitrifying process

  16. Identification of active methanotrophs in a landfill cover soil through detection of expression of 16S rRNA and functional genes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yin; Dumont, Marc G; Cébron, Aurélie; Murrell, J Colin

    2007-11-01

    Active methanotrophs in a landfill soil were revealed by detecting the 16S rRNA of methanotrophs and the mRNA transcripts of key genes involved in methane oxidation. New 16S rRNA primers targeting type I and type II methanotrophs were designed and optimized for analysis by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Direct extraction of RNA from soil enabled the analysis of the expression of the functional genes: mmoX, pmoA and mxaF, which encode subunits of soluble methane monooxygenase, particulate methane monooxygenase and methanol dehydrogenase respectively. The 16S rRNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers for type I methanotrophs detected Methylomonas, Methylosarcina and Methylobacter sequences from both soil DNA and cDNA which was generated from RNA extracted directly from the landfill cover soil. The 16S rRNA primers for type II methanotrophs detected primarily Methylocella and some Methylocystis 16S rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis of mRNA recovered from the soil indicated that Methylobacter, Methylosarcina, Methylomonas, Methylocystis and Methylocella were actively expressing genes involved in methane and methanol oxidation. Transcripts of pmoA but not mmoX were readily detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), indicating that particulate methane monooxygenase may be largely responsible for methane oxidation in situ.

  17. Genome Analysis of the Biotechnologically Relevant Acidophilic Iron Oxidising Strain JA12 Indicates Phylogenetic and Metabolic Diversity within the Novel Genus “Ferrovum”

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ullrich, Sophie R.; Poehlein, Anja; Tischler, Judith S.; González, Carolina; Ossandon, Francisco J.; Daniel, Rolf; Holmes, David S.; Schlömann, Michael; Mühling, Martin

    2016-01-01

    Background Members of the genus “Ferrovum” are ubiquitously distributed in acid mine drainage (AMD) waters which are characterised by their high metal and sulfate loads. So far isolation and microbiological characterisation have only been successful for the designated type strain “Ferrovum myxofaciens” P3G. Thus, knowledge about physiological characteristics and the phylogeny of the genus “Ferrovum” is extremely scarce. Objective In order to access the wider genetic pool of the genus “Ferrovum” we sequenced the genome of a “Ferrovum”-containing mixed culture and successfully assembled the almost complete genome sequence of the novel “Ferrovum” strain JA12. Phylogeny and Lifestyle The genome-based phylogenetic analysis indicates that strain JA12 and the type strain represent two distinct “Ferrovum” species. “Ferrovum” strain JA12 is characterised by an unusually small genome in comparison to the type strain and other iron oxidising bacteria. The prediction of nutrient assimilation pathways suggests that “Ferrovum” strain JA12 maintains a chemolithoautotrophic lifestyle utilising carbon dioxide and bicarbonate, ammonium and urea, sulfate, phosphate and ferrous iron as carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorous and energy sources, respectively. Unique Metabolic Features The potential utilisation of urea by “Ferrovum” strain JA12 is moreover remarkable since it may furthermore represent a strategy among extreme acidophiles to cope with the acidic environment. Unlike other acidophilic chemolithoautotrophs “Ferrovum” strain JA12 exhibits a complete tricarboxylic acid cycle, a metabolic feature shared with the closer related neutrophilic iron oxidisers among the Betaproteobacteria including Sideroxydans lithotrophicus and Thiobacillus denitrificans. Furthermore, the absence of characteristic redox proteins involved in iron oxidation in the well-studied acidophiles Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (rusticyanin) and Acidithiobacillus

  18. Environmental distribution and abundance of the facultative methanotroph Methylocella

    OpenAIRE

    Rahman, Md Tanvir; Crombie, Andrew; Chen, Yin; Stralis-Pavese, Nancy; Bodrossy, Levente; Meir, Patrick; McNamara, Niall P; Murrell, J Colin

    2010-01-01

    Methylocella spp. are facultative methanotrophs, which are able to grow not only on methane but also on multicarbon substrates such as acetate, pyruvate or malate. Methylocella spp. were previously thought to be restricted to acidic soils such as peatlands, in which they may have a key role in methane oxidation. There is little information on the abundance and distribution of Methylocella spp. in the environment. New primers were designed, and a real-time quantitative PCR method was developed...

  19. Acquisition of useful and high ability genes for acidophilic bacteria; Kosansei saikin ni takai noryoku wo fuyosuru idenshi no kakutoku

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Senda, T; Inoue, C; Shinbori, Y [Tohoku University, Sendai (Japan)

    1997-02-01

    This effort aims at the development of high-performance bacteria usable in bio-leaching in metal smelting by acquiring genes capable of realizing such. A method is used of choosing some isolated strains exhibiting high-performance traits and acquiring target genes therefrom by use of genetic engineering. Approximately 200 kinds in the aggregate of acidophilic bacteria are currently available for the study, including isolated iron-oxidizing and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, standard species acquired for the study, and strains previously isolated by the laboratory. The bacteria are tested with respect to their Fe{sup 2+}-oxidizing rates, sulfur-oxidizing capabilities, and strength to withstand inhibiting substances (Ag{sup +}, Cl{sup -}, Mo{sup 6+}, etc.), which results in the nomination of 8 strains. The study planned to follow includes processes involving the extraction of chromosome DNAs from the 8 strains and their refinement, gene cloning by the Southern hybridization method, determination of their base sequences, determination of the difference between the strains in point of gene expression, and investigations of the relations that the results of these processes bear toward the said high-performance traits. Also under way is a study about the infuence-exerting factors revealed during the evaluation of the abilities of acidphlic bacteria. 2 refs., 2 tabs.

  20. Acidophilic green alga Pseudochlorella sp. YKT1 accumulates high amount of lipid droplets under a nitrogen-depleted condition at a low-pH.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shunsuke Hirooka

    Full Text Available Microalgal storage lipids are considered to be a promising source for next-generation biofuel feedstock. However, microalgal biodiesel is not yet economically feasible due to the high cost of production. One of the reasons for this is that the use of a low-cost open pond system is currently limited because of the unavoidable contamination with undesirable organisms. Extremophiles have an advantage in culturing in an open pond system because they grow in extreme environments toxic to other organisms. In this study, we isolated the acidophilic green alga Pseudochlorella sp. YKT1 from sulfuric acid mine drainage in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. The vegetative cells of YKT1 display the morphological characteristics of Trebouxiophyceae and molecular phylogenetic analyses indicated it to be most closely related to Pseudochlorella pringsheimii. The optimal pH and temperature for the growth of YKT1 are pH 3.0-5.0 and a temperature 20-25°C, respectively. Further, YKT1 is able to grow at pH 2.0 and at 32°C, which corresponds to the usual water temperature in the outdoors in summer in many countries. YKT1 accumulates a large amount of storage lipids (∼30% of dry weigh under a nitrogen-depleted condition at low-pH (pH 3.0. These results show that acidophilic green algae will be useful for industrial applications by acidic open culture systems.

  1. Illumina sequencing-based analysis of a microbial community enriched under anaerobic methane oxidation condition coupled to denitrification revealed coexistence of aerobic and anaerobic methanotrophs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siniscalchi, Luciene Alves Batista; Leite, Laura Rabelo; Oliveira, Guilherme; Chernicharo, Carlos Augusto Lemos; de Araújo, Juliana Calabria

    2017-07-01

    Methane is produced in anaerobic environments, such as reactors used to treat wastewaters, and can be consumed by methanotrophs. The composition and structure of a microbial community enriched from anaerobic sewage sludge under methane-oxidation condition coupled to denitrification were investigated. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis retrieved sequences of Methylocaldum and Chloroflexi. Deep sequencing analysis revealed a complex community that changed over time and was affected by methane concentration. Methylocaldum (8.2%), Methylosinus (2.3%), Methylomonas (0.02%), Methylacidiphilales (0.45%), Nitrospirales (0.18%), and Methanosarcinales (0.3%) were detected. Despite denitrifying conditions provided, Nitrospirales and Methanosarcinales, known to perform anaerobic methane oxidation coupled to denitrification (DAMO) process, were in very low abundance. Results demonstrated that aerobic and anaerobic methanotrophs coexisted in the reactor together with heterotrophic microorganisms, suggesting that a diverse microbial community was important to sustain methanotrophic activity. The methanogenic sludge was a good inoculum to enrich methanotrophs, and cultivation conditions play a selective role in determining community composition.

  2. Bioleaching of spent hydro-processing catalyst using acidophilic bacteria and its kinetics aspect

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mishra, Debaraj; Kim, Dong J.; Ralph, David E.; Ahn, Jong G.; Rhee, Young H.

    2008-01-01

    Bioleaching of metals from hazardous spent hydro-processing catalysts was attempted in the second stage after growing the bacteria with sulfur in the first stage. The first stage involved transformation of elemental sulfur particles to sulfuric acid through an oxidation process by acidophilic bacteria. In the second stage, the acidic medium was utilized for the leaching process. Nickel, vanadium and molybdenum contained within spent catalyst were leached from the solid materials to liquid medium by the action of sulfuric acid that was produced by acidophilic leaching bacteria. Experiments were conducted varying the reaction time, amount of spent catalysts, amount of elemental sulfur and temperature. At 50 g/L spent catalyst concentration and 20 g/L elemental sulfur, 88.3% Ni, 46.3% Mo, and 94.8% V were recovered after 7 days. Chemical leaching with commercial sulfuric acid of the similar amount that produced by bacteria was compared. Thermodynamic parameters were calculated and the nature of reaction was found to be exothermic. Leaching kinetics of the metals was represented by different reaction kinetic equations, however, only diffusion controlled model showed the best correlation here. During the whole process Mo showed low dissolution because of substantiate precipitation with leach residues as MoO 3 . Bioleach residues were characterized by EDX and XRD

  3. Bioleaching of spent hydro-processing catalyst using acidophilic bacteria and its kinetics aspect

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mishra, Debaraj [Mineral and Material Processing Division, Korea Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources, Daejeon 305-350 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Microbiology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Dong J. [Mineral and Material Processing Division, Korea Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources, Daejeon 305-350 (Korea, Republic of)], E-mail: djkim@kigam.re.kr; Ralph, David E. [AJ Parker CRC for Hydrometallurgy, Murdoch University, South Street Murdoch, Perth 6153 (Australia); Ahn, Jong G. [Mineral and Material Processing Division, Korea Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources, Daejeon 305-350 (Korea, Republic of); Rhee, Young H. [Department of Microbiology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764 (Korea, Republic of)

    2008-04-15

    Bioleaching of metals from hazardous spent hydro-processing catalysts was attempted in the second stage after growing the bacteria with sulfur in the first stage. The first stage involved transformation of elemental sulfur particles to sulfuric acid through an oxidation process by acidophilic bacteria. In the second stage, the acidic medium was utilized for the leaching process. Nickel, vanadium and molybdenum contained within spent catalyst were leached from the solid materials to liquid medium by the action of sulfuric acid that was produced by acidophilic leaching bacteria. Experiments were conducted varying the reaction time, amount of spent catalysts, amount of elemental sulfur and temperature. At 50 g/L spent catalyst concentration and 20 g/L elemental sulfur, 88.3% Ni, 46.3% Mo, and 94.8% V were recovered after 7 days. Chemical leaching with commercial sulfuric acid of the similar amount that produced by bacteria was compared. Thermodynamic parameters were calculated and the nature of reaction was found to be exothermic. Leaching kinetics of the metals was represented by different reaction kinetic equations, however, only diffusion controlled model showed the best correlation here. During the whole process Mo showed low dissolution because of substantiate precipitation with leach residues as MoO{sub 3}. Bioleach residues were characterized by EDX and XRD.

  4. Evaluation of a fluorescent lectin-based staining technique for some acidophilic mining bacteria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fife, D.J.; Bruhn, D.F.; Miller, K.S.; Stoner, D.L.

    2000-01-01

    A fluorescence-labeled wheat germ agglutinin staining technique was modified and found to be effective for staining gram-positive, acidophilic mining bacteria. Bacteria identified by others as being gram positive through 16S rRNA sequence analyses, yet clustering near the divergence of that group, stained weakly. Gram-negative bacteria did not stain. Background staining of environmental samples was negligible, and pyrite and soil particles in the samples did not interfere with the staining procedure

  5. Intracellular PHB conversion in a type II methanotroph studied by 13 C NMR

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vecherskaya, M.; Dijkema, C.; Stams, A.J.M.

    2001-01-01

    Poly-g-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) formation under aerobic conditions via incorporation of [13C-2]acetate as a cosubstrate and its intracellular degradation under anaerobic conditions in a Type II methanotroph was studied by 13C NMR. During PHB synthesis in the presence of labelled acetate, low levels of

  6. Culture-independent detection of 'TM7' bacteria in a streptomycin-resistant acidophilic nitrifying process

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kurogi, T.; Linh, N. T. T.; Kuroki, T.; Yamada, T. [Department of Environmental and Life Science, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi 441-8580 (Japan); Hiraishi, A. [Department of Environmental and Life Science, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi 441-8580, Japan and Electronics-inspired Interdisciplinary Institute (EIIRIS), Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi 441-8580 (Japan)

    2014-02-20

    Nitrification in biological wastewater treatment processes has been believed for long time to take place under neutral conditions and is inhibited under acidic conditions. However, we previously constructed acidophilic nitrifying sequencing-batch reactors (ANSBRs) being capable of nitrification at < pH 4 and harboring bacteria of the candidate phylum 'TM7' as the major constituents of the microbial community. In light of the fact that the 16S rRNA of TM7 bacteria has a highly atypical base substitution possibly responsible for resistance to streptomycin at the ribosome level, this study was undertaken to construct streptomycin-resistant acidophilic nitrifying (SRAN) reactors and to demonstrate whether TM7 bacteria are abundant in these reactors. The SRAN reactors were constructed by seeding with nitrifying sludge from an ANSBR and cultivating with ammonium-containing mineral medium (pH 4.0), to which streptomycin at a concentration of 10, 30 and 50 mg L{sup −1} was added. In all reactors, the pH varied between 2.7 and 4.0, and ammonium was completely converted to nitrate in every batch cycle. PCR-aided denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) targeting 16S rRNA genes revealed that some major clones assigned to TM7 bacteria and Gammaproteobacteria were constantly present during the overall period of operation. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with specific oligonucleotide probes also showed that TM7 bacteria predominated in all SRAN reactors, accounting for 58% of the total bacterial population on average. Although the biological significance of the TM7 bacteria in the SRAN reactors are unknown, our results suggest that these bacteria are possibly streptomycin-resistant and play some important roles in the acidophilic nitrifying process.

  7. Environmental evidence for net methane production and oxidation in putative ANaerobic MEthanotrophic (ANME) archaea

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lloyd, Karen; Teske, Andreas; Alperin, Marc J.

    2011-01-01

    . Anaerobic methane oxidation regulates methane emissions in marine sediments and appears to occur through a reversal of a methane-producing metabolism. We tested the assumption that ANME are obligate methanotrophs by detecting and quantifying gene transcription of ANME-1 across zones of methane oxidation...

  8. Photochemical performance of the acidophilic red alga Cyanidium sp. in a pH gradient

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kvíderová, Jana

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 42, č. 2-3 (2012), s. 223-234 ISSN 0169-6149. [European Workshop on Astrobiology of the European- Astrobiology -Network-Association (EANA) /11/. German Aerosp Ctr, Cologne, 11.07.2011-14.07.2011] R&D Projects: GA MŠk 1M0571 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : acidophilic red alga * pH gradient * photochemistry Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 1.831, year: 2012

  9. Ammonium addition inhibits 13C-methane incorporation into methanotroph membrane lipids in a freshwater sediment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nold, S.C.; Boschker, H.T.S.; Pel, R.; Laanbroek, H.J.

    1999-01-01

    To investigate the effect of ammonium addition on the species composition and activity of freshwater methane oxidizing bacteria, intact sediment cores were labeled with 13CH4 and incubated under ambient and elevated ammonium concentrations. After 7 days, methanotroph activity was assessed by

  10. The genes and enzymes of sucrose metabolism in moderately thermophilic methanotroph Methylocaldum szegediense O12.

    Science.gov (United States)

    But, Sergey Y; Solntseva, Natalia P; Egorova, Svetlana V; Mustakhimov, Ildar I; Khmelenina, Valentina N; Reshetnikov, Alexander; Trotsenko, Yuri A

    2018-05-01

    Four enzymes involved in sucrose metabolism: sucrose phosphate synthase (Sps), sucrose phosphate phosphatase (Spp), sucrose synthase (Sus) and fructokinase (FruK), were obtained as his-tagged proteins from the moderately thermophilic methanotroph Methylocaldum szegediense O12. Sps, Spp, FruK and Sus demonstrated biochemical properties similar to those of other bacterial counterparts, but the translated amino acid sequences of Sps and Spp displayed high divergence from the respective microbial enzymes. The Sus of M. szegediense O12 catalyzed the reversible reaction of sucrose cleavage in the presence of ADP or UDP and preferred ADP as a substrate, thus implying a connection between sucrose and glycogen metabolism. Sus-like genes were found only in a few methanotrophs, whereas amylosucrase was generally used in sucrose cleavage in this group of bacteria. Like other microbial fructokinases, FruK of M. szegediense O12 showed a high specificity to fructose.

  11. Ammonium addition inhibits 13C-methane incorporation into methanotroph membrane lipids in a freshwater sediment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nold, s.c.; Boschker, H.T.S.; Pel, R.; Laanbroek, H.J.

    1999-01-01

    To investigate the effect of ammonium addition on the species composition and activity of freshwater methane oxidizing bacteria, intact sediment cores were labeled with (CH4)-C-13 and incubated under ambient and elevated ammonium concentrations. After 7 days, methanotroph activity was assessed by

  12. Evidence of co-metabolic bentazone transformation by methanotrophic enrichment from a groundwater-fed rapid sand filter

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hedegaard, Mathilde Jørgensen; Deliniere, Hélène; Prasse, Carsten

    2018-01-01

    from 58 to 158, well within the range for methanotrophic co-metabolic degradation of trace contaminants calculated from the literature, with normalized substrate preferences varying from 3 to 400. High-resolution mass spectrometry revealed formation of the transformation products (TPs) 6-OH, 8-OH......The herbicide bentazone is recalcitrant in aquifers and is therefore frequently detected in wells used for drinking water production. However, bentazone degradation has been observed in filter sand from a rapid sand filter at a waterworks with methane-rich groundwater. Here, the association between...... and bentazone at concentrations below 2 mg/L showed methanotrophic co-metabolic bentazone transformation: The culture removed 53% of the bentazone in 21 days in presence of 5 mg/L of methane, while only 31% was removed in absence of methane. Addition of acetylene inhibited methane oxidation and stopped...

  13. Metagenomic identification of active methanogens and methanotrophs in serpentinite springs of the Voltri Massif, Italy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    William J. Brazelton

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The production of hydrogen and methane by geochemical reactions associated with the serpentinization of ultramafic rocks can potentially support subsurface microbial ecosystems independent of the photosynthetic biosphere. Methanogenic and methanotrophic microorganisms are abundant in marine hydrothermal systems heavily influenced by serpentinization, but evidence for methane-cycling archaea and bacteria in continental serpentinite springs has been limited. This report provides metagenomic and experimental evidence for active methanogenesis and methanotrophy by microbial communities in serpentinite springs of the Voltri Massif, Italy. Methanogens belonging to family Methanobacteriaceae and methanotrophic bacteria belonging to family Methylococcaceae were heavily enriched in three ultrabasic springs (pH 12. Metagenomic data also suggest the potential for hydrogen oxidation, hydrogen production, carbon fixation, fermentation, and organic acid metabolism in the ultrabasic springs. The predicted metabolic capabilities are consistent with an active subsurface ecosystem supported by energy and carbon liberated by geochemical reactions within the serpentinite rocks of the Voltri Massif.

  14. Methylocystis bryophila sp. nov., a facultatively methanotrophic bacterium from acidic Sphagnum peat, and emended description of the genus Methylocystis (ex Whittenbury et al. 1970) Bowman et al. 1993.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belova, Svetlana E; Kulichevskaya, Irina S; Bodelier, Paul L E; Dedysh, Svetlana N

    2013-03-01

    A novel species is proposed for two facultatively methanotrophic representatives of the genus Methylocystis, strains H2s(T) and S284, which were isolated from an acidic (pH 4.3) Sphagnum peat-bog lake (Teufelssee, Germany) and an acidic (pH 3.8) peat bog (European North Russia), respectively. Cells of strains H2s(T) and S284 are aerobic, Gram-negative, non-motile, curved coccoids or short rods that contain an intracytoplasmic membrane system typical of type-II methanotrophs. They possess both a soluble and a particulate methane monooxygenase (MMO); the latter is represented by two isozymes, pMMO1 and pMMO2. The preferred growth substrates are methane and methanol. In the absence of C1 substrates, however, these methanotrophs are capable of slow growth on acetate. Atmospheric nitrogen is fixed by means of an aerotolerant nitrogenase. Strains H2s(T) and S284 grow between pH 4.2 and 7.6 (optimum pH 6.0-6.5) and at 8-37 °C (optimum 25-30 °C). The major fatty acids are C18 : 1ω8c, C18 : 1ω7c and C16 : 1ω7c; the major quinone is Q-8. The DNA G+C content is 62.0-62.3 mol%. Strains H2s(T) and S284 share identical 16S rRNA gene sequences, which displayed 96.6-97.3 % similarity to sequences of other taxonomically characterized members of the genus Methylocystis. Therefore, strains H2s(T) and S284 are classified as members of a novel species, for which the name Methylocystis bryophila sp. nov. is proposed; strain H2s(T) ( = DSM 21852(T)  = VKM B-2545(T)) is the type strain.

  15. [Leaching of nonferrous metals from copper-smelting slag with acidophilic microorganisms].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murav'ev, M I; Fomchenko, N V

    2013-01-01

    The leaching process of copper and zinc from copper converter slag with sulphuric solutions of trivalent iron sulphate obtained using the association of acidophilic chemolithotrophic microorganisms was investigated. The best parameters of chemical leaching (temperature 70 degrees C, an initial concentration of trivalent iron in the leaching solution of 10.1 g/L, and a solid-phase content in the suspension of 10%) were selected. Carrying out the process under these parameters resulted in the recovery of 89.4% of copper and 39.3% of zinc in the solution. The possibility of the bioregeneration of trivalent iron in the solution obtained after the chemical leaching of slag by iron-oxidizingacidophilic chemolithotrophic microorganisms without inhibiting their activity was demonstrated.

  16. Effect of methanogenic substrates on anaerobic oxidation of methane and sulfate reduction by an anaerobic methanotrophic enrichment.

    KAUST Repository

    Meulepas, Roel J W; Jagersma, Christian G; Khadem, Ahmad F; Stams, Alfons J M; Lens, Piet N L

    2010-01-01

    Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) coupled to sulfate reduction (SR) is assumed to be a syntrophic process, in which methanotrophic archaea produce an interspecies electron carrier (IEC), which is subsequently utilized by sulfate-reducing bacteria

  17. Methane-Fueled Syntrophy through Extracellular Electron Transfer: Uncovering the Genomic Traits Conserved within Diverse Bacterial Partners of Anaerobic Methanotrophic Archaea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skennerton, Connor T; Chourey, Karuna; Iyer, Ramsunder; Hettich, Robert L; Tyson, Gene W; Orphan, Victoria J

    2017-08-01

    The anaerobic oxidation of methane by anaerobic methanotrophic (ANME) archaea in syntrophic partnership with deltaproteobacterial sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) is the primary mechanism for methane removal in ocean sediments. The mechanism of their syntrophy has been the subject of much research as traditional intermediate compounds, such as hydrogen and formate, failed to decouple the partners. Recent findings have indicated the potential for extracellular electron transfer from ANME archaea to SRB, though it is unclear how extracellular electrons are integrated into the metabolism of the SRB partner. We used metagenomics to reconstruct eight genomes from the globally distributed SEEP-SRB1 clade of ANME partner bacteria to determine what genomic features are required for syntrophy. The SEEP-SRB1 genomes contain large multiheme cytochromes that were not found in previously described free-living SRB and also lack periplasmic hydrogenases that may prevent an independent lifestyle without an extracellular source of electrons from ANME archaea. Metaproteomics revealed the expression of these cytochromes at in situ methane seep sediments from three sites along the Pacific coast of the United States. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these cytochromes appear to have been horizontally transferred from metal-respiring members of the Deltaproteobacteria such as Geobacter and may allow these syntrophic SRB to accept extracellular electrons in place of other chemical/organic electron donors. IMPORTANCE Some archaea, known as anaerobic methanotrophs, are capable of converting methane into carbon dioxide when they are growing syntopically with sulfate-reducing bacteria. This partnership is the primary mechanism for methane removal in ocean sediments; however, there is still much to learn about how this syntrophy works. Previous studies have failed to identify the metabolic intermediate, such as hydrogen or formate, that is passed between partners. However, recent analysis of

  18. Propyl gallate synthesis using acidophilic tannase and simultaneous production of tannase and gallic acid by marine Aspergillus awamori BTMFW032.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beena, P S; Basheer, Soorej M; Bhat, Sarita G; Bahkali, Ali H; Chandrasekaran, M

    2011-07-01

    Marine Aspergillus awamori BTMFW032, recently reported by us, produce acidophilic tannase as extracellular enzyme. Here, we report the application of this enzyme for synthesis of propyl gallate by direct transesterification of tannic acid and in tea cream solubilisation besides the simultaneous production of gallic acid along with tannase under submerged fermentation by this fungus. This acidophilic tannase enabled synthesis of propyl gallate by direct transesterification of tannic acid using propanol as organic reaction media under low water conditions. The identity of the product was confirmed with thin layer chromatography and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. It was noted that 699 U/ml of enzyme could give 60% solubilisation of tea cream within 1 h. Enzyme production medium was optimized adopting Box-Behnken design for simultaneous synthesis of tannase and gallic acid. Process variables including tannic acid, sodium chloride, ferrous sulphate, dipotassium hydrogen phosphate, incubation period and agitation were recognized as the critical factors that influenced tannase and gallic acid production. The model obtained predicted 4,824.61 U/ml of tannase and 136.206 μg/ml gallic acid after 48 h of incubation, whereas optimized medium supported 5,085 U/ml tannase and 372.6 μg/ml of gallic acid production after 36 and 84 h of incubation, respectively, with a 15-fold increase in both enzyme and gallic acid production. Results indicated scope for utilization of this acidophilic tannase for transesterification of tannic acid into propyl gallate, tea cream solubilisation and simultaneous production of gallic acid along with tannase.

  19. Aerobic methanotrophic communities at the Red Sea brine-seawater interface

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rehab Z. Abdallah

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The central rift of the Red Sea contains 25 brine pools with different physicochemical conditions, dictating the diversity and abundance of the microbial community. Three of these pools, the Atlantis II, Kebrit and Discovery Deeps, are uniquely characterized by a high concentration of hydrocarbons. The brine-seawater interface, described as an anoxic-oxic (brine-seawater boundary, is characterized by a high methane concentration, thus favoring aerobic methane oxidation. The current study analyzed the aerobic free–living methane-oxidizing bacterial communities that potentially contribute to methane oxidation at the brine-seawater interfaces of the three aforementioned brine pools, using metagenomic pyrosequencing, 16S rRNA pyrotags and pmoA library constructs. The sequencing of 16S rRNA pyrotags revealed that these interfaces are characterized by high microbial community diversity. Signatures of aerobic methane-oxidizing bacteria were detected in the Atlantis II Interface (ATII-I and the Kebrit Deep Upper (KB-U and Lower (KB-L brine-seawater interfaces. Through phylogenetic analysis of pmoA, we further demonstrated that the ATII-I aerobic methanotroph community is highly diverse. We propose four ATII-I pmoA clusters. Most importantly, cluster 2 groups with marine methane seep methanotrophs, and cluster 4 represent a unique lineage of an uncultured bacterium with divergent alkane monooxygenases. Moreover, non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS based on the ordination of putative enzymes involved in methane metabolism showed that the Kebrit interface layers were distinct from the ATII-I and DD-I brine-seawater interfaces.

  20. Metaproteomic identification of diazotrophic methanotrophs and their localization in root tissues of field-grown rice plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bao, Zhihua; Okubo, Takashi; Kubota, Kengo; Kasahara, Yasuhiro; Tsurumaru, Hirohito; Anda, Mizue; Ikeda, Seishi; Minamisawa, Kiwamu

    2014-08-01

    In a previous study by our group, CH4 oxidation and N2 fixation were simultaneously activated in the roots of wild-type rice plants in a paddy field with no N input; both processes are likely controlled by a rice gene for microbial symbiosis. The present study examined which microorganisms in rice roots were responsible for CH4 oxidation and N2 fixation under the field conditions. Metaproteomic analysis of root-associated bacteria from field-grown rice (Oryza sativa Nipponbare) revealed that nitrogenase complex-containing nitrogenase reductase (NifH) and the alpha subunit (NifD) and beta subunit (NifK) of dinitrogenase were mainly derived from type II methanotrophic bacteria of the family Methylocystaceae, including Methylosinus spp. Minor nitrogenase proteins such as Methylocella, Bradyrhizobium, Rhodopseudomonas, and Anaeromyxobacter were also detected. Methane monooxygenase proteins (PmoCBA and MmoXYZCBG) were detected in the same bacterial group of the Methylocystaceae. Because these results indicated that Methylocystaceae members mediate both CH4 oxidation and N2 fixation, we examined their localization in rice tissues by using catalyzed reporter deposition-fluorescence in situ hybridization (CARD-FISH). The methanotrophs were localized around the epidermal cells and vascular cylinder in the root tissues of the field-grown rice plants. Our metaproteomics and CARD-FISH results suggest that CH4 oxidation and N2 fixation are performed mainly by type II methanotrophs of the Methylocystaceae, including Methylosinus spp., inhabiting the vascular bundles and epidermal cells of rice roots. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  1. Arsenic tolerance and bioleaching from realgar based on response surface methodology by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans isolated from Wudalianchi volcanic lake, northeast China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lei Yan

    2017-01-01

    Conclusion: From this work we were successful in isolating an acidophilic, arsenic tolerant ferrous iron-oxidizing bacterium. The BBD-RSM analysis showed that maximum arsenic bioleaching rate obtained under optimum conditions, and the most effective factor for arsenic leaching was initial ferrous ion concentration. These revealed that BYQ-12 could be used for bioleaching of arsenic from arsenical minerals.

  2. Regulation of methane oxidation in the facultative methanotroph Methylocella silvestris BL2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Theisen, Andreas R; Ali, M Hanif; Radajewski, Stefan; Dumont, Marc G; Dunfield, Peter F; McDonald, Ian R; Dedysh, Svetlana N; Miguez, Carlos B; Murrell, J Colin

    2005-11-01

    The molecular regulation of methane oxidation in the first fully authenticated facultative methanotroph Methylocella silvestris BL2 was assessed during growth on methane and acetate. Problems of poor growth of Methylocella spp. in small-scale batch culture were overcome by growth in fermentor culture. The genes encoding soluble methane monooxygenase were cloned and sequenced, which revealed that the structural genes for soluble methane monooxygenase, mmoXYBZDC, were adjacent to two genes, mmoR and mmoG, encoding a sigma54 transcriptional activator and a putative GroEL-like chaperone, located downstream (3') of mmoC. Transcriptional analysis revealed that the genes were all cotranscribed from a sigma54-dependent promoter located upstream (5') of mmo X. The transcriptional start site was mapped. Transcriptional analysis of soluble methane monooxygenase genes and expression studies on fermentor grown cultures showed that acetate repressed transcription of sMMO in M. silvestris BL2. The possibility of the presence of a particulate, membrane-bound methane monooxygenase enzyme in M. silvestris BL2 and the copper-mediated regulation of soluble methane monooxygenase was investigated. Both were shown to be absent. A promoter probe vector was constructed and used to assay transcription of the promoter of the soluble methane monoxygenase genes of M. silvestris BL2 grown under various conditions and with different substrates. These data represent the first insights into the molecular physiology of a facultative methanotroph.

  3. Methanotrophic activity and diversity in different Sphagnum magellanicum dominated habitats in the southernmost peat bogs of Patagonia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kip, N.; Fritz, C.; Langelaan, E. S.; Pan, Y.; Bodrossy, L.; Pancotto, V.; Jetten, M. S. M.; Smolders, A. J. P.; den Camp, H. J. M. Op

    2012-01-01

    Sphagnum peatlands are important ecosystems in the methane cycle. Methanotrophs living inside the dead hyaline cells or on the Sphagnum mosses are able to act as a methane filter and thereby reduce methane emissions. We investigated in situ methane concentrations and the corresponding activity and

  4. Investigation of energy gene expressions and community structures of free and attached acidophilic bacteria in chalcopyrite bioleaching.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Jianyu; Jiao, Weifeng; Li, Qian; Liu, Xueduan; Qin, Wenqing; Qiu, Guanzhou; Hu, Yuehua; Chai, Liyuan

    2012-12-01

    In order to better understand the bioleaching mechanism, expression of genes involved in energy conservation and community structure of free and attached acidophilic bacteria in chalcopyrite bioleaching were investigated. Using quantitative real-time PCR, we studied the expression of genes involved in energy conservation in free and attached Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans during bioleaching of chalcopyrite. Sulfur oxidation genes of attached A. ferrooxidans were up-regulated while ferrous iron oxidation genes were down-regulated compared with free A. ferrooxidans in the solution. The up-regulation may be induced by elemental sulfur on the mineral surface. This conclusion was supported by the results of HPLC analysis. Sulfur-oxidizing Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and ferrous-oxidizing Leptospirillum ferrooxidans were the members of the mixed culture in chalcopyrite bioleaching. Study of the community structure of free and attached bacteria showed that A. thiooxidans dominated the attached bacteria while L. ferrooxidans dominated the free bacteria. With respect to available energy sources during bioleaching of chalcopyrite, sulfur-oxidizers tend to be on the mineral surfaces whereas ferrous iron-oxidizers tend to be suspended in the aqueous phase. Taken together, these results indicate that the main role of attached acidophilic bacteria was to oxidize elemental sulfur and dissolution of chalcopyrite involved chiefly an indirect bioleaching mechanism.

  5. Detection of putatively thermophilic anaerobic methanotrophs in diffuse hydrothermal vent fluids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merkel, Alexander Y; Huber, Julie A; Chernyh, Nikolay A; Bonch-Osmolovskaya, Elizaveta A; Lebedinsky, Alexander V

    2013-02-01

    The anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) is carried out by a globally distributed group of uncultivated Euryarchaeota, the anaerobic methanotrophic arachaea (ANME). In this work, we used G+C analysis of 16S rRNA genes to identify a putatively thermophilic ANME group and applied newly designed primers to study its distribution in low-temperature diffuse vent fluids from deep-sea hydrothermal vents. We found that the G+C content of the 16S rRNA genes (P(GC)) is significantly higher in the ANME-1GBa group than in other ANME groups. Based on the positive correlation between the P(GC) and optimal growth temperatures (T(opt)) of archaea, we hypothesize that the ANME-1GBa group is adapted to thrive at high temperatures. We designed specific 16S rRNA gene-targeted primers for the ANME-1 cluster to detect all phylogenetic groups within this cluster, including the deeply branching ANME-1GBa group. The primers were successfully tested both in silico and in experiments with sediment samples where ANME-1 phylotypes had previously been detected. The primers were further used to screen for the ANME-1 microorganisms in diffuse vent fluid samples from deep-sea hydrothermal vents in the Pacific Ocean, and sequences belonging to the ANME-1 cluster were detected in four individual vents. Phylotypes belonging to the ANME-1GBa group dominated in clone libraries from three of these vents. Our findings provide evidence of existence of a putatively extremely thermophilic group of methanotrophic archaea that occur in geographically and geologically distinct marine hydrothermal habitats.

  6. Thiol/Disulfide system plays a crucial role in redox protection in the acidophilic iron-oxidizing bacterium Leptospirillum ferriphilum.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Javiera Norambuena

    Full Text Available Thiol/disulfide systems are involved in the maintenance of the redox status of proteins and other molecules that contain thiol/disulfide groups. Leptospirillum ferriphilum DSM14647, an acidophilic bacterium that uses Fe(2+ as electron donor, and withstands very high concentrations of iron and other redox active metals, is a good model to study how acidophiles preserve the thiol/disulfide balance. We studied the composition of thiol/disulfide systems and their role in the oxidative stress response in this extremophile bacterium. Bioinformatic analysis using genomic data and enzymatic assays using protein extracts from cells grown under oxidative stress revealed that the major thiol/disulfide system from L. ferriphilum are a cytoplasmic thioredoxin system (composed by thioredoxins Trx and thioredoxin reductase TR, periplasmic thiol oxidation system (DsbA/DsbB and a c-type cytochrome maturation system (DsbD/DsbE. Upon exposure of L. ferriphilum to reactive oxygen species (ROS-generating compounds, transcriptional activation of the genes encoding Trxs and the TR enzyme, which results in an increase of the corresponding activity, was observed. Altogether these data suggest that the thioredoxin-based thiol/disulfide system plays an important role in redox protection of L. ferriphilum favoring the survival of this microorganism under extreme environmental oxidative conditions.

  7. Optimum O2:CH4 Ratio Promotes the Synergy between Aerobic Methanotrophs and Denitrifiers to Enhance Nitrogen Removal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jing Zhu

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The O2:CH4 ratio significantly effects nitrogen removal in mixed cultures where aerobic methane oxidation is coupled with denitrification (AME-D. The goal of this study was to investigate nitrogen removal of the AME-D process at four different O2:CH4 ratios [0, 0.05, 0.25, and 1 (v/v]. In batch tests, the highest denitrifying activity was observed when the O2:CH4 ratio was 0.25. At this ratio, the methanotrophs produced sufficient carbon sources for denitrifiers and the oxygen level did not inhibit nitrite removal. The results indicated that the synergy between methanotrophs and denitrifiers was significantly improved, thereby achieving a greater capacity of nitrogen removal. Based on thermodynamic and chemical analyses, methanol, butyrate, and formaldehyde could be the main trophic links of AME-D process in our study. Our research provides valuable information for improving the practical application of the AME-D systems.

  8. Optimized Production of Xylitol from Xylose Using a Hyper-Acidophilic Candida tropicalis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tamburini, Elena; Costa, Stefania; Marchetti, Maria Gabriella; Pedrini, Paola

    2015-08-19

    The yeast Candida tropicalis DSM 7524 produces xylitol, a natural, low-calorie sweetener, by fermentation of xylose. In order to increase xylitol production rate during the submerged fermentation process, some parameters-substrate (xylose) concentration, pH, aeration rate, temperature and fermentation strategy-have been optimized. The maximum xylitol yield reached at 60-80 g/L initial xylose concentration, pH 5.5 at 37 °C was 83.66% (w/w) on consumed xylose in microaerophilic conditions (kLa = 2·h(-1)). Scaling up on 3 L fermenter, with a fed-batch strategy, the best xylitol yield was 86.84% (w/w), against a 90% of theoretical yield. The hyper-acidophilic behaviour of C. tropicalis makes this strain particularly promising for industrial application, due to the possibility to work in non-sterile conditions.

  9. Hydrology is reflected in the functioning and community composition of methanotrophs in the littoral wetland of a boreal lake

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Siljanen, H.M.P.; Saari, A.; Krause, S.; Lensu, A.; Abell, G.C.J.; Bodrossy, L.; Bodelier, P.L.E.; Martikainen, P.J.

    2011-01-01

    In lake ecosystems a major proportion of methane emissions originate from the littoral zone which can have a great spatial variability in hydrology, soil quality and vegetation. Hitherto, spatial heterogeneity and the effects it has on functioning and diversity of methanotrophs in littoral wetlands

  10. Selection of Type I and Type II Methanotrophic Proteobacteria in a Fluidized Bed Reactor under Non-Sterile Conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-08-01

    equipped with a thermal con- ductivity detector (TCD) with a CTR1 column ( Alltech Associates Inc., Deerfield, IL) with He as carrier gas. The injection...grow at this pH (Bowman, 2006). Ama- ral and Knowles (1995) reported that Type II methanotrophs had a competitive advantage when oxygen was limited and

  11. In situ bioremediation of trichloroethylene-contaminated water by a resting-cell methanotrophic microbial filter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taylor, R.T.; Duba, A.G.; Durham, W.B.; Hanna, M.L.; Jackson, K.J.; Jovanovich, M.C.; Knapp, R.B.; Knezovich, J.P.; Shah, N.N.; Shonnard, D.R.; Wijesinghe, A.M.

    1992-10-01

    The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is testing and developing an in situ microbial filter technology for remediating migrating subsurface plumes contaminated with low concentrations of trichloroethylene (TCE). Their current focus is the establishment of a replenishable bioactive zone (catalytic filter) along expanding plume boundaries by the Injection of a representative methanotrophic bacterium, Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b. We have successfully demonstrated this microbial filter strategy using emplaced, attached resting cells (no methane additions) in a 1.1-m flow-through test bed loaded with water-saturated sand. Two separate 24 h pulses of TCE (109 ppb and 85 ppb), one week apart, were pumped through the system at a flow velocity of 1.5 cm/h; no TCE (<0.5 ppb) was detected on the downstream side of the microbial filter. Subsequent excavation of the wet sand confirmed the existence of a TCE-bioactive zone 19 days after it had been created. An enhanced longevity of the cellular, soluble-form methane monooxygenase produced by this methanotroph Is a result of our laboratory bioreactor culturing conditions. Additional experiments with cells in sealed vials and emplaced in the 1.1-m test bed yielded a high resting-cell finite TCE biotransformation capacity of ∼ 0.25 mg per mg of bacteria; this is suitable for a planned sand-filled trench field demonstration at a Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory site

  12. Effect of nutrient and selective inhibitor amendments on methane oxidation, nitrous oxide production, and key gene presence and expression in landfill cover soils: characterization of the role of methanotrophs, nitrifiers, and denitrifiers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sung-Woo; Im, Jeongdae; Dispirito, Alan A; Bodrossy, Levente; Barcelona, Michael J; Semrau, Jeremy D

    2009-11-01

    Methane and nitrous oxide are both potent greenhouse gasses, with global warming potentials approximately 25 and 298 times that of carbon dioxide. A matrix of soil microcosms was constructed with landfill cover soils collected from the King Highway Landfill in Kalamazoo, Michigan and exposed to geochemical parameters known to affect methane consumption by methanotrophs while also examining their impact on biogenic nitrous oxide production. It was found that relatively dry soils (5% moisture content) along with 15 mg NH (4) (+) (kg soil)(-1) and 0.1 mg phenylacetylene(kg soil)(-1) provided the greatest stimulation of methane oxidation while minimizing nitrous oxide production. Microarray analyses of pmoA showed that the methanotrophic community structure was dominated by Type II organisms, but Type I genera were more evident with the addition of ammonia. When phenylacetylene was added in conjunction with ammonia, the methanotrophic community structure was more similar to that observed in the presence of no amendments. PCR analyses showed the presence of amoA from both ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and archaea, and that the presence of key genes associated with these cells was reduced with the addition of phenylacetylene. Messenger RNA analyses found transcripts of pmoA, but not of mmoX, nirK, norB, or amoA from either ammonia-oxidizing bacteria or archaea. Pure culture analyses showed that methanotrophs could produce significant amounts of nitrous oxide, particularly when expressing the particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO). Collectively, these data suggest that methanotrophs expressing pMMO played a role in nitrous oxide production in these microcosms.

  13. Optimized Production of Xylitol from Xylose Using a Hyper-Acidophilic Candida tropicalis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Tamburini

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available The yeast Candida tropicalis DSM 7524 produces xylitol, a natural, low-calorie sweetener, by fermentation of xylose. In order to increase xylitol production rate during the submerged fermentation process, some parameters-substrate (xylose concentration, pH, aeration rate, temperature and fermentation strategy-have been optimized. The maximum xylitol yield reached at 60–80 g/L initial xylose concentration, pH 5.5 at 37 °C was 83.66% (w/w on consumed xylose in microaerophilic conditions (kLa = 2·h−1. Scaling up on 3 L fermenter, with a fed-batch strategy, the best xylitol yield was 86.84% (w/w, against a 90% of theoretical yield. The hyper-acidophilic behaviour of C. tropicalis makes this strain particularly promising for industrial application, due to the possibility to work in non-sterile conditions.

  14. Monitoring Acidophilic Microbes with Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Assays

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Frank F. Roberto

    2008-08-01

    Many techniques that are used to characterize and monitor microbial populations associated with sulfide mineral bioleaching require the cultivation of the organisms on solid or liquid media. Chemolithotrophic species, such as Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Leptospirillum ferrooxidans, or thermophilic chemolithotrophs, such as Acidianus brierleyi and Sulfolobus solfataricus can grow quite slowly, requiring weeks to complete efforts to identify and quantify these microbes associated with bioleach samples. Real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) assays in which DNA targets are amplified in the presence of fluorescent oligonucleotide primers, allowing the monitoring and quantification of the amplification reactions as they progress, provide a means of rapidly detecting the presence of microbial species of interest, and their relative abundance in a sample. This presentation will describe the design and use of such assays to monitor acidophilic microbes in the environment and in bioleaching operations. These assays provide results within 2-3 hours, and can detect less than 100 individual microbial cells.

  15. Enrichment of anaerobic nitrate-dependent methanotrophic ?Candidatus Methanoperedens nitroreducens? archaea from an Italian paddy field soil

    OpenAIRE

    Vaksmaa, Annika; Guerrero-Cruz, Simon; van Alen, Theo A.; Cremers, Geert; Ettwig, Katharina F.; L?ke, Claudia; Jetten, Mike S. M.

    2017-01-01

    Paddy fields are a significant source of methane and contribute up to 20% of total methane emissions from wetland ecosystems. These inundated, anoxic soils featuring abundant nitrogen compounds and methane are an ideal niche for nitrate-dependent anaerobic methanotrophs. After 2?years of enrichment with a continuous supply of methane and nitrate as the sole electron donor and acceptor, a stable enrichment dominated by ?Candidatus Methanoperedens nitroreducens? archaea and ?Candidatus Methylom...

  16. Effect of Mineral Nutrients on the Kinetics of Methane Utilization by Methanotrophs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boiesen, Anette; Arvin, Erik; Broholm, Kim

    1993-01-01

    The effect of different mineral nutrients on the kinetics of methane biodegradation by a mixed culture of methanotrophic bacteria was studied. The substrate factors examined were ammonia, iron, copper, manganese, phosphate, and sulphide. The presence of iron in the growth medium had a strong effect...... was the only nitrogen source. The observed Monod constant for methane utilization increased with increasing concentration of ammonia. This shows that ammonia is a weak competitive inhibitor as observed by other researchers. Relatively high levels of both ammonia (70 mg/l) and copper (300 mu-g/l) inhibited...... the methane degradation, probably due to the toxic effect of copper-amine complexes....

  17. Pyrosequencing reveals correlations between extremely acidophilic bacterial communities with hydrogen sulphide concentrations, pH and inert polymer coatings at concrete sewer crown surfaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pagaling, E; Yang, K; Yan, T

    2014-07-01

    To investigate the acidophilic bacterial communities involved in microbially induced concrete corrosion (MICC). Our study sites located downstream from a forced main provided a unique opportunity to study the microbial communities involved in MICC under different environmental conditions (gradients of atmospheric H(2)S, sulphate concentration and pH) and under pipe modifications (coated vs uncoated). Bacterial cell density estimated by both cultivation- and DNA-based methods was low in the corroded sewer samples. Pyrosequencing and cloning showed that Mycobacterium and Acidithiobacillus dominated the acidophilic microbial communities. Methylacidiphilum was also dominant in samples where methane was detected. Correlation analysis indicated that Mycobacterium and Acidithiobacillus were significantly affected by pH and that Mycobacterium could better withstand highly acidic conditions compared to Acidithiobacillus. Communities dominated by Mycobacterium favoured conditions in the lined sewer pipes, while communities with a higher relative abundance of Acidithiobacillus favoured the unlined sewer pipes. Identifying the key micro-organisms involved in MICC and knowing how they interact with their environment are essential aspects for identifying steps towards concrete corrosion management. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  18. Microbiology of a wetland ecosystem constructed to remediate mine drainage from a heavy metal mine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hallberg, Kevin B; Johnson, D Barrie

    2005-02-01

    A pilot passive treatment plant (PPTP) was constructed to evaluate the potential of a composite wetland system to remediate acidic, metal-rich water draining the former Wheal Jane tin, in Cornwall, England. The treatment plant consists of three separate and controllable composite systems, each of which comprises a series of aerobic wetlands for iron oxidation and precipitation, a compost bioreactor for removing chalcophilic metals and to generate alkalinity, and rock filter ponds for removing soluble manganese and organic carbon. To understand the roles of microorganisms in remediating acid mine drainage (AMD) in constructed wetland ecosystems, populations of different groups of cultivatable acidophilic microbes in the various components of the Wheal Jane PPTP were enumerated over a 30-month period. Initially, moderately acidophilic iron-oxidising bacteria (related to Halothiobacillus neapolitanus) were found to be the major cultivatable microorganisms present in the untreated AMD, though later heterotrophic acidophiles emerged as the dominant group, on a numerical basis. Culturable microbes in the surface waters and sediments of the aerobic wetlands were similarly dominated by heterotrophic acidophiles, though both moderately and extremely acidophilic iron-oxidising bacteria were also present in significant numbers. The dominant microbial isolate in waters draining the anaerobic compost bioreactors was an iron- and sulfur-oxidising moderate acidophile that was closely related to Thiomonas intermedia. The acidophiles enumerated at the Wheal Jane PPTP accounted for 1% to 25% of the total microbial population. Phylogenetic analysis of 14 isolates from various components of the Wheal Jane PPTP showed that, whilst many of these bacteria were commonly encountered acidophiles, some of these had not been previously encountered in AMD and AMD-impacted environments.

  19. Environmental distribution and abundance of the facultative methanotroph Methylocella.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, Md Tanvir; Crombie, Andrew; Chen, Yin; Stralis-Pavese, Nancy; Bodrossy, Levente; Meir, Patrick; McNamara, Niall P; Murrell, J Colin

    2011-06-01

    Methylocella spp. are facultative methanotrophs, which are able to grow not only on methane but also on multicarbon substrates such as acetate, pyruvate or malate. Methylocella spp. were previously thought to be restricted to acidic soils such as peatlands, in which they may have a key role in methane oxidation. There is little information on the abundance and distribution of Methylocella spp. in the environment. New primers were designed, and a real-time quantitative PCR method was developed and validated targeting Methylocella mmoX (encoding the α-subunit of the soluble methane monooxygenase) that allowed the quantification of Methylocella spp. in environmental samples. We also developed and validated specific PCR assays, which target 16S rRNA genes of known Methylocella spp. These were used to investigate the distribution of Methylocella spp. in a variety of environmental samples. It was revealed that Methylocella species are widely distributed in nature and not restricted to acidic environments.

  20. Culture scale-up and immobilisation of a mixed methanotrophic consortium for methane remediation in pilot-scale bio-filters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karthikeyan, Obulisamy Parthiba; Saravanan, Nadarajan; Cirés, Samuel; Alvarez-Roa, Carlos; Razaghi, Ali; Chidambarampadmavathy, Karthigeyan; Velu, Chinnathambi; Subashchandrabose, Gobalakrishnan; Heimann, Kirsten

    2017-02-01

    Robust methanotrophic consortia for methane (CH 4 ) remediation and by-product development are presently not readily available for industrial use. In this study, a mixed methanotrophic consortium (MMC), sequentially enriched from a marine sediment, was assessed for CH 4 removal efficiency and potential biomass-generated by-product development. Suitable packing material for bio-filters to support MMC biofilm establishment and growth was also evaluated. The enriched MMC removed ∼7-13% CH 4 under a very high gas flow rate (2.5 L min -1 ; 20-25% CH 4 ) in continuous-stirred tank reactors (∼10 L working volume) and the biomass contained long-chain fatty acids (i.e. C 16 and C 18 ). Cultivation of the MMC on plastic bio-balls abated ∼95-97% CH 4 in pilot-scale non-sterile outdoor-operated bio-filters (0.1 L min -1 ; 1% CH 4 ). Contamination by cyanobacteria had beneficial effects on treating low-level CH 4 , by providing additional oxygen for methane oxidation by MMC, suggesting that the co-cultivation of MMC with cyanobacterial mats does not interfere with and may actually be beneficial for remediation of CH 4 and CO 2 at industrial scale.

  1. Effect of methanogenic substrates on anaerobic oxidation of methane and sulfate reduction by an anaerobic methanotrophic enrichment.

    KAUST Repository

    Meulepas, Roel J W

    2010-05-06

    Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) coupled to sulfate reduction (SR) is assumed to be a syntrophic process, in which methanotrophic archaea produce an interspecies electron carrier (IEC), which is subsequently utilized by sulfate-reducing bacteria. In this paper, six methanogenic substrates are tested as candidate-IECs by assessing their effect on AOM and SR by an anaerobic methanotrophic enrichment. The presence of acetate, formate or hydrogen enhanced SR, but did not inhibit AOM, nor did these substrates trigger methanogenesis. Carbon monoxide also enhanced SR but slightly inhibited AOM. Methanol did not enhance SR nor did it inhibit AOM, and methanethiol inhibited both SR and AOM completely. Subsequently, it was calculated at which candidate-IEC concentrations no more Gibbs free energy can be conserved from their production from methane at the applied conditions. These concentrations were at least 1,000 times lower can the final candidate-IEC concentration in the bulk liquid. Therefore, the tested candidate-IECs could not have been produced from methane during the incubations. Hence, acetate, formate, methanol, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen can be excluded as sole IEC in AOM coupled to SR. Methanethiol did inhibit AOM and can therefore not be excluded as IEC by this study.

  2. Activities of methionine-γ-lyase in the acidophilic archaeon “Ferroplasma acidarmanus” strain fer1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khan MA

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available M A Khan,1 Madeline M López-Muñoz,2 Charles W Kaspar,3 Kai F Hung1 1Department of Biological Sciences, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, USA; 2Department of Biology, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico; 3Bacteriology Department, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA Abstract: Biogeochemical processes on exposed pyrite ores result in extremely high levels of sulfuric acid at these locations. Acidophiles that thrive in these conditions must overcome significant challenges, including an environment with proton concentrations at pH 3 or below. The role of sulfur metabolism in the archaeon “Ferroplasma acidarmanus” strain fer1's ability to thrive in this environment was investigated due to its growth-dependent production of methanethiol, a volatile organic sulfur compound. Two putative sequences for methionine-γ-lyase (EC 4.4.1.11, an enzyme known to carry out α, γ-elimination on L-methionine to produce methanethiol, were identified in fer1. Bioinformatic analyses identified a conserved pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP binding domain and a partially conserved catalytic domain in both putative sequences. Detection of PLP-dependent and L-methionine-dependent production of α-keto compounds and thiol groups in fer1 confirmed the presence of methionine-γ-lyase activity. Further, fer1 lysate was capable of processing related substrates, including D-methionine, L-cysteine, L-cystathionine, and L/D-homocysteine. When the two putative fer1 methionine-γ-lyase gene-coded proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli cells, one sequence demonstrated an ability to carry out α, γ-elimination activity, while the other exhibited γ-replacement activity. These fer1 methionine-γ-lyases also exhibited optimum pH, substrate specificity, and catalytic preferences that are different from methionine-γ-lyases from other organisms. These differences are discussed in the context of molecular phylogeny constructed using a maximum

  3. Gene Identification and Substrate Regulation Provide Insights into Sulfur Accumulation during Bioleaching with the Psychrotolerant Acidophile Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liljeqvist, Maria; Rzhepishevska, Olena I.

    2013-01-01

    The psychrotolerant acidophile Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans has been identified from cold environments and has been shown to use ferrous iron and inorganic sulfur compounds as its energy sources. A bioinformatic evaluation presented in this study suggested that Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans utilized a ferrous iron oxidation pathway similar to that of the related species Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. However, the inorganic sulfur oxidation pathway was less clear, since the Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans genome contained genes from both Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus caldus encoding enzymes whose assigned functions are redundant. Transcriptional analysis revealed that the petA1 and petB1 genes (implicated in ferrous iron oxidation) were downregulated upon growth on the inorganic sulfur compound tetrathionate but were on average 10.5-fold upregulated in the presence of ferrous iron. In contrast, expression of cyoB1 (involved in inorganic sulfur compound oxidation) was decreased 6.6-fold upon growth on ferrous iron alone. Competition assays between ferrous iron and tetrathionate with Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans SS3 precultured on chalcopyrite mineral showed a preference for ferrous iron oxidation over tetrathionate oxidation. Also, pure and mixed cultures of psychrotolerant acidophiles were utilized for the bioleaching of metal sulfide minerals in stirred tank reactors at 5 and 25°C in order to investigate the fate of ferrous iron and inorganic sulfur compounds. Solid sulfur accumulated in bioleaching cultures growing on a chalcopyrite concentrate. Sulfur accumulation halted mineral solubilization, but sulfur was oxidized after metal release had ceased. The data indicated that ferrous iron was preferentially oxidized during growth on chalcopyrite, a finding with important implications for biomining in cold environments. PMID:23183980

  4. Anaerobic methanotrophic communities thrive in deep submarine permafrost.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winkel, Matthias; Mitzscherling, Julia; Overduin, Pier P; Horn, Fabian; Winterfeld, Maria; Rijkers, Ruud; Grigoriev, Mikhail N; Knoblauch, Christian; Mangelsdorf, Kai; Wagner, Dirk; Liebner, Susanne

    2018-01-22

    Thawing submarine permafrost is a source of methane to the subsurface biosphere. Methane oxidation in submarine permafrost sediments has been proposed, but the responsible microorganisms remain uncharacterized. We analyzed archaeal communities and identified distinct anaerobic methanotrophic assemblages of marine and terrestrial origin (ANME-2a/b, ANME-2d) both in frozen and completely thawed submarine permafrost sediments. Besides archaea potentially involved in anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) we found a large diversity of archaea mainly belonging to Bathyarchaeota, Thaumarchaeota, and Euryarchaeota. Methane concentrations and δ 13 C-methane signatures distinguish horizons of potential AOM coupled either to sulfate reduction in a sulfate-methane transition zone (SMTZ) or to the reduction of other electron acceptors, such as iron, manganese or nitrate. Analysis of functional marker genes (mcrA) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) corroborate potential activity of AOM communities in submarine permafrost sediments at low temperatures. Modeled potential AOM consumes 72-100% of submarine permafrost methane and up to 1.2 Tg of carbon per year for the total expected area of submarine permafrost. This is comparable with AOM habitats such as cold seeps. We thus propose that AOM is active where submarine permafrost thaws, which should be included in global methane budgets.

  5. Effects of Long-Term CO2 Enrichment on Soil-Atmosphere CH4 Fluxes and the Spatial Micro-Distribution of Methanotrophic Bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karbin, Saeed; Guillet, Cécile; Kammann, Claudia I; Niklaus, Pascal A

    2015-01-01

    Effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations on plant growth and associated C cycling have intensively been studied, but less is known about effects on the fluxes of radiatively active trace gases other than CO2. Net soil-atmosphere CH4 fluxes are determined by the balance of soil microbially-driven methane (CH4) oxidation and methanogenesis, and both might change under elevated CO2. Here, we studied CH4 dynamics in a permanent grassland exposed to elevated CO2 for 14 years. Soil-atmosphere fluxes of CH4 were measured using large static chambers, over a period of four years. The ecosystem was a net sink for atmospheric CH4 for most of the time except summer to fall when net CH4 emissions occurred. We did not detect any elevated CO2 effects on CH4 fluxes, but emissions were difficult to quantify due to their discontinuous nature, most likely because of ebullition from the saturated zone. Potential methanotrophic activity, determined by incubation of fresh sieved soil under standardized conditions, also did not reveal any effect of the CO2 treatment. Finally, we determined the spatial micro-distribution of methanotrophic activity at less than 5× atmospheric (10 ppm) and elevated (10000 ppm) CH4 concentrations, using a novel auto-radiographic technique. These analyses indicated that domains of net CH4 assimilation were distributed throughout the analyzed top 15 cm of soils, with no dependence on CH4 concentration or CO2 treatment. Our investigations suggest that elevated CO2 exerts no or only minor effects on CH4 fluxes in the type of ecosystem we studied, at least as long as soil moisture differences are small or absent as was the case here. The autoradiographic analyses further indicate that the spatial niche of CH4 oxidation does not shift in response to CO2 enrichment or CH4 concentration, and that the same type of methanotrophs may oxidize CH4 from atmospheric and soil-internal sources.

  6. Biodegradation of Mustard

    Science.gov (United States)

    1994-07-01

    different areas of Kuwait. The isolates were identified as Asoeraillus terreus, h. IlabirM, Mucor alobosus, usarium sp . and Penicillium citrinum (94...Thiobacillus delicatus nov. sp . J. Ferment . Technol. 54:181-191 (1976). (39) Harrison, AP. The acidophilic thiobacilli and other acidophilic bacteria...methyl sulfide is oxidized to sulfate by Hnhomicrobium S sp ., Hynhomicrobu EG (21-23), Thiobacillus thioDarus TK-m and Thiobacillus MS1 (24,25), but only

  7. Characterization of bacteria acidophilic in samples of water coming into a region that suffers influence of uranium mine in Caldas (MG)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Campos, Michelle B.; Ferrari, Carla R.; Roque, Claudio V.; Ronqui, Leilane B.; Nascimento, Marcos R.L. do; Rodgher, Suzelei; Azevedo, Heliana

    2009-01-01

    The fundamental condition for the bioleaching of the uranium ore is the presence of metallic sulfide such as pyrite associated with the ore, which is found in the ore and in the waste at the Unidade de Tratamento de Minerio (UTM) of Pocos de Caldas, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The present study aims to determine the chemical and microbiological characteristics in effluents of uranium mining from the UTM and in Antas dam, which receives treated effluents from the UTM. Water samples were collected Pit Mine (CM), located within the UTM facilities and from site 41 (Antas dam) in July and October 2008. We verified low pH values in water samples from CM (3.7) in comparison to the ones found at site 41 (6.65). There was a higher medium density value of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and heterotrophic acidophilic bacteria in water samples at site CM compared to the values recorded from samples at site 41. Medium values of Fe 2+ , uranium and zinc in samples from the site CM were higher than at site 41. The concentration of fluoride (68.5 mL -l ) and manganese (2.34 mL -1 ) in water samples from site 41 were above the limits fixed for water bodies in Resolution CONAMA 357. The relative seasonal variation of some variables observed at site CM (low pH values, high densities of Acidithiobacillus sp. and heterotrophic acidophilic bacteria) shows that this site is one of the main sites of occurrence of acid mine drainage and action of bioleaching bacteria at UTM. (author)

  8. Nutrient recovery from industrial wastewater as single cell protein by a co-culture of green microalgae and methanotrophs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasouli, Zahra; Valverde Pérez, Borja; D'Este, Martina

    2018-01-01

    wastewater and upcycle them to feed grade single cell protein. Results demonstrated that both algae and bacteria could remove or assimilate most of the organic carbon present in the wastewater (~95% removal for monocultures and 91% for the algal-bacterial consortium). However, their growth stopped before......, for all cultures the protein content (45% of dry weight, DW, for methanotrophs; 52.5% of DW for algae; and 27.6% of DW for consortium) and amino acid profile was suitable for substitution of conventional protein sources. Further research should focus on increasing productivity of biomass grown...

  9. The Effect of Specific Conditions on Cu, Ni, Zn and Al Recovery from PCBS Waste Using Acidophilic Bacterial Strains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mrážiková A.

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of static, stirring and shaking conditions on copper, zinc, nickel and aluminium dissolution from printed circuit boards (PCBs using the mixed acidophilic bacterial culture of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans. The results revealed that static conditions were the most effective in zinc and aluminium dissolution. Zinc was removed almost completely under static conditions, whereas maximum of nickel dissolution was reached under the stirring conditions. The highest copper recovery (36% was reached under stirring conditions. The shaking conditions appeared to be the least suitable. The relative importance of these systems for the bioleaching of copper and nickel decreased in the order: stirring, static conditions, shaking.

  10. Ammonia Oxidation and Nitrite Reduction in the Verrucomicrobial Methanotroph Methylacidiphilum fumariolicum SolV

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sepehr S. Mohammadi

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The Solfatara volcano near Naples (Italy, the origin of the recently discovered verrucomicrobial methanotroph Methylacidiphilum fumariolicum SolV was shown to contain ammonium (NH4+ at concentrations ranging from 1 to 28 mM. Ammonia (NH3 can be converted to toxic hydroxylamine (NH2OH by the particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO, the first enzyme of the methane (CH4 oxidation pathway. Methanotrophs rapidly detoxify the intermediate NH2OH. Here, we show that strain SolV performs ammonium oxidation to nitrite at a rate of 48.2 nmol NO2-.h−1.mg DW−1 under O2 limitation in a continuous culture grown on hydrogen (H2 as an electron donor. In addition, strain SolV carries out nitrite reduction at a rate of 74.4 nmol NO2-.h−1.mg DW−1 under anoxic condition at pH 5–6. This range of pH was selected to minimize the chemical conversion of nitrite (NO2- potentially occurring at more acidic pH values. Furthermore, at pH 6, we showed that the affinity constants (Ks of the cells for NH3 vary from 5 to 270 μM in the batch incubations with 0.5–8% (v/v CH4, respectively. Detailed kinetic analysis showed competitive substrate inhibition between CH4 and NH3. Using transcriptome analysis, we showed up-regulation of the gene encoding hydroxylamine dehydrogenase (haoA cells grown on H2/NH4+ compared to the cells grown on CH4/NO3- which do not have to cope with reactive N-compounds. The denitrifying genes nirk and norC showed high expression in H2/NH4+ and CH4/NO3- grown cells compared to cells growing at μmax (with no limitation while the norB gene showed downregulation in CH4/NO3- grown cells. These cells showed a strong upregulation of the genes in nitrate/nitrite assimilation. Our results demonstrate that strain SolV can perform ammonium oxidation producing nitrite. At high concentrations of ammonium this may results in toxic effects. However, at low oxygen concentrations strain SolV is able to reduce nitrite to N2O to cope with this toxicity.

  11. Identification of the dominant sulfate-reducing bacterial partner of anaerobic methanotrophs of the ANME-2 clade.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schreiber, Lars; Holler, Thomas; Knittel, Katrin; Meyerdierks, Anke; Amann, Rudolf

    2010-08-01

    The anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) with sulfate as terminal electron acceptor is mediated by consortia of methanotrophic archaea (ANME) and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). Whereas three clades of ANME have been repeatedly studied with respect to phylogeny, key genes and genomic capabilities, little is known about their sulfate-reducing partner. In order to identify the partner of anaerobic methanotrophs of the ANME-2 clade, bacterial 16S rRNA gene libraries were constructed from cultures highly enriched for ANME-2a and ANME-2c in consortia with Deltaproteobacteria of the Desulfosarcina/Desulfococcus group (DSS). Phylogenetic analysis of those and publicly available sequences from AOM sites supported the hypothesis by Knittel and colleagues that the DSS partner belongs to the diverse SEEP-SRB1 cluster. Six subclusters of SEEP-SRB1, SEEP-SRB1a to SEEP-SRB1f, were proposed and specific oligonucleotide probes were designed. Using fluorescence in situ hybridization on samples from six different AOM sites, SEEP-SRB1a was identified as sulfate-reducing partner in up to 95% of total ANME-2 consortia. SEEP-SRB1a cells exhibited a rod-shaped, vibrioid, or coccoid morphology and were found to be associated with subgroups ANME-2a and ANME-2c. Moreover, SEEP-SRB1a was also detected in 8% to 23% of ANME-3 consortia in Haakon Mosby Mud Volcano sediments, previously described to be predominantly associated with SRB of the Desulfobulbus group. SEEP-SRB1a contributed to only 0.3% to 0.7% of all single cells in almost all samples indicating that these bacteria are highly adapted to a symbiotic relationship with ANME-2. © 2010 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  12. Toxicity of Select Organic Acids to the Slightly Thermophilic Acidophile Acidithiobaccillus Caldus

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    John E Aston; William A Apel; Brady D Lee; Brent M Peyton

    2009-02-01

    Acidithiobacillus caldus is a thermophilic acidophile found in commercial biomining, acid mine drainage systems, and natural environments. Previous work has characterized A. caldus as a chemolithotrophic autotroph capable of utilizing reduced sulfur compounds under aerobic conditions. Organic acids are especially toxic to chemolithotrophs in low-pH environments, where they diffuse more readily into the cell and deprotonate within the cytoplasm. In the present study, the toxic effects of oxaloacetate, pyruvate, 2-ketoglutarate, acetate, malate, succinate, and fumarate on A. caldus strain BC13 were examined under batch conditions. All tested organic acids exhibited some inhibitory effect. Oxaloacetate was observed to inhibit growth completely at a concentration of 250 µM, whereas other organic acids were completely inhibitory at concentrations of between 1,000 and 5,000 µM. In these experiments, the measured concentrations of organic acids decreased with time, indicating uptake or assimilation by the cells. Phospholipid fatty acid analyses indicated an effect of organic acids on the cellular envelope. Notable differences included an increase in cyclic fatty acids in the presence of organic acids, indicating possible instability of the cellular envelope. This was supported by field emission scanning-electron micrographs showing blebbing and sluffing in cells grown in the presence of organic acids.

  13. A Lux-like Quorum Sensing System in the Extreme Acidophile Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MARIELLA RIVAS

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available The genome of the acidophilic, proteobacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, contains linked but divergently oriented genes, termed afeI and afeR, whose predicted protein products are significantly similar to the LuxI and LuxR families of proteins. A possible promoter and Lux box are predicted upstream of afeI. A cloned copy of afeI, expressed in E. coli, encodes an enzyme that catalyzes the production of a diffusible compound identified by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry as an unsubstituted N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL of chain length C14. This AHL can be detected by a reporter strain of Sinorhizobium meliloti Rm41 suggesting that it is biologically active. The reporter strain also responds to extracts of the supernatant of A. ferrooxidans grown to early stationary phase in sulfur medium indicating that a diffusible AHL is produced by this microorganism. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR experiments indicate that afeI and afeR are expressed maximally in early stationary phase and are more expressed when A. ferrooxidans is grown in sulfur- rather than iron-containing medium. Given the predicted amino acid sequence and functional properties of AfeI and AfeR it is proposed that A. ferrooxidans has a quorum sensing system similar to the LuxI-LuxR paradigm.

  14. Characterization of bacteria acidophilic in samples of water coming into a region that suffers influence of uranium mine in Caldas (MG)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Campos, Michelle B.; Ferrari, Carla R.; Roque, Claudio V.; Ronqui, Leilane B.; Nascimento, Marcos R.L. do; Rodgher, Suzelei; Azevedo, Heliana [Laboratorio de Pocos de Caldas (LAPOC-CNEN/MG), MG (Brazil)], e-mail: michelle_borato@hotmail.com, e-mail: carlarolimferrari@yahoo.com.br, e-mail: cvroque@cnen.gov.br, e-mail: leilanebio@yahoo.com.br, e-mail: pmarcos@cnen.gov.br, e-mail: surodgher@uol.com.br, e-mail: hgomes@cnen.gov.br

    2009-07-01

    The fundamental condition for the bioleaching of the uranium ore is the presence of metallic sulfide such as pyrite associated with the ore, which is found in the ore and in the waste at the Unidade de Tratamento de Minerio (UTM) of Pocos de Caldas, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The present study aims to determine the chemical and microbiological characteristics in effluents of uranium mining from the UTM and in Antas dam, which receives treated effluents from the UTM. Water samples were collected Pit Mine (CM), located within the UTM facilities and from site 41 (Antas dam) in July and October 2008. We verified low pH values in water samples from CM (3.7) in comparison to the ones found at site 41 (6.65). There was a higher medium density value of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and heterotrophic acidophilic bacteria in water samples at site CM compared to the values recorded from samples at site 41. Medium values of Fe{sup 2+}, uranium and zinc in samples from the site CM were higher than at site 41. The concentration of fluoride (68.5 mL{sup -l}) and manganese (2.34 mL{sup -1}) in water samples from site 41 were above the limits fixed for water bodies in Resolution CONAMA 357. The relative seasonal variation of some variables observed at site CM (low pH values, high densities of Acidithiobacillus sp. and heterotrophic acidophilic bacteria) shows that this site is one of the main sites of occurrence of acid mine drainage and action of bioleaching bacteria at UTM. (author)

  15. [Bioregeneration of the solutions obtained during the leaching of nonferrous metals from waste slag by acidophilic microorganisms].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fomchenko, N V; Murav'ev, M I; Kondrat'eva, T F

    2014-01-01

    The bioregeneration of the solutions obtained after the leaching of copper and zinc from waste slag by sulfuric solutions of ferric sulfate is examined. For bioregeneration, associations of mesophilic and moderately thermqophilic acidophilic chemolithotrophic microorganisms were made. It has been shown that the complete oxidation of iron ions in solutions obtained after the leaching of nonferrous metals from waste slag is possible at a dilution of the pregnant solution with a nutrient medium. It has been found that the maximal rate of oxidation of iron ions is observed at the use of a mesophilic association of microorganisms at a threefold dilution of the pregnant solution with a nutrient medium. The application ofbioregeneration during the production of nonferrous metals from both waste and converter slags would make it possible to approach the technology of their processing using the closed cycle of workflows.

  16. Sorption of ferrous iron by EPS from the acidophilic bacterium Acidiphilium Sp.: A mechanism proposal

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tapia, J.M.; MuNoz, J.; Gonzlez, F.; Blazquez, M.L.; Ballester, A.

    2016-07-01

    The aim of this work was to assess the uptake of Fe(II) by extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from the acidophilic bacterium Acidiphillium 3.2Sup(5). These EPS were extracted using EDTA. EPS of A. 3.2Sup(5) loaded in sorption tests with Fe(II), were characterized using the following experimental techniques: scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The experimental results indicate that EPS adsorb ferrous iron according to Freundlich model with a metal sorption uptake of K = 1.14 mg1−1/n L1/n g−1 and a sorption intensity of 1/n = 1.26. In addition, ferrous iron sorption by EPS took place by preferential interaction with the carboxyl group which promotes the formation of ferrous iron oxalates (FeC2O4). Since the interaction reaction was reversible (Log K = 0.77 ± 0.33), that means that the cation sorption can be reversed at convenience. (Author)

  17. Characterization of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria isolated from acid mine drainage and black shale samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sajjad, W.; Bhatti, T. M.; Hasan, F.; Khan, S.; Badshah, M.

    2016-01-01

    Acid mine drainage (AMD) and black shale (BS) are the main habitats of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize sulfur-oxidizing bacteria from extreme acidic habitats (AMD and BS). Concentration of metals in samples from AMD and BS varied significantly from the reference samples and exceeded the acceptable limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO). A total of 24 bacteria were isolated from these samples that were characterized both morphologically as well as through biochemical tests. All the bacteria were gram-negative rods that could efficiently oxidize sulfur into sulfate ions (SO/sub 4/-2), resulted into decrease in pH up to 1.0 when grown in thiosulfate medium with initial pH 4.0. Out of 24, only 06 isolates were selected for phylogenetic analysis through 16S rRNA sequencing, on the basis of maximum sulfur-oxidizing efficiency. The isolates were identified as the species from different genera such as Alcaligenes, Pseudomonas, Bordetella, and Stenotrophomonas on the basis of maximum similarity index. The concentration of sulfate ions produced was estimated in the range of 179-272 mg/L. These acidophiles might have various potential applications such as biological leaching of metals from low-grade ores, alkali soil reclamation and to minimize the use of chemical S-fertilizers and minimize environmental pollution. (author)

  18. Solar Radiation Stress in Natural Acidophilic Biofilms of Euglena mutabilis Revealed by Metatranscriptomics and PAM Fluorometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puente-Sánchez, Fernando; Olsson, Sanna; Gómez-Rodriguez, Manuel; Souza-Egipsy, Virginia; Altamirano-Jeschke, Maria; Amils, Ricardo; Parro, Victor; Aguilera, Angeles

    2016-02-01

    The daily photosynthetic performance of a natural biofilm of the extreme acidophilic Euglena mutabilis from Río Tinto (SW, Spain) under full solar radiation was analyzed by means of pulse amplitude-modulated (PAM) fluorescence measurements and metatrascriptomic analysis. Natural E. mutabilis biofilms undergo large-scale transcriptomic reprogramming during midday due to a dynamic photoinhibition and solar radiation stress. Photoinhibition is due to UV radiation and not to light intensity, as revealed by PAM fluorometry analysis. In order to minimize the negative effects of solar radiation, our data supports the presence of a circadian rhythm in this euglenophyte that increases their opportunity to survive. Differential gene expression throughout the day (at 12:00, 20:00 and night) was monitored by massive Illumina parallel sequencing of metatranscriptomic libraries. The transcription pattern was altered in genes involved in Photosystem II stability and repair, UV damaged DNA repair, non-photochemical quenching and oxidative stress, supporting the photoinhibition detected by PAM fluorometry at midday. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  19. [The processes of methane formation and oxidation in the soils of the Russian arctic tundra].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berestovskaia, Iu Iu; Rusanov, I I; Vasil'eva, L V; Pimenov, N V

    2005-01-01

    Methane emission from the following types of tundra soils was studied: coarse humic gleyey loamy cryo soil, peaty gley soil, and peaty gleyey midloamy cryo soil of the arctic tundra. All the soils studied were found to be potential sources of atmospheric methane. The highest values of methane emission were recorded in August at a soil temperature of 8-10 degrees C. Flooded parcels were the sources of atmospheric methane throughout the observation period. The rates of methane production and oxidation in tundra soils of various types at 5 and 15 degrees C were studied by the radioisotope method. Methane oxidation was found to occur in bog water, in the green part of peat moss, and in all the soil horizons studied. Methane formation was recorded in the horizons of peat, in clay with plant roots, and in peaty moss dust of the bogey parcels. At both temperatures, the methane oxidation rate exceeded the rate of methane formation in all the horizons of the mossy-lichen tundra and of the bumpy sinkhole complex. Methanogenesis prevailed only in a sedge-peat moss bog at 15 degrees C. Enrichment bacterial cultures oxidizing methane at 5 and 15 degrees C were obtained. Different types of methanotrophic bacteria were shown to be responsible for methane oxidation under these conditions. A representative of type I methylotrophs oxidized methane at 5 degrees C, and Methylocella tundrae, a psychroactive representative of an acidophilic methanotrophic genus Methylocella, at 15 degrees C.

  20. Methane fluxes and the functional groups of methanotrophs and methanogens in a young Arctic landscape on Disko Island, West Greenland

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christiansen, Jesper Riis; Barrera Romero, Alejandro Jose; Jørgensen, Niels O. G.

    2015-01-01

    and activity indicates that the age of an Arctic landscape is not important for the CH4 consumption but can be very important for CH4 production. Considering the prevalence of dry landscapes and contrasting ages of high Arctic soils, our results highlight that well-drained soils should not be overlooked......Arctic soils are known to be important methane (CH4) consumers and sources. This study integrates in situ fluxes of CH4 between upland and wetland soils with potential rates of CH4 oxidation and production as well as abundance and diversity of the methanotrophs and methanogens measured...... as an important component of Arctic net CH4 budget....

  1. Development of a system for genetic manipulation of the facultative methanotroph Methylocella silvestris BL2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crombie, Andrew; Murrell, J Colin

    2011-01-01

    An understanding of the metabolism and metabolic regulation of the facultative methanotroph Methylocella silvestris BL2 is required to understand its role in methane oxidation in the environment, and methods for genetics manipulation are essential tools in these investigations. In addition, the ability to engineer the metabolic capabilities of M. silvestris may well have useful biotechnological applications. We describe a simple and effective method of genetic manipulation for this organism which relies on the electroporation of a linear DNA fragment to introduce chromosomal gene deletions. In a two-step procedure, the gene of interest is first replaced with an antibiotic-resistance cassette which is subsequently removed, resulting in an unmarked gene deletion. This method is illustrated by the deletion of isocitrate lyase, which abolished growth on one-carbon and severely disabled growth on two-carbon compounds. Subsequent complementation with the wild-type gene and promoter restored growth, demonstrating stable transcription from the broad-host-range plasmid employed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Bryocella elongata

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dedysh, S.N.; Kulichevskaya, I.S.; Serkebaeva, Y.M.; Mityaeva, M.A.; Sorokin, V.V.; Suzina, N.E.; Rijpstra, W.I.C.; Sinninghe Damsté, J.S.

    2012-01-01

    An aerobic, pink-pigmented, chemo-organotrophic bacterium, designated strain SN10(T), was isolated from a methanotrophic enrichment culture obtained from an acidic Sphagnum peat. This isolate was represented by Gram-negative, non-motile rods that multiply by normal cell division and form rosettes.

  3. Effect of physical characteristics on bioleaching using indigenous acidophilic bacteria for recovering the valuable resources

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wi, D.; Kim, B.; Cho, K.; Choi, N.; Park, C.

    2011-12-01

    Bioleaching technology which is based on the ability of bacteria to transform solid compounds into soluble or extractable elements that can be recovered, has developed rapidly in recent decades for its advantages, such as mild reaction, low energy consumption, simple process, environmentally friendly and suitable for low-grade mine tailing and residues. This study investigated the bioleaching efficiency of copper matte under batch experimental conditions (various mineral particle size) using the indigenous acidophilic bacteria collected from acidic hot spring in Hatchnobaru, Japan. We conducted the batch experiments at three different mineral particle sizes: 0.06, 0.16 and 1.12mm. The results showed that the pH in the bacteria inoculating sample increased than initial condition, possibly due to buffer effects by phosphate ions in growth medium. After 22 days from incubation the leached accumulation content of Cu was 0.06 mm - 1,197 mg/L, 0.16 mm - 970 mg/L and 1.12 mm - 704 mg/L. Additionally, through SEM analysis we found of gypsum formed crystals which coated the copper matte surface 6 days after inoculation in 1.12mm case. This study informs basic knowledge when bacteria apply to eco-/economic resources utilization studies including the biomining and the recycling of mine waste system.

  4. Role of Acidophilic Methanotrophs in Long Term Natural Attenuation of cVOCs in Low pH Aquifers

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-06-15

    grow well only in dilute , oligtrophic media (Kip et al., 2011; Dedysh et al., 2002). It is likely that these organisms or similar ones may exist in...Carbon tetrachloride Cu – Copper cVOCs – Chlorinated volatile organic compounds 1,1-DCA – 1,2-Dichloroethane 1,2-DCA – 1,2-Dichloroethane DCM...the biodegradation of chlorinated volatile organic compounds (cVOCs) in low pH groundwater aquifers. Our objectives included (1) determining whether

  5. Identification and Characterization of EctR1, a New Transcriptional Regulator of the Ectoine Biosynthesis Genes in the Halotolerant Methanotroph Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum 20Z▿ †

    OpenAIRE

    Mustakhimov, Ildar I.; Reshetnikov, Alexander S.; Glukhov, Anatoly S.; Khmelenina, Valentina N.; Kalyuzhnaya, Marina G.; Trotsenko, Yuri A.

    2009-01-01

    Genes encoding key enzymes of the ectoine biosynthesis pathway in the halotolerant obligate methanotroph Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum 20Z have been shown to be organized into an ectABC-ask operon. Transcription of the ect operon is initiated from two promoters, ectAp1 and ectAp2 (ectAp1p2), similar to the σ70-dependent promoters of Escherichia coli. Upstream of the gene cluster, an open reading frame (ectR1) encoding a MarR-like transcriptional regulator was identified. Investigation of the ...

  6. Microbial leaching of iron from pyrite by moderate thermophile chemolithotropic bacteria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ilyas, S.; Niazi, S.B.

    2007-01-01

    The present work was aimed at studying the bioleachability of iron from pyrite by the selected moderately thermophilic strains of acidophilic chemolithotrophic and acidophilic heterotrophic bacteria. These included Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans (chemolithotroph) and an un-identified strain of acidophilic heterotroph (code 6A1TSB) isolated from local environments. As compared to inoculated flasks, dissolution of metal (due to acid leaching) was significantly low in the un-inoculated control flasks in all the experiments in ore. A decrease in the bioleaching activity was observed at the later stages of bioleaching of metal from ore. Among the strategies adopted to enhance the metal leaching rates, a mixed consortium of the metal adapted cultures of the above-mentioned bacteria was found to exhibit the maximum metal leaching efficiency. In all the flasks where high metal leaching rates were observed, concomitantly biomass production rates were also high indicating high growth rates. It showed that the metal bioleaching capability of the bacteria was associated with their growth. Pyrite contained 42% iron. (author)

  7. Sources for sedimentary bacteriohopanepolyols as revealed by 16S rDNA stratigraphy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coolen, Marco J L; Talbot, Helen M; Abbas, Ben A; Ward, Christopher; Schouten, Stefan; Volkman, John K; Damsté, Jaap S Sinninghe

    2008-07-01

    Bacteriohopanoids are widespread lipid biomarkers in the sedimentary record. Many aerobic and anaerobic bacteria are potential sources of these lipids which sometimes complicates the use of these biomarkers as proxies for ecological and environmental changes. Therefore, we applied preserved 16S ribosomal RNA genes to identify likely Holocene biological sources of bacteriohopanepolyols (BHPs) in the sulfidic sediments of the permanently stratified postglacial Ace Lake, Antarctica. A suite of intact BHPs were identified, which revealed a variety of structural forms whose composition differed through the sediment core reflecting changes in bacterial populations induced by large changes in lake salinity. Stable isotopic compositions of the hopanols formed from periodic acid-cleaved BHPs, showed that some were substantially depleted in (13)C, indicative of their methanotrophic origin. Using sensitive molecular tools, we found that Type I and II methanotrophic bacteria (respectively Methylomonas and Methylocystis) were unique to the oldest lacustrine sediments (> 9400 years BP), but quantification of fossil DNA revealed that the Type I methanotrophs, including methanotrophs related to methanotrophic gill symbionts of deep-sea cold-seep mussels, were the main precursors of the 35-amino BHPs (i.e. aminopentol, -tetrol and -triols). After isolation of the lake approximately 3000 years ago, one Type I methanotroph of the 'methanotrophic gill symbionts cluster' remained the most obvious source of aminotetrol and -triol. We, furthermore, identified a Synechococcus phylotype related to pelagic freshwater strains in the oldest lacustrine sediments as a putative source of 2-methylbacteriohopanetetrol (2-Me BHT). This combined application of advanced geochemical and paleogenomical tools further refined our knowledge about Holocene biogeochemical processes in Ace Lake.

  8. Effect of adaptation and pulp density on bioleaching of mine waste using indigenous acidophilic bacteria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cho, K.; Kim, B.; Lee, D.; Choi, N.; Park, C.

    2011-12-01

    Adaptation to environment is a natural phenomena that takes place in many animals, plants and microorganisms. These adapted organisms achieve stronger applicability than unadapted organisms after habitation in a specific environment for a long time. In the biohydrometallurgical industry, adaptation to special environment conditions by selective culturing is the most popular method for improving bioleaching activity of strains-although that is time consuming. This study investigated the influence of the bioleaching efficiency of mine waste under batch experimental conditions (adaptation and pulp density) using the indigenous acidophilic bacteria collected from acid mine drainage in Go-seong and Yeon-hwa, Korea. We conducted the batch experiments at the influences of parameters, such as the adaptation of bacteria and pulp density of the mine waste. In the adaptation case, the value of pH in 1'st adaptation bacteria sample exhibited lower than in 2'nd adaptation bacteria sample. And the content of both Cu and Zn at 1'st adaptation bacteria sample appeared lower than at 2'nd adaptation bacteria sample. In the SEM analysis, the rod-shaped bacteria with 1μm in length were observed on the filter paper (pore size - 0.45μm). The results of pulp density experiments revealed that the content of both Cu and Zn increased with increasing pulp density, since the increment of pulp density resulted in the enhancement of bioleaching capacity.

  9. Productivity and selective accumulation of carotenoids of the novel extremophile microalga Chlamydomonas acidophila grown with different carbon sources in batch systems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cuaresma, M.; Casal, C.; Forján, E.; Vílchez, C.

    2011-01-01

    Cultivation of extremophile microorganisms has attracted interest due to their ability to accumulate highvalue compounds. Chlamydomonas acidophila is an acidophile green microalga isolated by our group from Tinto River, an acidic river that flows down from the mining area in Huelva, Spain. This

  10. Bacterial diversity of biofilm samples from deep mines in South ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    JTEkanem

    Department of Biotechnology, University of The Free State, Box 339, ... Proteobacteria, forty-one percent (41%) of the sequences with yet uncultured bacteria and ..... (1995) Selective solid media for isolating and enumerating acidophilic bacteria. ... Monitoring the Lactic Acid Bacteria diversity during Shochu fermentation by.

  11. Reduction of ferric iron by acidophilic heterotrophic bacteria: evidence for constitutive and inducible enzyme systems in Acidiphilium spp.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, D B; Bridge, T A M

    2002-01-01

    To compare the abilities of two obligately acidophilic heterotrophic bacteria, Acidiphilium acidophilum and Acidiphilium SJH, to reduce ferric iron to ferrous when grown under different culture conditions. Bacteria were grown in batch culture, under different aeration status, and in the presence of either ferrous or ferric iron. The specific rates of ferric iron reduction by fermenter-grown Acidiphilium SJH were unaffected by dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations, while iron reduction by A. acidophilum was highly dependent on DO concentrations in the growth media. The ionic form of iron present (ferrous or ferric) had a minimal effect on the abilities of harvested cells to reduce ferric iron. Whole cell protein profiles of Acidiphilium SJH were very similar, regardless of the DO status of the growth medium, while additional proteins were present in A. acidophilum grown microaerobically compared with aerobically-grown cells. The dissimilatory reduction of ferric iron is constitutive in Acidiphilium SJH while it is inducible in A. acidophilum. Ferric iron reduction by Acidiphilium spp. may occur in oxygen-containing as well as anoxic acidic environments. This will detract from the effectiveness of bioremediation systems where removal of iron from polluted waters is mediated via oxidation and precipitation of the metal.

  12. Production of Nitrous Oxide from Nitrite in Stable Type II Methanotrophic Enrichments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myung, Jaewook; Wang, Zhiyue; Yuan, Tong; Zhang, Ping; Van Nostrand, Joy D; Zhou, Jizhong; Criddle, Craig S

    2015-09-15

    The coupled aerobic-anoxic nitrous decomposition operation is a new process for wastewater treatment that removes nitrogen from wastewater and recovers energy from the nitrogen in three steps: (1) NH4(+) oxidation to NO2(-), (2) NO2(-) reduction to N2O, and (3) N2O conversion to N2 with energy production. Here, we demonstrate that type II methanotrophic enrichments can mediate step two by coupling oxidation of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB) to NO2(-) reduction. Enrichments grown with NH4(+) and NO2(-) were subject to alternating 48-h aerobic and anoxic periods, in which CH4 and NO2(-) were added together in a "coupled" mode of operation or separately in a "decoupled mode". Community structure was stable in both modes and dominated by Methylocystis. In the coupled mode, production of P3HB and N2O was low. In the decoupled mode, significant P3HB was produced, and oxidation of P3HB drove reduction of NO2(-) to N2O with ∼ 70% conversion for >30 cycles (120 d). In batch tests of wasted cells from the decoupled mode, N2O production rates increased at low O2 or high NO2(-) levels. The results are significant for the development of engineered processes that remove nitrogen from wastewater and for understanding of conditions that favor environmental production of N2O.

  13. Oxidation of methane in biotrickling filters inoculated with methanotrophic bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cáceres, Manuel; Dorado, Antonio D; Gentina, Juan C; Aroca, Germán

    2017-11-01

    The oxidation of methane (CH 4 ) using biofilters has been proposed as an alternative to mitigate anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions with a low concentration of CH 4 that cannot be used as a source of energy. However, conventional biofilters utilize organic packing materials that have a short lifespan, clogging problems, and are commonly inoculated with non-specific microorganisms leading to unpredictable CH 4 elimination capacities (EC) and removal efficiencies (RE). The main objective of this work was to characterize the oxidation of CH 4 in two biotrickling filters (BTFs) packed with polyethylene rings and inoculated with two methanotrophic bacteria, Methylomicrobium album and Methylocystis sp., in order to determine EC and CO 2 production (pCO 2 ) when using a specific inoculum. The repeatability of the results in both BTFs was determined when they operated at the same inlet load of CH 4 . A dynamic mathematical model that describes the CH 4 abatement in the BTFs was developed and validated using mass transfer and kinetic parameters estimated independently. The results showed that EC and pCO 2 of the BTFs are not identical but very similar for all the conditions tested. The use of specific inoculum has shown a faster startup and higher EC per unit area (0.019 gCH 4  m -2  h -1 ) in comparison to most of the previous studies at the same CH 4 load rate (23.2 gCH 4  m -3  h -1 ). Global mass balance showed that the maximum reduction of CO 2 equivalents was 98.5 gCO 2eq  m -3  h -1 . The developed model satisfactorily described CH 4 abatement in BTFs for a wide range of conditions.

  14. Alicyclobacillus fodiniaquatilis sp. nov., isolated from acid mine water.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Bo; Wu, Yu-Fan; Song, Jin-Long; Huang, Zhong-Sheng; Wang, Bao-Jun; Liu, Shuang-Jiang; Jiang, Cheng-Ying

    2015-12-01

    Two novel, Gram-stain-variable, moderately thermophilic, acidophilic, rod-shaped, endospore-forming bacteria, G45-16T and G45-17, were isolated from acid mine water of Zijin copper mine in Fujian Province, China. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that they were closely related to Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris ATCC 49025T with sequence similarities of 96.8 %. Cells grew aerobically at 20-45 °C (optimum, 40 °C), at pH 2.5-5.5(optimum, pH 3.5) and in the presence of 0-4.0 % (w/v) NaCl. Strains contained MK-7 as the major menaquinone and the major cellular fatty acids were ω-cyclohexane C19 : 0 and ω-cyclohexane C17 : 0. The DNA G+C content was 51.3 and 49.8 mol% (Tm) for G45-16T and G45-17, respectively. On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic comparisons with their relatives and DNA-DNA relatedness values, it is concluded that strains G45-16T and G45-17 represent a novel species within the genus Alicyclobacillus, for which the name Alicyclobacillus fodiniaquatilis sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is G45-16T(=CGMCC 1.15049T=NBRC 111483T).

  15. Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammed A. Almalki

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Methanotrophic bacteria have a unique ability to utilize methane as their carbon and energy sources. Therefore, methanotrophs play a key role in suppressing methane emissions from different ecosystems and hence in alleviating the global climate change. Despite methanotrophs having many ecological, economical and biotechnological applications, little is known about this group of bacteria in Al-Ahsa. Therefore, the main objective of the current work was to expand our understanding of methane oxidizing bacteria in Al-Ahsa region. The specific aim was to describe a methanotrophic strain isolated from Al-Bohyriya well, Al-Ahsa using phenotypic, genotypic (such as 16S rRNA and pmoA gene sequencing and phylogenetic characterization. The results indicated that the strain belongs to the genus Methylomonas that belongs to Gammaproteobacteria as revealed by the comparative sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA and pmoA genes. There is a general agreement in the profile of the phylogenetic trees based on the sequences of 16srRNA and pmoA genes of the strain BOH1 indicating that both genes are efficient taxonomic marker in methanotrophic phylogeny. The strain possesses the particulate but not the soluble methane monooxygenase as a key enzyme for methane metabolism. Further investigation such as DNA:DNA hybridization is needed to assign the strain as a novel species of the genus Methyomonas and this will open the door to explore the talents of the strain for its potential role in alleviating global warming and biotechnological applications in Saudi Arabia such as bioremediation of toxic by-products released in oil industry. In addition, the strain enhances our knowledge of methanotrophic bacteria and their adaptation to desert ecosystems.

  16. Fluorescent antibody application in bioremediation procedures at the Savannah River Site

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brigmon, R.L.; Richardson, B.S.; Franck, M.M.

    1997-01-01

    Direct Fluorescent Antibodies (DFA) and Most Probable Number (MPN) techniques are currently being employed at the Savannah River Site to monitor methanotrophic bacteria for the bioremediation of trichloroethylene (TCE) in field studies. Direct Fluorescent Antibodies were developed against various methanotrophic bacteria isolated from SRS as well as methanotrophic bacteria acquired from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). DFA's are anticipated to be more efficient for monitoring methanotroph activity than MPN's because of shorter processing time, lower cost, and the direct nature of the assay. The DFA method is a direct technique, in that samples are processed immediately and can be enumerated within an hour. The MPN method is indirect, since samples must be cultured for 6-8 weeks before measuring methane consumption and carbon dioxide production. Indirect methods are not highly selective and have limited application. The greatest advantage of a faster assay, is that bioremediation procedures utilizing methanotrophic bacteria could be amended. These amendments would be based on environmental monitoring with results in real time (1 hour). The elimination of the MPN technique and the use of DFA's will save significantly on both materials and labor. The data obtained from the DFA's and MPN's were statistically compared to each other and to total bacterial counts (AODC). The statistical analysis used was Analysis of Variants (ANOVA). Using this analysis, groundwater samples were found to be not significantly different; whereas soil were significantly different. These methods were employed on soil samples from the Southern Sector and ground water samples from the TCE-contaminated Sanitary Landfill at SRS. Acridine Orange Direct Counts were compared to show relative differences between total bacterial and methanotroph population

  17. Comparative Genomics Unravels the Functional Roles of Co-occurring Acidophilic Bacteria in Bioleaching Heaps

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xian; Liu, Xueduan; Liang, Yili; Xiao, Yunhua; Ma, Liyuan; Guo, Xue; Miao, Bo; Liu, Hongwei; Peng, Deliang; Huang, Wenkun; Yin, Huaqun

    2017-01-01

    The spatial-temporal distribution of populations in various econiches is thought to be potentially related to individual differences in the utilization of nutrients or other resources, but their functional roles in the microbial communities remain elusive. We compared differentiation in gene repertoire and metabolic profiles, with a focus on the potential functional traits of three commonly recognized members (Acidithiobacillus caldus, Leptospirillum ferriphilum, and Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans) in bioleaching heaps. Comparative genomics revealed that intra-species divergence might be driven by horizontal gene transfer. These co-occurring bacteria shared a few homologous genes, which significantly suggested the genomic differences between these organisms. Notably, relatively more genes assigned to the Clusters of Orthologous Groups category [G] (carbohydrate transport and metabolism) were identified in Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans compared to the two other species, which probably indicated their mixotrophic capabilities that assimilate both organic and inorganic forms of carbon. Further inspection revealed distinctive metabolic capabilities involving carbon assimilation, nitrogen uptake, and iron-sulfur cycling, providing robust evidence for functional differences with respect to nutrient utilization. Therefore, we proposed that the mutual compensation of functionalities among these co-occurring organisms might provide a selective advantage for efficiently utilizing the limited resources in their habitats. Furthermore, it might be favorable to chemoautotrophs' lifestyles to form mutualistic interactions with these heterotrophic and/or mixotrophic acidophiles, whereby the latter could degrade organic compounds to effectively detoxify the environments. Collectively, the findings shed light on the genetic traits and potential metabolic activities of these organisms, and enable us to make some inferences about genomic and functional differences that might

  18. Comparative Genomics Unravels the Functional Roles of Co-occurring Acidophilic Bacteria in Bioleaching Heaps

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xian Zhang

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The spatial-temporal distribution of populations in various econiches is thought to be potentially related to individual differences in the utilization of nutrients or other resources, but their functional roles in the microbial communities remain elusive. We compared differentiation in gene repertoire and metabolic profiles, with a focus on the potential functional traits of three commonly recognized members (Acidithiobacillus caldus, Leptospirillum ferriphilum, and Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans in bioleaching heaps. Comparative genomics revealed that intra-species divergence might be driven by horizontal gene transfer. These co-occurring bacteria shared a few homologous genes, which significantly suggested the genomic differences between these organisms. Notably, relatively more genes assigned to the Clusters of Orthologous Groups category [G] (carbohydrate transport and metabolism were identified in Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans compared to the two other species, which probably indicated their mixotrophic capabilities that assimilate both organic and inorganic forms of carbon. Further inspection revealed distinctive metabolic capabilities involving carbon assimilation, nitrogen uptake, and iron-sulfur cycling, providing robust evidence for functional differences with respect to nutrient utilization. Therefore, we proposed that the mutual compensation of functionalities among these co-occurring organisms might provide a selective advantage for efficiently utilizing the limited resources in their habitats. Furthermore, it might be favorable to chemoautotrophs' lifestyles to form mutualistic interactions with these heterotrophic and/or mixotrophic acidophiles, whereby the latter could degrade organic compounds to effectively detoxify the environments. Collectively, the findings shed light on the genetic traits and potential metabolic activities of these organisms, and enable us to make some inferences about genomic and functional

  19. Solubility of methane in water and in a medium for the cultivation of methanotrophs bacteria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Serra, Maria Celeste C.; Pessoa, F.L.P.; Palavra, A.M.F.

    2006-01-01

    Solubility of methane in water and in an aqueous growth medium for the cultivation of methanotrophs bacteria was determined over the temperature range 293.15 to 323.15 K and at atmospheric pressure. The measurements were carried out in a Ben-Naim/Baer type apparatus with a precision of about ±0.3%. The experimental results were determined using accurate thermodynamic relations. The mole fractions of the dissolved gas at the gas partial pressure of 101.325 kPa, the Henry coefficients at the water vapour pressure and the Ostwald coefficients at infinite dilution were obtained. A comparison between the solubility of methane in water and those observed in fermentation medium over the temperature range of 298.15 to 308.15 K has shown that this gas is about ±2.3% more soluble in water. The temperature dependence of the mole fractions of methane was also determined using the Clarke-Glew-Weiss equation and the thermodynamic quantities, Gibbs energy, enthalpy and entropy changes, associated with the dissolution process were calculated. Furthermore, the experimental Henry coefficients for methane in water are compared with those calculated by the scaled particle theory. The estimated Henry coefficients are about ±4% lower than the experimental ones

  20. Biochemistry and Ecology of Novel Cytochromes Catalyzing Fe(II) Oxidation by an Acidophilic Microbial Community

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singer, S. W.; Jeans, C. J.; Thelen, M. P.; Verberkmoes, N. C.; Hettich, R. C.; Chan, C. S.; Banfield, J. F.

    2007-12-01

    An acidophilic microbial community found in the Richmond Mine at Iron Mountain, CA forms abundant biofilms in extremely acidic (pHindicated that several variants of Cyt579 were present in Leptospirillum strains. Intact protein MS analysis identified the dominant variants in each biofilm and documented multiple N-terminal cleavage sites for Cyt579. By combining biochemical, geochemical and microbiological data, we established that the sequence variation and N-terminal processing of Cyt579 are selected by ecological conditions. In addition to the soluble Cyt579, the second cytochrome appears as a much larger protein complex of ~210 kDa predominant in the biofilm membrane fraction, and has an alpha-band absorption at 572 nm. The 60 kDa cytochrome subunit, Cyt572, resides in the outer membrane of LeptoII, and readily oxidizes Fe(II) at low pH (0.95 - 3.0). Several genes encoding Cyt572 were localized within a recombination hotspot between two strains of LeptoII, causing a large range of variation in the sequences. Genomic sequencing and MS proteomic studies established that the variants were also selected by ecological conditions. A general mechanistic model for Fe(II) oxidation has been developed from these studies. Initial Fe(II) oxidation by Cyt572 occurs at the outer membrane. Cyt572 then transfers electrons to Cyt579, perhaps representing an initial step in energy flow to the biofilm community. Amino acid variations and post-translational modifications of these unique cytochromes may represent fine-tuning of function in response to local environmental conditions.

  1. In situ bioremediation via horizontal wells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hazen, T.C.; Looney, B.B.; Enzien, M.; Dougherty, J.M.; Wear, J.; Fliermans, C.B.; Eddy, C.A.

    1993-01-01

    The test consisted of methane mixed with air into the contaminated aquifer via a horizontal well and extraction from the vadose zone via a parallel horizontal well. This configuration has the advantage of simultaneously stimulating methanotrophic activity in both the groundwater and vadose zone, and inhibiting spread of the contaminant plume. Groundwater was monitored biweekly from 13 wells for a variety of chemical and microbiological parameters. Groundwater from wells in affected areas showed increases in methanotrophs of more than 1 order of magnitude every 2 weeks for several weeks after 1% methane-in-air injection was started. Some wells had increases as much as 7 orders of magnitude. Simultaneous with the increase in methanotrophs was a decrease in water and soil gas concentrations of trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethane (PCE). Two wells declined in TCE/PCE concentration in the water by more than 90% to below 2 ppb. All of the wells in the affected zone showed significant decreases in contaminants in less than one month. Chloride concentrations in the water were inversely correlated with TCE/PCE concentration. Four of five vadose zone piezometers declined from concentration as high as 10,000 ppm to less than 5 ppm in less than 6 weeks. The fifth cluster also declined by more than 95%. After only three months on injection, a decline in TCE/PCE in the sediment of more than 30% was also observed, with TCE/PCE being undetectable in most sediments at the end of the 14-month test. Gene probes and direct isolation from the water and sediment revealed that the right types of methanotrophs were being stimulated and that isolates could degrade TCE at a high rate

  2. Burkholderia insulsa sp. nov., a facultatively chemolithotrophic bacterium isolated from an arsenic-rich shallow marine hydrothermal system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rusch, Antje; Islam, Shaer; Savalia, Pratixa; Amend, Jan P

    2015-01-01

    Enrichment cultures inoculated with hydrothermally influenced nearshore sediment from Papua New Guinea led to the isolation of an arsenic-tolerant, acidophilic, facultatively aerobic bacterial strain designated PNG-April(T). Cells of this strain were Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, motile and did not form spores. Strain PNG-April(T) grew at temperatures between 4 °C and 40 °C (optimum 30-37 °C), at pH 3.5 to 8.3 (optimum pH 5-6) and in the presence of up to 2.7% NaCl (optimum 0-1.0%). Both arsenate and arsenite were tolerated up to concentrations of at least 0.5 mM. Metabolism in strain PNG-April(T) was strictly respiratory. Heterotrophic growth occurred with O2 or nitrate as electron acceptors, and aerobic lithoautotrophic growth was observed with thiosulfate or nitrite as electron donors. The novel isolate was capable of N2-fixation. The respiratory quinones were Q-8 and Q-7. Phylogenetically, strain PNG-April(T) belongs to the genus Burkholderia and shares the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with the type strains of Burkholderia fungorum (99.8%), Burkholderia phytofirmans (98.8%), Burkholderia caledonica (98.4%) and Burkholderia sediminicola (98.4%). Differences from these related species in several physiological characteristics (lipid composition, carbohydrate utilization, enzyme profiles) and DNA-DNA hybridization suggested the isolate represents a novel species of the genus Burkholderia, for which we propose the name Burkholderia insulsa sp. nov. The type strain is PNG-April(T) ( = DSM 28142(T) = LMG 28183(T)). © 2015 IUMS.

  3. Cloning and expression of acidstable, high maltose-forming, Ca2+-independent α-amylase from an acidophile Bacillus acidicola and its applicability in starch hydrolysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Archana; Satyanarayana, T

    2012-05-01

    The α-amylase encoding gene from acidophilic bacterium Bacillus acidicola was cloned into pET28a(+) vector and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The recombinant E. coli produced a 15-fold higher α-amylase than B. acidicola strain. The recombinant α-amylase was purified to homogeneity by one-step nickel affinity chromatography using Ni(2+)-NTA resin with molecular mass of 62 KDa. It is active in the pH range between 3.0 and 7.0 and 30 and 100 °C with optimum at pH 4.0 and 60 °C. The enzyme is Ca(2+)-independent with K (m) and k (cat) values (on soluble starch) of 1.6 mg ml(-1) and 108.7 s(-1), respectively. The α-amylase of B. acidicola is acidstable, high maltose forming and Ca(2+)-independent, and therefore, is a suitable candidate for starch hydrolysis and baking.

  4. Isolation of a strain of Acidithiobacillus caldus and its role in bioleaching of chalcopyrite

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhou, Q.G.; Bo, F.; Bo, Z.H.; Xi, L.; Jian, G.; Fei, L.F.; Hua, C.X. [Central South University of Technology, Changsha (China)

    2007-09-15

    A moderately thermophilic and acidophilic sulfur-oxidizing bacterium named S-2, was isolated from coal heap drainage. The bacterium was motile, Gramnegative, rod-shaped, measured 0.4 to 0.6 by 1 to 2 gm, and grew optimally at 42-45{sup o}C and an initial pH of 2.5. The strain S-2 grew autotrophically by using elemental sulfur, sodium thiosulfate and potassium tetrathionate as energy sources. The strain did not use organic matter and inorganic minerals including ferrous sulfate, pyrite and chalcopyrite as energy sources. The morphological, biochemical, physiological characterization and analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that the strain S2 is most closely related to Acidithiobacillus caldus (> 99% similarity in gene sequence). The combination of the strain S-2 with Leptospirillum ferriphilum or Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans in chalcopyrite bioleaching improved the copper-leaching efficiency. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis revealed that the chalcopyrite surface in a mixed culture of Leptospirillum ferriphilum and Acidithiobacillus caldus was heavily etched. The energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis indicated that Acidithiobacillus caldus has the potential role to enhance the recovery of copper from chalcopyrite by oxidizing the sulfur formed during the bioleaching progress.

  5. Complete genome sequence of the bioleaching bacterium Leptospirillum sp. group II strain CF-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrer, Alonso; Bunk, Boyke; Spröer, Cathrin; Biedendieck, Rebekka; Valdés, Natalia; Jahn, Martina; Jahn, Dieter; Orellana, Omar; Levicán, Gloria

    2016-03-20

    We describe the complete genome sequence of Leptospirillum sp. group II strain CF-1, an acidophilic bioleaching bacterium isolated from an acid mine drainage (AMD). This work provides data to gain insights about adaptive response of Leptospirillum spp. to the extreme conditions of bioleaching environments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Microbial Reduction of Fe(III) in Acidic Sediments: Isolation of Acidiphilium cryptum JF-5 Capable of Coupling the Reduction of Fe(III) to the Oxidation of Glucose

    Science.gov (United States)

    Küsel, Kirsten; Dorsch, Tanja; Acker, Georg; Stackebrandt, Erko

    1999-01-01

    To evaluate the microbial populations involved in the reduction of Fe(III) in an acidic, iron-rich sediment, the anaerobic flow of supplemental carbon and reductant was evaluated in sediment microcosms at the in situ temperature of 12°C. Supplemental glucose and cellobiose stimulated the formation of Fe(II); 42 and 21% of the reducing equivalents that were theoretically obtained from glucose and cellobiose, respectively, were recovered in Fe(II). Likewise, supplemental H2 was consumed by acidic sediments and yielded additional amounts of Fe(II) in a ratio of approximately 1:2. In contrast, supplemental lactate did not stimulate the formation of Fe(II). Supplemental acetate was not consumed and inhibited the formation of Fe(II). Most-probable-number estimates demonstrated that glucose-utilizing acidophilic Fe(III)-reducing bacteria approximated to 1% of the total direct counts of 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole-stained bacteria. From the highest growth-positive dilution of the most-probable-number series at pH 2.3 supplemented with glucose, an isolate, JF-5, that could dissimilate Fe(III) was obtained. JF-5 was an acidophilic, gram-negative, facultative anaerobe that completely oxidized the following substrates via the dissimilation of Fe(III): glucose, fructose, xylose, ethanol, glycerol, malate, glutamate, fumarate, citrate, succinate, and H2. Growth and the reduction of Fe(III) did not occur in the presence of acetate. Cells of JF-5 grown under Fe(III)-reducing conditions formed blebs, i.e., protrusions that were still in contact with the cytoplasmic membrane. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of JF-5 demonstrated that it was closely related to an Australian isolate of Acidiphilium cryptum (99.6% sequence similarity), an organism not previously shown to couple the complete oxidation of sugars to the reduction of Fe(III). These collective results indicate that the in situ reduction of Fe(III) in acidic sediments can be mediated by heterotrophic Acidiphilium

  7. Microbial reduction of Fe(III) in acidic sediments: isolation of Acidiphilium cryptum JF-5 capable of coupling the reduction of Fe(III) to the oxidation of glucose.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Küsel, K; Dorsch, T; Acker, G; Stackebrandt, E

    1999-08-01

    To evaluate the microbial populations involved in the reduction of Fe(III) in an acidic, iron-rich sediment, the anaerobic flow of supplemental carbon and reductant was evaluated in sediment microcosms at the in situ temperature of 12 degrees C. Supplemental glucose and cellobiose stimulated the formation of Fe(II); 42 and 21% of the reducing equivalents that were theoretically obtained from glucose and cellobiose, respectively, were recovered in Fe(II). Likewise, supplemental H(2) was consumed by acidic sediments and yielded additional amounts of Fe(II) in a ratio of approximately 1:2. In contrast, supplemental lactate did not stimulate the formation of Fe(II). Supplemental acetate was not consumed and inhibited the formation of Fe(II). Most-probable-number estimates demonstrated that glucose-utilizing acidophilic Fe(III)-reducing bacteria approximated to 1% of the total direct counts of 4', 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole-stained bacteria. From the highest growth-positive dilution of the most-probable-number series at pH 2. 3 supplemented with glucose, an isolate, JF-5, that could dissimilate Fe(III) was obtained. JF-5 was an acidophilic, gram-negative, facultative anaerobe that completely oxidized the following substrates via the dissimilation of Fe(III): glucose, fructose, xylose, ethanol, glycerol, malate, glutamate, fumarate, citrate, succinate, and H(2). Growth and the reduction of Fe(III) did not occur in the presence of acetate. Cells of JF-5 grown under Fe(III)-reducing conditions formed blebs, i.e., protrusions that were still in contact with the cytoplasmic membrane. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of JF-5 demonstrated that it was closely related to an Australian isolate of Acidiphilium cryptum (99.6% sequence similarity), an organism not previously shown to couple the complete oxidation of sugars to the reduction of Fe(III). These collective results indicate that the in situ reduction of Fe(III) in acidic sediments can be mediated by heterotrophic

  8. Application of fluorescent antibody and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for TCE and PAH degrading bacteria

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brigmon, R.L.; Franck, M.; Brey, J.; Scott, D.; Lanclos, K.; Fliermans, C.

    1996-07-01

    Historically, methods used to identify methanotrophic and polyaromatic hydrocarbon-degrading (PAH) bacteria in environmental samples have been inadequate because isolation and identification procedures are time-consuming and often fail to separate specific bacteria from other environmental microorganisms. Methanotrophic bacteria have been isolated and characterized from TCE-contaminated soils (Bowman et al. 1993; Fliermans et al., 1988). Fliermans et al., (1988) and others demonstrated that cultures enriched with methane and propane could cometabolically degrade a wide variety of chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons including ethylene; 1,2-cisdichloroethylene (c-DCE); 1,2-trans-dichloroethylene (t-DCE); vinyl chloride (VC); toluene; phenol and cresol. Characterization of select microorganisms in the natural setting is important for the evaluation of bioremediation potential and its effectiveness. This realization has necessitated techniques that are selective, sensitive and easily applicable to soils, sediments, and groundwater (Fliermans, et al., 1994). Additionally these techniques can identify and quantify microbial types in situ in real time

  9. Changes in methane oxidation activity and methanotrophic community composition in saline alkaline soils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serrano-Silva, Nancy; Valenzuela-Encinas, César; Marsch, Rodolfo; Dendooven, Luc; Alcántara-Hernández, Rocio J

    2014-05-01

    The soil of the former Lake Texcoco is a saline alkaline environment where anthropogenic drainage in some areas has reduced salt content and pH. Potential methane (CH4) consumption rates were measured in three soils of the former Lake Texcoco with different electrolytic conductivity (EC) and pH, i.e. Tex-S1 a >18 years drained soil (EC 0.7 dS m(-1), pH 8.5), Tex-S2 drained for ~10 years (EC 9.0 dS m(-1), pH 10.3) and the undrained Tex-S3 (EC 84.8 dS m(-1), pH 10.3). An arable soil from Alcholoya (EC 0.7 dS m(-1), pH 6.7), located nearby Lake Texcoco was used as control. Methane oxidation in the soil Tex-S1 (lowest EC and pH) was similar to that in the arable soil from Alcholoya (32.5 and 34.7 mg CH4 kg(-1) dry soil day(-1), respectively). Meanwhile, in soils Tex-S2 and Tex-S3, the potential CH4 oxidation rates were only 15.0 and 12.8 mg CH4 kg(-1) dry soil day(-1), respectively. Differences in CH4 oxidation were also related to changes in the methane-oxidizing communities in these soils. Sequence analysis of pmoA gene showed that soils differed in the identity and number of methanotrophic phylotypes. The Alcholoya soil and Tex-S1 contained phylotypes grouped within the upland soil cluster gamma and the Jasper Ridge, California JR-2 clade. In soil Tex-S3, a phylotype related to Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum was detected.

  10. [Analysis of phylogenetic criteria for estimation of the rank of taxa in methane-oxidizing bacteria].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romanovskaia, V A; Rokitko, P V

    2011-01-01

    To determine a possibility of application of phylogenetic criteria for estimating the taxa rank, the intra- and interspecies, as well as intergeneric relatedness of methanotrophs on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequences was estimated. We used sequences of 16S rRNA genes of the studied isolates of obligate methanotrophs which have been deposited in UCM (Ukrainian Collection of Microorganisms), and of type strains of other obligate methanotrophs species (from GenBank database). It is shown, that the levels of interspecies and intergeneric relatedness in different families of methanotrophs are not identical, and therefore they can be used for differentiation of taxa only within one family. The carried out analysis has shown, that it is necessary to reconsider taxonomic position: (1) of two phenotypically similar species of Methylomonas (M. aurantiaca and M. fodinarum), similarity of 16S rRNA genes which is 99.4%, similarity of their total DNA--up to 80% that rather testifies to strain differences, than to species differences; (2) of species Methylomicrobium agile and M album which are phylogenetically more related to genus Methylobacter (97% of affinity), than Methylomicrobium (94% of affinity); (3) of genera of the family Beijerinckiaceae (Methylocella and Methylocapsa), and also genera of the family Methylocystaceae (Methylosinus and Methylocystis), whereas high level of relatedness (97% and more) of these bacteria with other methanotrophic genera (within one family) practically corresponds to a range of relatedness of species (within some genera) in the family Methylococcaceae. When determining phylogenetic criteria which can characterize the ranks of taxa, it was revealed, that the levels of interspecies relatedness of methanotrophic genera of the families Methylocystaceae and Beijerinckiaceae (97.8-99.1% and 97.8%, accordingly) considerably exceed the level of genera formation in the family Methylococcaceae (94.0-98.2%) and, moreover, approach the value of

  11. [Hydrogen production and enzyme activity of acidophilic strain X-29 at different C/N ratio].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Qiu-bo; Xing, De-feng; Ren, Nan-qi; Zhao, Li-hua; Song, Ye-ying

    2006-04-01

    Some fermentative bacteria can produce hydrogen by utilizing carbohydrate and other kinds of organic compounds as substrates. Hydrogen production was also determined by both the limiting of growth and related enzyme activity in energy metabolism. Carbon and nitrogen are needed for the growth and metabolism of microorganisms. In addition, the carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio can influence the material metabolized and the energy produced. In order to improve the hydrogen production efficiency of the bacteria, we analyzed the effect of different C/N ratios on hydrogen production and the related enzyme activities in the acidophilic strain X-29 using batch test. The results indicate that the differences in the metabolism level and enzyme activity are obvious at different C/N ratios. Although the difference in liquid fermentative products produced per unit of biomass is not obvious, hydrogen production is enhanced at a specifically determined ratio. At a C/N ratio of 14 the accumulative hydrogen yield of strain X-29 reaches the maximum, 2210.9 mL/g. At different C/N ratios, the expression of hydrogenase activity vary; the activity of hydrogenase decrease quickly after reaching a maximum along with the fermentation process, but the time of expression is short. The activity of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) tend to stabilize after reaching a peak along with the fermentation process, the difference in expression activity is little, and the expression period is long at different C/N ratios. At a C/N ratio of 14 hydrogenase and ADH reach the maximum 2.88 micromol x (min x mg)(-1) and 33.2 micromol x (min x mg)(-1), respectively. It is shown that the C/N ratio has an important effect on enhancing hydrogen production and enzyme activity.

  12. Direct immunofluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for evaluating chlorinated hydrocarbon degrading bacteria

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brigmon, R.L.; Franck, M.M.; Brey, J.; Fliermans, C.B. [Westinghouse Savannah River, Aiken, SC (United States). Environmental Biotechnology Section; Scott, D.; Lanclos, K. [Medical Coll. of Georgia, Augusta, GA (United States)

    1997-06-01

    Immunological procedures were developed to enumerate chlorinated hydrocarbon degrading bacteria. Polyclonal antibodies (Pabs) were produced by immunizing New Zealand white rabbits against 18 contaminant-degrading bacteria. These included methanotrophic and chlorobenzene (CB) degrading species. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to test for specificity and sensitivity of the Pabs. Direct fluorescent antibodies (DFAs) were developed with these Pabs against select methanotrophic bacteria isolated from a trichloroethylene (TCE) contaminated landfill at the Savannah River Site (SRS) and cultures from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). Analysis of cross reactivity testing data showed some of the Pabs to be group specific while others were species specific. The threshold of sensitivity for the ELISA is 105 bacteria cells/ml. The DFA can detect as few as one bacterium per ml after concentration. Results from the DFA and ELISA techniques for enumeration of methanotrophic bacteria in groundwater were higher but not significantly different (P < 0.05) compared to indirect microbiological techniques such as MPN. These methods provide useful information on in situ community structure and function for bioremediation applications within 1--4 hours of sampling.

  13. Application of a mixed culture of adapted acidophilic bacteria in two-step bioleaching of spent lithium-ion laptop batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heydarian, Ahmad; Mousavi, Seyyed Mohammad; Vakilchap, Farzane; Baniasadi, Mahsa

    2018-02-01

    The rapid increase in the production of electrical and electronic equipment, along with higher consumption of these products, has caused defective and obsolete equipment to accumulate in the environment. In this research, bioleaching of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) used in laptops is carried out under two-step condition based on the bacterial activities of a mixture of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans. First, the best inoculum ratio of two acidophilic bacteria for the mixed culture is obtained. Next, adaptation is carried out successfully and the solid-to-liquid ratio reaches 40 g L-1. Response surface methodology is utilized to optimize the effective variables of initial pH, iron sulfate and sulfur concentrations. The maximum recovery of metal is about 99.2% for Li, 50.4% for Co and 89.4% for Ni under optimum conditions of 36.7 g L-1 iron sulfate concentration, 5.0 g L-1 sulfur concentration and initial pH of 1.5 for the best inoculum ratio of 3/2. Results of FE-SEM, XRD and FTIR analysis before and after bioleaching confirm that bacterial activity is a promising and effective route for metal recovery from spent LIBs. Toxicity assessment tests demonstrate the suitability of the bioleached residual as a nonhazardous material that meets environmental limitations for safe disposal.

  14. Size-Controlled Production of Gold Bionanoparticles Using the Extremely Acidophilic Fe(III-Reducing Bacterium, Acidocella aromatica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Intan Nurul Rizki

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Recycling of gold-bearing “urban mine” resources, such as waste printed circuit boards (PCBs, is attracting an increasing interest. Some of the gold leaching techniques utilize acidic lixiviants and in order to eventually target such acidic leachates, the utility of the acidophilic Fe(III-reducing heterotrophic bacterium, Acidocella (Ac. aromatica PFBC was evaluated for production of Au(0 bionanoparticles (bio-AuNPs. Au(III ions (as AuCl4−, initially 10 mg/L, were readily adsorbed onto the slightly-positively charged Ac. aromatica cell surface and transported into cytoplasm to successfully form intracellular bio-AuNPs in a simple one-step microbiological reaction. Generally, increasing the initial concentration of formate as e-donor corresponded to faster Au(III bioreduction and a greater number of Au(0 nucleation sites with less crystal growth within 40–60 h: i.e., use of 1, 5, 10, or 20 mM formate led to production of bio-AuNPs of 48, 24, 13, or 12 nm in mean particle size with 2.3, 17, 62, and 97 particles/cell, respectively. Addition of Cu2+ as an enzymatic inhibitor significantly decreased the number of Au(0 nucleation sites but enhanced crystal growth of individual particles. As a result, the manipulation of the e-donor concentration combined with an enzyme inhibitor enabled the 3-grade size-control of bio-AuNPs (nearly within a normal distribution at 48, 26 or 13 nm by use of 1 mM formate, 20 mM formate (+Cu2+ or 10 mM formate, respectively, from highly acidic, dilute Au(III solutions.

  15. Methylomonas paludis sp. nov., the first acid-tolerant member of the genus Methylomoas, from an acidic wetland

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Danilova, O.V.; Kulichevskaya, I.S.; Rozova, O.N.; Detkova, E.N.; Bodelier, P.L.E.; Trotsenko, Y.A.; Dedysh, S.N.

    2013-01-01

    An aerobic methanotrophic bacterium was isolated from an acidic (pH 3.9) Sphagnum peat bog in north-eastern Russia and designated strain MG30T. Cells of this strain are Gram-negative, pale-pink-pigmented, non-motile, thick rods that are covered by large polysaccharide capsules and contain an

  16. Enhancement of anaerobic acidogenesis by integrating an electrochemical system into an acidogenic reactor: effect of hydraulic retention times (HRT) and role of bacteria and acidophilic methanogenic Archaea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jingxin; Zhang, Yaobin; Quan, Xie; Chen, Shuo

    2015-03-01

    In this study, an acidogenic reactor packed with a pair of Fe-carbon electrodes (R1) was developed to enhance anaerobic acidogenesis of organic wastewater at short hydraulic retention times. The results indicated that the acidogenic efficiency was improved by settling a bio-electrochemical system. When hydraulic retention times decreased from 12 to 3h, R1 showed 18.9% more chemical oxygen demand removal and 13.8% more acidification efficiency. After cutting off the voltage of R1, the COD removal decreased by about 5%. Coupling of Fe(2+) leaching and electric field accelerated the hydrolysis of polysaccharide, relieving its accumulation in the sludge phase. Several acidophilic methanogenic Archaea such as Methanosarcina sp. were enriched in R1, which was favorable for consuming organic acids and preventing excessive pH decline. Thus, the developed acidogenic reactor with Fe-carbon electrodes is expected to be potentially effective and useful for wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Enrichment of denitrifying methanotrophic bacteria for application after direct low-temperature anaerobic sewage treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kampman, Christel; Hendrickx, Tim L.G.; Luesken, Francisca A.; Alen, Theo A. van; Op den Camp, Huub J.M.; Jetten, Mike S.M.; Zeeman, Grietje; Buisman, Cees J.N.; Temmink, Hardy

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► A new concept for low-temperature anaerobic sewage treatment is proposed. ► In this concept, denitrification and methane oxidation are performed by Methylomirabilis oxyfera. ► The bacteria were enriched from fresh water sediment using sequencing fed-batch reactors. ► The volumetric consumption rate has to be increased by an order of magnitude for practical application. ► Further research should focus on systems with improved biomass retention. - Abstract: Despite many advantages of anaerobic sewage treatment over conventional activated sludge treatment, it has not yet been applied in temperate zones. This is especially because effluent from low-temperature anaerobic treatment contains nitrogen and dissolved methane. The presence of nitrogen and methane offers the opportunity to develop a reactor in which methane is used as electron donor for denitrification. Such a reactor could be used in a new concept for low-temperature anaerobic sewage treatment, consisting of a UASB-digester system, a reactor for denitrification coupled to anaerobic methane oxidation, and a nitritation reactor. In the present study denitrifying methanotrophic bacteria similar to ‘Candidatus Methylomirabilis oxyfera’ were enriched. Maximum volumetric nitrite consumption rates were 33.5 mg NO 2 − -N/L d (using synthetic medium) and 37.8 mg NO 2 − -N/L d (using medium containing effluent from a sewage treatment plant), which are similar to the maximum rate reported so far. Though the goal was to increase the rates, in both reactors, after reaching these maximum rates, volumetric nitrite consumption rates decreased in time. Results indicate biomass washout may have significantly decelerated enrichment. Therefore, to obtain higher volumetric consumption rates, further research should focus on systems with complete biomass retention.

  18. Stratification of Diversity and Activity of Methanogenic and Methanotrophic Microorganisms in a Nitrogen-Fertilized Italian Paddy Soil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annika Vaksmaa

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Paddy fields are important ecosystems, as rice is the primary food source for about half of the world’s population. Paddy fields are impacted by nitrogen fertilization and are a major anthropogenic source of methane. Microbial diversity and methane metabolism were investigated in the upper 60 cm of a paddy soil by qPCR, 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and anoxic 13C-CH4 turnover with a suite of electron acceptors. The bacterial community consisted mainly of Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, Proteobacteria, Planctomycetes, and Actinobacteria. Among archaea, Euryarchaeota and Bathyarchaeota dominated over Thaumarchaeota in the upper 30 cm of the soil. Bathyarchaeota constituted up to 45% of the total archaeal reads in the top 5 cm. In the methanogenic community, Methanosaeta were generally more abundant than the versatile Methanosarcina. The measured maximum methane production rate was 444 nmol gdwh-1, and the maximum rates of nitrate-, nitrite-, and iron-dependent anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM were 57 nmol, 55 nmol, and 56 nmol gdwh-1, respectively, at different depths. qPCR revealed a higher abundance of ‘Candidatus Methanoperedens nitroreducens’ than methanotrophic NC10 phylum bacteria at all depths, except at 60 cm. These results demonstrate that there is substantial potential for AOM in fertilized paddy fields, with ‘Candidatus Methanoperedens nitroreducens’ archaea as a potential important contributor.

  19. Enrichment of denitrifying methanotrophic bacteria for application after direct low-temperature anaerobic sewage treatment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kampman, Christel, E-mail: christel.kampman@wur.nl [Sub-department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA, Wageningen (Netherlands); Hendrickx, Tim L.G. [Sub-department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA, Wageningen (Netherlands); Luesken, Francisca A.; Alen, Theo A. van; Op den Camp, Huub J.M.; Jetten, Mike S.M. [Department of Microbiology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen (Netherlands); Zeeman, Grietje; Buisman, Cees J.N.; Temmink, Hardy [Sub-department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA, Wageningen (Netherlands)

    2012-08-15

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A new concept for low-temperature anaerobic sewage treatment is proposed. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer In this concept, denitrification and methane oxidation are performed by Methylomirabilis oxyfera. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The bacteria were enriched from fresh water sediment using sequencing fed-batch reactors. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The volumetric consumption rate has to be increased by an order of magnitude for practical application. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Further research should focus on systems with improved biomass retention. - Abstract: Despite many advantages of anaerobic sewage treatment over conventional activated sludge treatment, it has not yet been applied in temperate zones. This is especially because effluent from low-temperature anaerobic treatment contains nitrogen and dissolved methane. The presence of nitrogen and methane offers the opportunity to develop a reactor in which methane is used as electron donor for denitrification. Such a reactor could be used in a new concept for low-temperature anaerobic sewage treatment, consisting of a UASB-digester system, a reactor for denitrification coupled to anaerobic methane oxidation, and a nitritation reactor. In the present study denitrifying methanotrophic bacteria similar to 'Candidatus Methylomirabilis oxyfera' were enriched. Maximum volumetric nitrite consumption rates were 33.5 mg NO{sub 2}{sup -}-N/L d (using synthetic medium) and 37.8 mg NO{sub 2}{sup -}-N/L d (using medium containing effluent from a sewage treatment plant), which are similar to the maximum rate reported so far. Though the goal was to increase the rates, in both reactors, after reaching these maximum rates, volumetric nitrite consumption rates decreased in time. Results indicate biomass washout may have significantly decelerated enrichment. Therefore, to obtain higher volumetric consumption rates, further research should focus on systems with complete biomass

  20. Identification of antigens from nosocomial Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates in sera from ICU staff and infected patients using the antigenome technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nafarieh, Tina; Bandehpour, Mojgan; Hashemi, Ali; Taheri, Sodabeh; Yardel, Vahid; Jamaati, Hamidreza; Moosavi, Seyed Mahdi; Mosaffa, Nariman

    2017-09-30

    Nosocomial infections with a bacterial origin are considered one of the most dangerous threats to global health. Among the causes of these infections, Acinetobacter baumannii is playing a significant role, and the present study aimed‏ to determine the immunogenic proteins of this bacteria. Clinical isolates of A. baumannii were obtained from positive sputum cultures of intensive care unit (ICU) patients confirmed by Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the OXA-51 gene, and sera was obtained from 20 colonized patients. In addition, 20 and 30 serum samples were collected from ICU nurses and healthy controls, respectively. All the samples were screened in the presence of antibodies against A. baumannii by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). IgG purified from the serum samples by affinity chromatography was used to isolate the bacteria by the Magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) procedure. After the bacteria were cultured, the identified antigen proteins were studied by western blotting and Mass spectrometry (MS). The MS results were analyzed with MASCOT software and revealed a 35 KD protein, which corresponds to outer membrane protein A (OmpA) of A. baumannii, a 25 KD band, which is a carbapenem-associated resistance protein precursor, and a 60 KD protein band, identified as a stress-induced bacterial acidophilic repeat motif protein. According to the properties of immunogen antigens and bio informatics tools, the outer membrane proteins (OMPs) can be used as a vaccine candidate in animal models.

  1. The metatranscriptome of a deep-sea hydrothermal plume is dominated by water column methanotrophs and lithotrophs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lesniewski, Ryan A; Jain, Sunit; Anantharaman, Karthik; Schloss, Patrick D; Dick, Gregory J

    2012-12-01

    Microorganisms mediate geochemical processes in deep-sea hydrothermal vent plumes, which are a conduit for transfer of elements and energy from the subsurface to the oceans. Despite this important microbial influence on marine geochemistry, the ecology and activity of microbial communities in hydrothermal plumes is largely unexplored. Here, we use a coordinated metagenomic and metatranscriptomic approach to compare microbial communities in Guaymas Basin hydrothermal plumes to background waters above the plume and in the adjacent Carmen Basin. Despite marked increases in plume total RNA concentrations (3-4 times) and microbially mediated manganese oxidation rates (15-125 times), plume and background metatranscriptomes were dominated by the same groups of methanotrophs and chemolithoautotrophs. Abundant community members of Guaymas Basin seafloor environments (hydrothermal sediments and chimneys) were not prevalent in the plume metatranscriptome. De novo metagenomic assembly was used to reconstruct genomes of abundant populations, including Marine Group I archaea, Methylococcaceae, SAR324 Deltaproteobacteria and SUP05 Gammaproteobacteria. Mapping transcripts to these genomes revealed abundant expression of genes involved in the chemolithotrophic oxidation of ammonia (amo), methane (pmo) and sulfur (sox). Whereas amo and pmo gene transcripts were abundant in both plume and background, transcripts of sox genes for sulfur oxidation from SUP05 groups displayed a 10-20-fold increase in plumes. We conclude that the biogeochemistry of Guaymas Basin hydrothermal plumes is mediated by microorganisms that are derived from seawater rather than from seafloor hydrothermal environments such as chimneys or sediments, and that hydrothermal inputs serve as important electron donors for primary production in the deep Gulf of California.

  2. Microbial life in volcanic/geothermal areas: how soil geochemistry shapes microbial communities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gagliano, Antonina Lisa; D'Alessandro, Walter; Franzetti, Andrea; Parello, Francesco; Tagliavia, Marcello; Quatrini, Paola

    2015-04-01

    Extreme environments, such as volcanic/geothermal areas, are sites of complex interactions between geosphere and biosphere. Although biotic and abiotic components are strictly related, they were separately studied for long time. Nowadays, innovative and interdisciplinary approaches are available to explore microbial life thriving in these environments. Pantelleria island (Italy) hosts a high enthalpy geothermal system characterized by high CH4 and low H2S fluxes. Two selected sites, FAV1 and FAV2, located at Favara Grande, the main exhalative area of the island, show similar physical conditions with a surface temperature close to 60° C and a soil gas composition enriched in CH4, H2 and CO2. FAV1 soil is characterized by harsher conditions (pH 3.4 and 12% of H2O content); conversely, milder conditions were recorded at site FAV2 (pH 5.8 and 4% of H2O content). High methanotrophic activity (59.2 nmol g-1 h-1) and wide diversity of methanotrophic bacteria were preliminary detected at FAV2, while no activity was detected at FAV1(1). Our aim was to investigate how the soil microbial communities of these two close geothermal sites at Pantelleria island respond to different geochemical conditions. Bacterial and Archaeal communities of the sites were investigated by MiSeq Illumina sequencing of hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene. More than 33,000 reads were obtained for Bacteria and Archaea from soil samples of the two sites. At FAV1 99% of the bacterial sequences were assigned to four main phyla (Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Chloroflexi). FAV2 sequences were distributed in the same phyla with the exception of Chloroflexi that was represented below 1%. Results indicate a high abundance of thermo-acidophilic chemolithotrophs in site FAV1 dominated by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (25%), Nitrosococcus halophilus (10%), Alicyclobacillus spp. (7%) and the rare species Ktedonobacter racemifer (11%). The bacterial community at FAV2 soil is dominated by

  3. Influence of water chemistry on the distribution of an acidophilic protozoan in an acid mine drainage system at the abandoned Green Valley coal mine, Indiana, USA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brake, S.S.; Dannelly, H.K.; Connors, K.A.; Hasiotis, S.T. [Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN (United States). Dept. of Geography Geology & Anthropology

    2001-07-01

    Euglena mutabilis, a benthic photosynthetic protozoan that intracellularly sequesters Fe, is variably abundant in the main effluent channel that contains acid mine drainage (AMD) discharging from the Green Valley coal mine site in western Indiana. Samples of effluent (pH 3.0-4.6) taken from the main channel and samples of contaminated stream water (pH 3.3 to 8.0) collected from an adjacent stream were analyzed to evaluate the influence of water chemistry on E. mutabilis distribution. E. mutabilis communities were restricted to areas containing unmixed effluent with the thickest (up to 3 mm) benthic communities residing in effluent containing high concentrations of total Fe (up to 12110 mg/l), SO{sub 4}(up to 2940 mg/l), Al (up to 1846 mg/l), and Cl (up to 629 mg/l). Communities were also present, but much less abundant, in areas with effluent containing lower concentrations of these same constituents. In effluent where SO{sub 4} was most highly concentrated, E. mutabilis was largely absent, suggesting that extremely high concentrations of SO{sub 4} may have an adverse effect on this potentially beneficial Fe-mediating, acidophilic protozoan.

  4. The nitrogen cycle in anaerobic methanotrophic mats of the Black Sea is linked to sulfate reduction and biomass decomposition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siegert, Michael; Taubert, Martin; Seifert, Jana; von Bergen-Tomm, Martin; Basen, Mirko; Bastida, Felipe; Gehre, Matthias; Richnow, Hans-Hermann; Krüger, Martin

    2013-11-01

    Anaerobic methanotrophic (ANME) mats host methane-oxidizing archaea and sulfate-reducing prokaryotes. Little is known about the nitrogen cycle in these communities. Here, we link the anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) to the nitrogen cycle in microbial mats of the Black Sea by using stable isotope probing. We used four different (15)N-labeled sources of nitrogen: dinitrogen, nitrate, nitrite and ammonium. We estimated the nitrogen incorporation rates into the total biomass and the methyl coenzyme M reductase (MCR). Dinitrogen played an insignificant role as nitrogen source. Assimilatory and dissimilatory nitrate reduction occurred. High rates of nitrate reduction to dinitrogen were stimulated by methane and sulfate, suggesting that oxidation of reduced sulfur compounds such as sulfides was necessary for AOM with nitrate as electron acceptor. Nitrate reduction to dinitrogen occurred also in the absence of methane as electron donor but at six times slower rates. Dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium was independent of AOM. Ammonium was used for biomass synthesis under all conditions. The pivotal enzyme in AOM coupled to sulfate reduction, MCR, was synthesized from nitrate and ammonium. Results show that AOM coupled to sulfate reduction along with biomass decomposition drive the nitrogen cycle in the ANME mats of the Black Sea and that MCR enzymes are involved in this process. © 2013 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Multi-omics reveal the lifestyle of the acidophilic, mineral-oxidizing model species Leptospirillum ferriphilumT.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christel, Stephan; Herold, Malte; Bellenberg, Sören; El Hajjami, Mohamed; Buetti-Dinh, Antoine; Pivkin, Igor V; Sand, Wolfgang; Wilmes, Paul; Poetsch, Ansgar; Dopson, Mark

    2017-11-17

    novel identification of genes for atmospheric nitrogen fixation, and represents an essential step for further accurate proteomic and transcriptomic investigation of this acidophile model species in the future. Additionally, light is shed on Leptospirillum ferriphilum T adaptation strategies to growth on the copper mineral chalcopyrite. This data can be applied to deepen our understanding and optimization of bioleaching and biooxidation, techniques that present sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives to many traditional methods for metal extraction. Copyright © 2017 Christel et al.

  6. [Effects of copper on biodegradation mechanism of trichloroethylene by mixed microorganisms].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Yanhui; Zhao, Tiantao; Xing, Zhilin; He, Zhi; Zhang, Lijie; Peng, Xuya

    2016-05-25

    We isolated and enriched mixed microorganisms SWA1 from landfill cover soils supplemented with trichloroethylene (TCE). The microbial mixture could degrade TCE effectively under aerobic conditions. Then, we investigated the effect of copper ion (0 to 15 μmol/L) on TCE biodegradation. Results show that the maximum TCE degradation speed was 29.60 nmol/min with 95.75% degradation when copper ion was at 0.03 μmol/L. In addition, genes encoding key enzymes during biodegradation were analyzed by Real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR). The relative expression abundance of pmoA gene (4.22E-03) and mmoX gene (9.30E-06) was the highest when copper ion was at 0.03 μmol/L. Finally, we also used MiSeq pyrosequencing to investigate the diversity of microbial community. Methylocystaceae that can co-metabolic degrade TCE were the dominant microorganisms; other microorganisms with the function of direct oxidation of TCE were also included in SWA1 and the microbial diversity decreased significantly along with increasing of copper ion concentration. Based on the above results, variation of copper ion concentration affected the composition of SWA1 and degradation mechanism of TCE. The degradation mechanism of TCE included co-metabolism degradation of methanotrophs and oxidation metabolism directly at copper ion of 0.03 μmol/L. When copper ion at 5 μmol/L (biodegradation was 84.75%), the degradation mechanism of TCE included direct-degradation and co-metabolism degradation of methanotrophs and microorganisms containing phenol hydroxylase. Therefore, biodegradation of TCE by microorganisms was a complicated process, the degradation mechanism included co-metabolism degradation of methanotrophs and bio-oxidation of non-methanotrophs.

  7. Growth rate characteristics of acidophilic heterotrophic organisms from mine waste rock piles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yacob, T. W.; Silverstein, J.; Jenkins, J.; Andre, B. J.; Rajaram, H.

    2010-12-01

    Autotrophic iron oxidizing bacteria play a key role in pyrite oxidation and generation of acid mine drainage AMD. Scarcity of organic substrates in many disturbed sites insures that IOB have sufficient oxygen and other nutrients for growth. It is proposed that addition of organic carbon substrate to waste rock piles will result in enrichment of heterotrophic microorganisms limiting the role of IOB in AMD generation. Previous researchers have used the acidophilic heterotroph Acidiphilium cryptum as a model to study the effects of organic substrate addition on the pyrite oxidation/AMD cycle. In order to develop a quantitative model of effects such as competition for oxygen, it is necessary to use growth and substrate consumption rate expressions, and one approach is to choose a model strain such as A. cryptum for kinetic studies. However we have found that the growth rate characteristics of A. cryptum may not provide an accurate model of the remediation effects of organic addition to subsurface mined sites. Fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH) assays of extracts of mine waste rock enriched with glucose and yeast extract did not produce countable numbers of cells in the Acidiphilium genus, with a detection limit of3 x 104 cells/gram rock, despite evidence of the presence of well established heterotrophic organisms. However, an MPN enrichment produced heterotrophic population estimates of 1x107 and 1x109 cells/gram rock. Growth rate studies of A. cryptum showed that cultures took 120 hours to degrade 50% of an initial glucose concentration of 2,000 mg/L. However a mixed culture enriched from mine waste rock consumed 100% of the same amount of glucose in 24 hours. Substrate consumption data for the mixed culture were fit to a Monod growth model: {dS}/{dt} = μ_{max}S {( {X_0}/{Y} + S_0 -S )}/{(K_s +S)} Kinetic parameters were estimated utilizing a non linear regression method coupled with an ODE solver. The maximum specific growth rate of the mixed population with

  8. Vertical profiles of community abundance and diversity of anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME) and bacteria in a simple waste landfill in north China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Jun; Ding, Linjie; Wang, Xu; Chi, Zifang; Lei, Jiansen

    2015-03-01

    Anaerobic methane oxidation (AMO) is considered to be an important sink of CH4 in habitats as marine sediments. But, few studies focused on AMO in landfills which may be an important sink of CH4 derived from waste fermentation. To show evidence of AMO and to uncover function anaerobic methanotroph (ANME) community in landfill, different age waste samples were collected in Jinqianpu landfill located in north China. Through high-throughput sequencing, Methanomicrobiales and Methanosarcinales archaea associated with ANME and reverse methanogenic archaea of Methanosarcina and Methanobacterium were detected. Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) (Desulfobulbus and Desulfococcus) which could couple with ANME-conducting AMO were also found. But, the community structure of ANME had no significant difference with depths. From the results of investigation, we can come to a conclusion that sulfate-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (SR-DAMO) would be the dominant AMO process in the landfill, while iron-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (M/IR-DAMO) process was weak though concentration of ferric iron was large in the landfill. Denitrification-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (NR-DAMO) was negative because of lack of nitrate and relevant function microorganisms in the landfill. Results also indicate that CH4 mitigation would have higher potential by increasing electron acceptor contents and promoting the growth of relevant function microorganisms.

  9. Expanding diversity of potential bacterial partners of the methanotrophic ANME archaea using Magneto-FISH

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trembath-Reichert, E.; Green-Saxena, A.; Steele, J. A.; Orphan, V. J.

    2012-12-01

    Sulfate-coupled anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) in marine sediments is the major sink for methane in the oceans. This process is believed to be catalyzed by as yet uncultured syntrophic consortia of ANME archaea (affiliated with the Methanosarcinales) and sulfate-reducing bacteria belonging to the Desulfosarcina/Desulfococcus and Desulfobulbaceae. These syntrophic consortia have been described from methane-rich habitats worldwide and appear to be most concentrated in areas of high methane flux, such as cold seeps along continental margins. The extent of the diversity and ecophysiological potential of these microbial associations is still poorly constrained. In an effort to better characterize the diversity of microorganisms forming associations with different clades of methanotrophic ANME archaea (ANME-1, ANME-2a/b/c, ANME-3) and link these organisms to potentially diagnostic metabolic genes (e.g. mcrA, dsrAB, aprA), we employed a unique culture-independent whole cell capture technique which combines Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization with immuno-magnetic cell capture (Magneto-FISH). We used Magneto-FISH for targeted enrichment of specific ANME groups and their associated bacteria directly from formalin- and ethanol-fixed methane seep sediment. The identity and metabolic gene diversity of captured microorganisms were then assessed by clone library construction and sequencing. Diversity recovered from Magneto-FISH experiments using general and clade-specific ANME targeted probes show both the expected selectivity of the FISH probes (i.e. predominately ANME-2c subclade captured with an ANME-2c probe and multiple ANME groups recovered with the general probe targeting most ANME). Follow up FISH experiments were conducted to confirm physical associations between ANME and unique bacterial members (deltaproteobacteria and other non-sulfate reducing groups) that were common to multiple Magneto-FISH capture experiments. Analyses of metabolic gene diversity for archaeal

  10. Enhanced Productivity of a Lutein-Enriched Novel Acidophile Microalga Grown on Urea

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Casal, C.; Cuaresma, M.; Vega, J.M.; Vilchez, C.

    2011-01-01

    Coccomyxa acidophila is an extremophile eukaryotic microalga isolated from the Tinto River mining area in Huelva, Spain. Coccomyxa acidophila accumulates relevant amounts of b-carotene and lutein, well-known carotenoids with many biotechnological applications, especially in food and health-related

  11. Isolation and characterization of novel 1,3-propanediol-producing Lactobacillus panis PM1 from bioethanol thin stillage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Nurul H; Kang, Tae Sun; Grahame, Douglas A S; Haakensen, Monique C; Ratanapariyanuch, Kornsulee; Reaney, Martin J; Korber, Darren R; Tanaka, Takuji

    2013-01-01

    Conversion of glycerol to 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO) is an attractive option to increase the economic efficiency of the biofuel industry. A bacterial strain that produced 1,3-PDO in the presence of glycerol was isolated from thin stillage, the fermentation residue of bioethanol production. This 1,3-PDO-producing organism was identified as Lactobacillus panis through biochemical characteristics and by 16S rRNA sequencing. Characterization of the L. panis strain hereafter designated as PM1 revealed it was an aerotolerant acidophilic anaerobe able to grow over a wide range of temperatures; tolerant to high concentrations of sodium chloride, ethanol, acetic acid, and lactic acid; and resistant to many common antibiotics. L. panis PM1 could utilize glucose, lactose, galactose, maltose, xylose, and arabinose, but could not grow on sucrose or fructose. Production of 1,3-PDO by L. panis PM1 occurred only when glucose was available as the carbon source in the absence of oxygen. These metabolic characteristics strongly suggested NADH recycling for glucose metabolism is achieved through 1,3-PDO production by this strain. These characteristics classified L. panis PM1 within the group III heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria, which includes the well-characterized 1,3-PDO-producing strain, Lactobacillus reuteri. Metabolite production profiles showed that L. panis PM1 produced considerable amounts of succinic acid (~11-12 mM) from normal MRS medium, which distinguishes this strain from L. reuteri strains.

  12. Methane Seep in Shallow-Water Permeable Sediment Harbors High Diversity of Anaerobic Methanotrophic Communities, Elba, Italy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruff, S. Emil; Kuhfuss, Hanna; Wegener, Gunter; Lott, Christian; Ramette, Alban; Wiedling, Johanna; Knittel, Katrin; Weber, Miriam

    2016-01-01

    The anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) is a key biogeochemical process regulating methane emission from marine sediments into the hydrosphere. AOM is largely mediated by consortia of anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME) and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), and has mainly been investigated in deep-sea sediments. Here we studied methane seepage at four spots located at 12 m water depth in coastal, organic carbon depleted permeable sands off the Island of Elba (Italy). We combined biogeochemical measurements, sequencing-based community analyses and in situ hybridization to investigate the microbial communities of this environment. Increased alkalinity, formation of free sulfide and nearly stoichiometric methane oxidation and sulfate reduction rates up to 200 nmol g-1 day-1 indicated the predominance of sulfate-coupled AOM. With up to 40 cm thickness the zones of AOM activity were unusually large and occurred in deeper sediment horizons (20–50 cm below seafloor) as compared to diffusion-dominated deep-sea seeps, which is likely caused by advective flow of pore water due to the shallow water depth and permeability of the sands. Hydrodynamic forces also may be responsible for the substantial phylogenetic and unprecedented morphological diversity of AOM consortia inhabiting these sands, including the clades ANME-1a/b, ANME-2a/b/c, ANME-3, and their partner bacteria SEEP-SRB1a and SEEP-SRB2. High microbial dispersal, the availability of diverse energy sources and high habitat heterogeneity might explain that the emission spots shared few microbial taxa, despite their physical proximity. Although the biogeochemistry of this shallow methane seep was very different to that of deep-sea seeps, their key functional taxa were very closely related, which supports the global dispersal of key taxa and underlines strong selection by methane as the predominant energy source. Mesophilic, methane-fueled ecosystems in shallow-water permeable sediments may comprise distinct

  13. Methane Seep in Shallow-Water Permeable Sediment Harbors High Diversity of Anaerobic Methanotrophic Communities, Elba, Italy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruff, S Emil; Kuhfuss, Hanna; Wegener, Gunter; Lott, Christian; Ramette, Alban; Wiedling, Johanna; Knittel, Katrin; Weber, Miriam

    2016-01-01

    The anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) is a key biogeochemical process regulating methane emission from marine sediments into the hydrosphere. AOM is largely mediated by consortia of anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME) and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), and has mainly been investigated in deep-sea sediments. Here we studied methane seepage at four spots located at 12 m water depth in coastal, organic carbon depleted permeable sands off the Island of Elba (Italy). We combined biogeochemical measurements, sequencing-based community analyses and in situ hybridization to investigate the microbial communities of this environment. Increased alkalinity, formation of free sulfide and nearly stoichiometric methane oxidation and sulfate reduction rates up to 200 nmol g(-1) day(-1) indicated the predominance of sulfate-coupled AOM. With up to 40 cm thickness the zones of AOM activity were unusually large and occurred in deeper sediment horizons (20-50 cm below seafloor) as compared to diffusion-dominated deep-sea seeps, which is likely caused by advective flow of pore water due to the shallow water depth and permeability of the sands. Hydrodynamic forces also may be responsible for the substantial phylogenetic and unprecedented morphological diversity of AOM consortia inhabiting these sands, including the clades ANME-1a/b, ANME-2a/b/c, ANME-3, and their partner bacteria SEEP-SRB1a and SEEP-SRB2. High microbial dispersal, the availability of diverse energy sources and high habitat heterogeneity might explain that the emission spots shared few microbial taxa, despite their physical proximity. Although the biogeochemistry of this shallow methane seep was very different to that of deep-sea seeps, their key functional taxa were very closely related, which supports the global dispersal of key taxa and underlines strong selection by methane as the predominant energy source. Mesophilic, methane-fueled ecosystems in shallow-water permeable sediments may comprise distinct

  14. Genomic insights into microbial iron oxidation and iron uptake strategies in extremely acidic environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonnefoy, Violaine; Holmes, David S

    2012-07-01

    This minireview presents recent advances in our understanding of iron oxidation and homeostasis in acidophilic Bacteria and Archaea. These processes influence the flux of metals and nutrients in pristine and man-made acidic environments such as acid mine drainage and industrial bioleaching operations. Acidophiles are also being studied to understand life in extreme conditions and their role in the generation of biomarkers used in the search for evidence of existing or past extra-terrestrial life. Iron oxidation in acidophiles is best understood in the model organism Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. However, recent functional genomic analysis of acidophiles is leading to a deeper appreciation of the diversity of acidophilic iron-oxidizing pathways. Although it is too early to paint a detailed picture of the role played by lateral gene transfer in the evolution of iron oxidation, emerging evidence tends to support the view that iron oxidation arose independently more than once in evolution. Acidic environments are generally rich in soluble iron and extreme acidophiles (e.g. the Leptospirillum genus) have considerably fewer iron uptake systems compared with neutrophiles. However, some acidophiles have been shown to grow as high as pH 6 and, in the case of the Acidithiobacillus genus, to have multiple iron uptake systems. This could be an adaption allowing them to respond to different iron concentrations via the use of a multiplicity of different siderophores. Both Leptospirillum spp. and Acidithiobacillus spp. are predicted to synthesize the acid stable citrate siderophore for Fe(III) uptake. In addition, both groups have predicted receptors for siderophores produced by other microorganisms, suggesting that competition for iron occurs influencing the ecophysiology of acidic environments. Little is known about the genetic regulation of iron oxidation and iron uptake in acidophiles, especially how the use of iron as an energy source is balanced with its need to take up

  15. Dynamic of active microorganisms inhabiting a bioleaching industrial heap of low‐grade copper sulfide ore monitored by real‐time PCR and oligonucleotide prokaryotic acidophile microarray

    Science.gov (United States)

    Remonsellez, Francisco; Galleguillos, Felipe; Moreno‐Paz, Mercedes; Parro, Víctor; Acosta, Mauricio; Demergasso, Cecilia

    2009-01-01

    Summary The bioleaching of metal sulfide has developed into a very important industrial process and understanding the microbial dynamic is key to advancing commercial bioleaching operations. Here we report the first quantitative description of the dynamic of active communities in an industrial bioleaching heap. Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans was the most abundant during the first part of the leaching cycle, while the abundance of Leptospirillum ferriphilum and Ferroplasma acidiphilum increased with age of the heap. Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans kept constant throughout the leaching cycle, and Firmicutes group showed a low and a patchy distribution in the heap. The Acidiphilium‐like bacteria reached their highest abundance corresponding to the amount of autotrophs. The active microorganisms in the leaching system were determined using two RNA‐based sensitive techniques. In most cases, the 16S rRNA copy numbers of At. ferrooxidans, L. ferriphilum, At. thiooxidans and F. acidiphilum, was concomitant with the DNA copy numbers, whereas Acidiphilium‐like bacteria and some Firmicutes members did not show a clear correlation between 16S rRNA accumulation and DNA copy numbers. However, the prokaryotic acidophile microarray (PAM) analysis showed active members of Alphaproteobacteria in all samples and of Sulfobacillus genus in older ones. Also, new active groups such as Actinobacteria and Acidobacterium genus were detected by PAM. The results suggest that changes during the leaching cycle in chemical and physical conditions, such as pH and Fe3+/Fe2+ ion rate, are primary factors shaping the microbial dynamic in the heap. PMID:21255296

  16. Draft genome sequence of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans YQH-1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lei Yan

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans YQH-1 is a moderate acidophilic bacterium isolated from a river in a volcano of Northeast China. Here, we describe the draft genome of strain YQH-1, which was assembled into 123 contigs containing 3,111,222 bp with a G + C content of 58.63%. A large number of genes related to carbon dioxide fixation, dinitrogen fixation, pH tolerance, heavy metal detoxification, and oxidative stress defense were detected. The genome sequence can be accessed at DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank under the accession no. LJBT00000000.

  17. Assessing Impacts of Unconventional Natural Gas Extraction on Microbial Communities in Headwater Stream Ecosystems in Northwestern Pennsylvania

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ryan eTrexler

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have increased dramatically in Pennsylvania Marcellus shale formations, however the potential for major environmental impacts are still incompletely understood. High-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was performed to characterize the microbial community structure of water, sediment, bryophyte, and biofilm samples from 26 headwater stream sites in northwestern Pennsylvania with different histories of fracking activity within Marcellus shale play. Further, we describe the relationship between microbial community structure and environmental parameters measured. Approximately 3.2 million 16S rRNA gene sequences were retrieved from a total of 58 samples. Microbial community analyses showed significant reductions in species richness as well as evenness in sites with Marcellus shale activity (MSA+. Beta diversity analyses revealed distinct microbial community structure between sites with and without Marcellus shale activity (MSA-. For example, OTUs within the Acetobacteracea, Methylocystaceae, Acidobacteriaceae, and Phenylobacterium were greater than three log-fold more abundant in MSA+ sites as compared to MSA- sites. Further, several of these OTUs were strongly negatively correlated with pH and positively correlated with the number of wellpads in a watershed. It should be noted that many of the OTUs enriched in MSA+ sites are putative acidophilic and/or methanotrophic populations. This study revealed apparent shifts in the autochthonous microbial communities and highlighted potential members that could be responding to changing stream conditions as a result of nascent industrial activity in these aquatic ecosystems.

  18. Assessing impacts of unconventional natural gas extraction on microbial communities in headwater stream ecosystems in Northwestern Pennsylvania

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trexler, Ryan; Solomon, Caroline; Brislawn, Colin J.; Wright, Justin R.; Rosenberger, Abigail; McClure, Erin E.; Grube, Alyssa M.; Peterson, Mark P.; Keddache, Mehdi; Mason, Olivia U.; Hazen, Terry C.; Grant, Christopher J.; Lamendella, Regina

    2014-01-01

    Hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have increased dramatically in Pennsylvania Marcellus shale formations, however the potential for major environmental impacts are still incompletely understood. High-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was performed to characterize the microbial community structure of water, sediment, bryophyte, and biofilm samples from 26 headwater stream sites in northwestern Pennsylvania with different histories of fracking activity within Marcellus shale formations. Further, we describe the relationship between microbial community structure and environmental parameters measured. Approximately 3.2 million 16S rRNA gene sequences were retrieved from a total of 58 samples. Microbial community analyses showed significant reductions in species richness as well as evenness in sites with Marcellus shale activity. Beta diversity analyses revealed distinct microbial community structure between sites with and without Marcellus shale activity. For example, operational taxonomic units (OTUs) within the Acetobacteracea, Methylocystaceae, Acidobacteriaceae, and Phenylobacterium were greater than three log-fold more abundant in MSA+ sites as compared to MSA− sites. Further, several of these OTUs were strongly negatively correlated with pH and positively correlated with the number of wellpads in a watershed. It should be noted that many of the OTUs enriched in MSA+ sites are putative acidophilic and/or methanotrophic populations. This study revealed apparent shifts in the autochthonous microbial communities and highlighted potential members that could be responding to changing stream conditions as a result of nascent industrial activity in these aquatic ecosystems. PMID:25408683

  19. Facultative methanotrophy: false leads, true results, and suggestions for future research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Semrau, Jeremy D; DiSpirito, Alan A; Vuilleumier, Stéphane

    2011-10-01

    Methanotrophs are a group of phylogenetically diverse microorganisms characterized by their ability to utilize methane as their sole source of carbon and energy. Early studies suggested that growth on methane could be stimulated with the addition of some small organic acids, but initial efforts to find facultative methanotrophs, i.e., methanotrophs able to utilize compounds with carbon-carbon bonds as sole growth substrates were inconclusive. Recently, however, facultative methanotrophs in the genera Methylocella, Methylocapsa, and Methylocystis have been reported that can grow on acetate, as well as on larger organic acids or ethanol for some species. All identified facultative methanotrophs group within the Alphaproteobacteria and utilize the serine cycle for carbon assimilation from formaldehyde. It is possible that facultative methanotrophs are able to convert acetate into intermediates of the serine cycle (e.g. malate and glyoxylate), because a variety of acetate assimilation pathways convert acetate into these compounds (e.g. the glyoxylate shunt of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, the ethylmalonyl-CoA pathway, the citramalate cycle, and the methylaspartate cycle). In this review, we summarize the history of facultative methanotrophy, describe scenarios for the basis of facultative methanotrophy, and pose several topics for future research in this area. © 2011 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Methane seep in shallow-water permeable sediment harbors high diversity of anaerobic methanotrophic communities, Elba, Italy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S Emil Ruff

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM is a key biogeochemical process regulating methane emission from marine sediments into the hydrosphere. AOM is largely mediated by consortia of anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB, and has mainly been investigated in deep-sea sediments. Here we studied methane seepage at four spots located at 12 m water depth in coastal, organic-carbon depleted permeable sands off the Island of Elba (Italy. We combined biogeochemical measurements, sequencing-based community analyses and in situ hybridization to investigate the microbial communities of this environment. Increased alkalinity, formation of free sulfide and nearly stoichiometric methane oxidation and sulfate reduction rates up to 200 nmol g-1 day-1 indicated the predominance of sulfate-coupled AOM. With up to 40 cm thickness the zones of AOM activity were unusually large and occurred in deeper sediment horizons (20–50 cm below seafloor as compared to diffusion-dominated deep-sea seeps, which is likely caused by advective flow of pore water due to the shallow water depth and permeability of the sands. Hydrodynamic forces also may be responsible for the substantial phylogenetic and unprecedented morphological diversity of AOM consortia inhabiting these sands, including the clades ANME-1a/b, ANME-2a/b/c, ANME-3 and their partner bacteria SEEP-SRB1a and SEEP-SRB2. High microbial dispersal, the availability of diverse energy sources and high habitat heterogeneity might explain that the emission spots shared few microbial taxa, despite their physical proximity. Although the biogeochemistry of this shallow methane seep was very different to that of deep-sea seeps, their key functional taxa were very closely related, which supports the global dispersal of key taxa and underlines strong selection by methane as the predominant energy source. Mesophilic, methane-fueled ecosystems in shallow-water permeable sediments may comprise

  1. Genomes in Turmoil: Frugality Drives Microbial Community Structure in Extremely Acidic Environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holmes, D. S.

    2016-12-01

    Extremely acidic environments (To gain insight into these issues, we have conducted deep bioinformatic analyses, including metabolic reconstruction of key assimilatory pathways, phylogenomics and network scrutiny of >160 genomes of acidophiles, including representatives from Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya and at least ten metagenomes of acidic environments [Cardenas JP, et al. pp 179-197 in Acidophiles, eds R. Quatrini and D. B. Johnson, Caister Academic Press, UK (2016)]. Results yielded valuable insights into cellular processes, including carbon and nitrogen management and energy production, linking biogeochemical processes to organismal physiology. They also provided insight into the evolutionary forces that shape the genomic structure of members of acidophile communities. Niche partitioning can explain diversity patterns in rapidly changing acidic environments such as bioleaching heaps. However, in spatially and temporally homogeneous acidic environments genome flux appears to provide deeper insight into the composition and evolution of acidic consortia. Acidophiles have undergone genome streamlining by gene loss promoting mutual coexistence of species that exploit complementarity use of scarce resources consistent with the Black Queen hypothesis [Morris JJ et al. mBio 3: e00036-12 (2012)]. Acidophiles also have a large pool of accessory genes (the microbial super-genome) that can be accessed by horizontal gene transfer. This further promotes dependency relationships as drivers of community structure and the evolution of keystone species. Acknowledgements: Fondecyt 1130683; Basal CCTE PFB16

  2. Insights into the Quorum Sensing Regulon of the Acidophilic Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans Revealed by Transcriptomic in the Presence of an Acyl Homoserine Lactone Superagonist Analogue

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sigde Mamani

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available While a functional quorum sensing system has been identified in the acidophilic chemolithoautotroph Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ATCC 23270T and shown to modulate cell adhesion to solid substrates, nothing is known about the genes it regulates. To address the question of how quorum sensing controls biofilm formation in At. ferrooxidansT, the transcriptome of this organism in conditions in which quorum sensing response is stimulated by a synthetic superagonist AHL analogue has been studied. First, the effect on biofilm formation of a synthetic AHL tetrazolic analogue, tetrazole 9c, known for its agonistic QS activity, was assessed by fluorescence and electron microscopy experiments. A faster adherence of At. ferrooxidansT cells on sulfur coupons was observed. Then, tetrazole 9c was used in DNA microarray experiments that allowed the identification of genes regulated by quorum sensing signalling, and more particularly, those involved in early biofilm formation. Interestingly, afeI gene, encoding the AHL synthase, but not the At. ferrooxidans quorum sensing transcriptional regulator AfeR encoding gene, was shown to be regulated by quorum sensing. Data indicated that QS network represents at least 4.5 % (141 genes of the ATCC 23270T genome of which 42.5 % (60 genes are related to biofilm formation. Finally, AfeR was shown to bind specifically to the regulatory region of the afeI gene at the level of the palindromic sequence predicted to be the AfeR binding site. Our results give new insights on the response of At. ferrooxidans to quorum sensing and on biofilm biogenesis, opening new biological/chemical alternatives for bioleaching development and managing acid Mine/Rock drainage environmental damages.

  3. Redox transformations of iron at extremely low pH: fundamental and applied aspects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. Barrie eJohnson

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Many different species of acidophilic prokaryotes, widely distributed within the domains Bacteria and Archaea, can catalyze the dissimilatory oxidation of ferrous iron or reduction of ferric iron, or can do both. Microbially-mediated cycling of iron in extremely acidic environments (pH <3 is strongly influenced by the enhanced chemical stability of ferrous iron and far greater solubility of ferric iron under such conditions. Cycling of iron has been demonstrated in vitro using both pure and mixed cultures of acidophiles, and there is considerable evidence that active cycling of iron occurs in acid mine drainage streams, pit lakes and iron-rich acidic rivers, such as the Rio Tinto. Measurements of specific rates of iron oxidation and reduction by acidophilic microorganisms show that different species vary in their capacities for iron oxido-reduction, and that this is influenced by the electron donor provided and growth conditions used. These measurements, and comparison with corresponding data for oxidation of reduced sulfur compounds, also help explain why ferrous iron is usually used preferentially as an electron donor by acidophiles that can oxidize both iron and sulfur, even though the energy yield from oxidizing iron is much smaller than that available from sulfur oxidation. Iron-oxidizing acidophiles have been used in biomining (a technology that harness their abilities to accelerate the oxidative dissolution of sulfidic minerals and thereby facilitate the extraction of precious and base metals for several decades. More recently they have also been used to simultaneously remediate iron-contaminated surface and ground-waters and produce a useful mineral by-product (schwertmannite. Bioprocessing of oxidized mineral ores using acidophiles that bring about the reductive dissolution of ferric iron minerals such as goethite has also recently been demonstrated, and new biomining technologies based on this approach are being developed.

  4. A Novel Framework for Quantifying past Methane Recycling by Sphagnum-Methanotroph Symbiosis Using Carbon and Hydrogen Isotope Ratios of Leaf Wax Biomarkers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nichols, Jonathan E.; Isles, Peter D. F.; Peteet, Dorothy M.

    2014-01-01

    The concentration of atmospheric methane is strongly linked to variations in Earth's climate. Currently, we can directly reconstruct the total atmospheric concentration of methane, but not individual terms of the methane cycle. Northern wetlands, dominated by Sphagnum, are an important contributor of atmospheric methane, and we seek to understand the methane cycle in these systems. We present a novel method for quantifying the proportion of carbon Sphagnum assimilates from its methanotrophic symbionts using stable isotope ratios of leaf-wax biomarkers. Carbon isotope ratios of Sphagnum compounds are determined by two competing influences, water content and the isotope ratio of source carbon. We disentangled these effects using a combined hydrogen and carbon isotope approach. We constrained Sphagnum water content using the contrast between the hydrogen isotope ratios of Sphagnum and vascular plant biomarkers. We then used Sphagnum water content to calculate the carbon isotope ratio of Sphagnum's carbon pool. Using a mass balance equation, we calculated the proportion of recycled methane contributed to the Sphagnum carbon pool, 'PRM.' We quantified PRM in peat monoliths from three microhabitats in the Mer Bleue peatland complex. Modern studies have shown that water table depth and vegetation have strong influences on the peatland methane cycle on instrumental time scales. With this new approach, delta C-13 of Sphagnum compounds are now a useful tool for investigating the relationships among hydrology, vegetation, and methanotrophy in Sphagnum peatlands over the time scales of entire peatland sediment records, vital to our understanding of the global carbon cycle through the Late Glacial and Holocene.

  5. Specificity of pH sensitive Tc(V)-DMS for acidophilic osteoclastic bone cells: biological and cellular studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Horiuchi, K.; Konno, A.; Nishio, S.; Fukuda, Y.; Saji, H.; Hashimoto, K.

    2002-01-01

    Bone scintigraphy is a sensitive imaging method for detecting skeletal metastases but the low specificity has decreased its oncological use. Bone scintigraphy has relied on Tc-bisphosphonate (Tc-BP) agents with affinity for the mineral phase. However, bio-functional Tc(V)-DMS agent, sensitive to acid pH of tumoral tissue has shown osteotrophic properties, in adult bone pathologies. Objectives: Basis for understanding the osteotropic character of the pH sensitive Tc(V)-DMS in bone metastasis. Methods: Studies on differential Tc(V)-DMS and Tc-BP accumulation response were carried out by acidophilic osteoclast (OC) and basophilic osteoblast (OB) cells subjected to variable pH incubation media (HEPES, 37 0 C) and by bone tissue of Ehrlich Ascites Tumor (EAT) bearing mice, exposed to systemic NH4Cl or glucose mediated acidification (GmAc). Agents injected into tail vein and bone radioactivity analyzed. Bone metabolism markers measured in blood and urine (pH, Pi, Ca , Alp, Dpd). Acid-base regulation effect at cellular level, analyzed by using bafilomycin, amiloride, DIDS and acetazolamide inhibitors. Results: Lack of any OB response to acidification or alkalinization detected with either Tc(V)-DMS or Tc-BP agent. However, OC cells were highly sensitivity to acidification only in the presence of Tc(V)-DMS showing great radioactivity increase as the pH was lowered. This specificity also detected, in EAT bearing mice; increased bone tissue accumulation in response to systemic acidification was clearly detected upon administration of Tc(V)-DMS only under GmAc, an experimental model showing high urine excretion of deoxypyridinoline, a bone resorption marker. Conclusion: Peculiarity of multi nucleated OC cells sensitive to the environment pH and their activation in acid pH has been well known. Tc-BP agent showed lack of affinity for OC or OB cells. Specific affinity of OC cells for Tc(V)-DMS and its increased bone accumulation with the systemic pH lowering reflect the p

  6. The role of Sphagnum mosses in the methane cycling of a boreal mire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larmola, Tuula; Tuittila, Eeva-Stiina; Tiirola, Marja; Nykänen, Hannu; Martikainen, Pertti J; Yrjälä, Kim; Tuomivirta, Tero; Fritze, Hannu

    2010-08-01

    Peatlands are a major natural source of atmospheric methane (CH4). Emissions from Sphagnum-dominated mires are lower than those measured from other mire types. This observation may partly be due to methanotrophic (i.e., methane-consuming) bacteria associated with Sphagnum. Twenty-three of the 41 Sphagnum species in Finland can be found in the peatland at Lakkasuo. To better understand the Sphagnum-methanotroph system, we tested the following hypotheses: (1) all these Sphagnum species support methanotrophic bacteria; (2) water level is the key environmental determinant for differences in methanotrophy across habitats; (3) under dry conditions, Sphagnum species will not host methanotrophic bacteria; and (4) methanotrophs can move from one Sphagnum shoot to another in an aquatic environment. To address hypotheses 1 and 2, we measured the water table and CH4 oxidation for all Sphagnum species at Lakkasuo in 1-5 replicates for each species. Using this systematic approach, we included Sphagnum spp. with narrow and broad ecological tolerances. To estimate the potential contribution of CH4 to moss carbon, we measured the uptake of delta13C supplied as CH4 or as carbon dioxide dissolved in water. To test hypotheses 2-4, we transplanted inactive moss patches to active sites and measured their methanotroph communities before and after transplantation. All 23 Sphagnum species showed methanotrophic activity, confirming hypothesis 1. We found that water level was the key environmental factor regulating methanotrophy in Sphagnum (hypothesis 2). Mosses that previously exhibited no CH4 oxidation became active when transplanted to an environment in which the microbes in the control mosses were actively oxidizing CH4 (hypothesis 4). Newly active transplants possessed a Methylocystis signature also found in the control Sphagnum spp. Inactive transplants also supported a Methylocystis signature in common with active transplants and control mosses, which rejects hypothesis 3. Our

  7. [Biosynthesis of the bioprotectant ectoin by aerobic methylotrophic bacteria from methanol].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doronina, N V; Ezhov, V A; Beschastnyĭ, A P; Trotsenko, Iu A

    2010-01-01

    It is shown that neutrophilic methylobacteria Methylophaga thalassica and M. marina have higher rates of growth and ectoin accumulation compared to the haloalkaliphilic species M. alcalica and M. natronia and methanotrophs Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum and M. kenyense. The conditions of M. thalassica cultivation in methanol-containing medium were optimized. The yield of this process reached 60 g/l of absolutely dry biomass containing 15-19% (9-11 g/l) ectoine. The scheme of ectoin isolation from the biomass by extraction and subsequent purification, which allowed obtaining preparations of different degree of purity, was developed.

  8. Microbiology of Kamchatka Peninsula Hot Springs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonch-Osmolovsk, E.

    2005-12-01

    Hot springs of Uzon Caldera, Geyser Valley, Moutnovsky Volcano (Kamchatka Peninsula) served as the sources of isolation of numerous thermophilic prokaryotes, many of them representing new taxa. Among new isolates there were hyperthermophilic archaea - neutrophilic or acidophilic anaerobic organotrophs, able to use a wide range of polymeric organic substrates. Bacterial isolates were in majority represented by moderate thermophiles - organotrophs and lithoautotrophs. Latter group consisted of anaerobes oxidizing molecular hydrogen in the course of sulfate, sulfur or iron reduction, and of anaerobic CO-oxidizing, hydrogen-producing bacteria. Some of new isolates represented deep phylogenetic lineages in Bacteria domain. Microbial activity in Kamchatka hot springs was studied by means of radioisotopic tracing. The rates of methanogenesis, acetogenesis, inorganic carbon assimilation, acetate oxidation were determined in three different hot springs with pH ranging from 3.0 to 8.5 and water temeperature being in the range from 55 to 85oC. The results indicated the presence and activity of novel metabolic groups of thermophilic prokaryotes that so far have not been known in laboratory cultures.

  9. SPECIFIC FEATURES OF NATIVE CHEMOLITHOTROPHIC MICROBIOTA WASTES PRODUCED BY ENERGY INDUSTRY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. A. Blayda

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The study's aims were to isolate and establish pure cultures of prevailing microorganisms from the aboriginal consortium in coal fly ash (FAAC, describe their physiology, biochemistry and practically-useful properties, and compare the efficiency of bioleaching metals from fly ash using pure cultures and the consortium. Through enrichment cultures on standard media we isolated pure cultures of the microorganisms which were then preliminarily identified using standard techniques. This allowed us to isolate from FAAC pure cultures of three prevailing strains of mesophilic and moderately thermophilic acidophilic chemolithotrophic bacteriae, belonging to Acidithiobacillus, such as Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, and Sulfobacillus. The strains exhibited high oxidative activity in leaching the rare metals Gallium and Germanium, as well as some heavy metals, from fly ash substrate. A comparison of oxidative activity of the isolated strains and the aboriginal consortium under mesophilic conditions led to the conclusion about advantage of consortium, because it had arisen from syntrophy of microbes in the community. This should be taken into account at the developing of bacterial preparations that are optimal for the technogenic substrate.

  10. Fatty Acid and Carbon Isotopic Evidence for type I Methanotrophs in Microbial Mats from a Shallow Marine Gas Seep, Coal Oil Point, CA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, H.; Valentine, D.

    2005-12-01

    To study the microbial community in a Southern California seep field, sediment and bacterial mat samples were collected from natural gas-bearing and gas-free surfaces at two distinct seeps in the Coal Oil Point seep field, offshore Santa Barbara. Fatty acids in these samples were extracted, analyzed and identified. Using gas chromatography (GC), more than 30 different fatty acids were separated. Generally, fatty acid concentrations in natural gas-bearing samples were about 5-fold higher compared to gas-free samples. Using gas chromatography mass sepctrometry (GC-MS), all separated fatty acids were identified in each sample. The major constituents included saturated 14:0, 16:0, 18:0, branched i-15, a-15 and unsaturated 16:1 and 18:1 series fatty acids. GC-IRMS (isotope ratio mass spectrometry) analysis provided the 13C of all major fatty acids and some 16:1 series fatty acids were found to be more depleted than -40% in samples associated with gas seepage. After treatment with dimethyl disufide (DMDS), the 16:1 series fatty acids were resolved into five distinct components, including common composition 16:1(7), bacterial specific i-16:1(7) and typical biomarkers of type I methnotrophs 16:1(8), 16(6) and 16:1(5), suggesting an important role for methnotrophs in seep sediments and microbial mats. These results provide evidence for the activity of type I methanotrophic bacteria in microbial mats and surficial sediments at the Coal Oil Point seep field, and have implications for methane cycling in this and other seep

  11. Methane distribution and oxidation around the Lena Delta in summer 2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bussmann, Ingeborg; Hackbusch, Steffen; Schaal, Patrick; Wichels, Antje

    2017-11-01

    The Lena River is one of the largest Russian rivers draining into the Laptev Sea. The predicted increases in global temperatures are expected to cause the permafrost areas surrounding the Lena Delta to melt at increasing rates. This melting will result in high amounts of methane reaching the waters of the Lena and the adjacent Laptev Sea. The only biological sink that can lower methane concentrations within this system is methane oxidation by methanotrophic bacteria. However, the polar estuary of the Lena River, due to its strong fluctuations in salinity and temperature, is a challenging environment for bacteria. We determined the activity and abundance of aerobic methanotrophic bacteria by a tracer method and by the quantitative polymerase chain reaction. We described the methanotrophic population with a molecular fingerprinting method (monooxygenase intergenic spacer analysis), as well as the methane distribution (via a headspace method) and other abiotic parameters, in the Lena Delta in September 2013. The median methane concentrations were 22 nmol L-1 for riverine water (salinity (S) 20). The Lena River was not the source of methane in surface water, and the methane concentrations of the bottom water were mainly influenced by the methane concentration in surface sediments. However, the bacterial populations of the riverine and polar waters showed similar methane oxidation rates (0.419 and 0.400 nmol L-1 d-1), despite a higher relative abundance of methanotrophs and a higher estimated diversity in the riverine water than in the polar water. The methane turnover times ranged from 167 days in mixed water and 91 days in riverine water to only 36 days in polar water. The environmental parameters influencing the methane oxidation rate and the methanotrophic population also differed between the water masses. We postulate the presence of a riverine methanotrophic population that is limited by sub-optimal temperatures and substrate concentrations and a polar

  12. Degradation of organic pollutants by methane grown microbial consortia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hesselsoe, Martin; Boysen, Susanne; Iversen, Niels; Jørgensen, Lars; Murrell, J Colin; McDonald, Ian; Radajewski, Stefan; Thestrup, Helle; Roslev, Peter

    2005-10-01

    Microbial consortia were enriched from various environmental samples with methane as the sole carbon and energy source. Selected consortia that showed a capacity for co-oxidation of naphthalene were screened for their ability to degrade methyl-tert-butyl-ether (MTBE), phthalic acid esters (PAE), benzene, xylene and toluene (BTX). MTBE was not removed within 24 h by any of the consortia examined. One consortium enriched from activated sludge ("AAE-A2"), degraded PAE, including (butyl-benzyl)phthalate (BBP), and di-(butyl)phthalate (DBP). PAE have not previously been described as substrates for methanotrophic consortia. The apparent Km and Vmax for DBP degradation by AAE-A2 at 20 degrees C was 3.1 +/- 1.2 mg l(-1) and 8.7 +/- 1.1 mg DBP (g protein x h)(-1), respectively. AAE-A2 also showed fast degradation of BTX (230 +/- 30 nmol benzene (mg protein x h)(-1) at 20 degrees C). Additionally, AAE-A2 degraded benzene continuously for 2 weeks. In contrast, a pure culture of the methanotroph Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b ceased benzene degradation after only 2 days. Experiments with methane mono-oxygenase inhibitors or competitive substrates suggested that BTX degradation was carried out by methane-oxidizing bacteria in the consortium, whereas the degradation of PAE was carried out by non-methanotrophic bacteria co-existing with methanotrophs. The composition of the consortium (AAE-A2) based on polar lipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles showed dominance of type II methanotrophs (83-92% of biomass). Phylogeny based on a 16S-rRNA gene clone library revealed that the dominating methanotrophs belonged to Methylosinus/Methylocystis spp. and that members of at least 4 different non-methanotrophic genera were present (Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium, Janthinobacterium and Rubivivax).

  13. The (d)evolution of methanotrophy in the Beijerinckiaceae--a comparative genomics analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tamas, Ivica; Smirnova, Angela V; He, Zhiguo; Dunfield, Peter F

    2014-02-01

    The alphaproteobacterial family Beijerinckiaceae contains generalists that grow on a wide range of substrates, and specialists that grow only on methane and methanol. We investigated the evolution of this family by comparing the genomes of the generalist organotroph Beijerinckia indica, the facultative methanotroph Methylocella silvestris and the obligate methanotroph Methylocapsa acidiphila. Highly resolved phylogenetic construction based on universally conserved genes demonstrated that the Beijerinckiaceae forms a monophyletic cluster with the Methylocystaceae, the only other family of alphaproteobacterial methanotrophs. Phylogenetic analyses also demonstrated a vertical inheritance pattern of methanotrophy and methylotrophy genes within these families. Conversely, many lateral gene transfer (LGT) events were detected for genes encoding carbohydrate transport and metabolism, energy production and conversion, and transcriptional regulation in the genome of B. indica, suggesting that it has recently acquired these genes. A key difference between the generalist B. indica and its specialist methanotrophic relatives was an abundance of transporter elements, particularly periplasmic-binding proteins and major facilitator transporters. The most parsimonious scenario for the evolution of methanotrophy in the Alphaproteobacteria is that it occurred only once, when a methylotroph acquired methane monooxygenases (MMOs) via LGT. This was supported by a compositional analysis suggesting that all MMOs in Alphaproteobacteria methanotrophs are foreign in origin. Some members of the Beijerinckiaceae subsequently lost methanotrophic functions and regained the ability to grow on multicarbon energy substrates. We conclude that B. indica is a recidivist multitroph, the only known example of a bacterium having completely abandoned an evolved lifestyle of specialized methanotrophy.

  14. Characterization of microbial associations with methanotrophic archaea and sulfate-reducing bacteria through statistical comparison of nested Magneto-FISH enrichments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elizabeth Trembath-Reichert

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Methane seep systems along continental margins host diverse and dynamic microbial assemblages, sustained in large part through the microbially mediated process of sulfate-coupled Anaerobic Oxidation of Methane (AOM. This methanotrophic metabolism has been linked to consortia of anaerobic methane-oxidizing archaea (ANME and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB. These two groups are the focus of numerous studies; however, less is known about the wide diversity of other seep associated microorganisms. We selected a hierarchical set of FISH probes targeting a range of Deltaproteobacteria diversity. Using the Magneto-FISH enrichment technique, we then magnetically captured CARD-FISH hybridized cells and their physically associated microorganisms from a methane seep sediment incubation. DNA from nested Magneto-FISH experiments was analyzed using Illumina tag 16S rRNA gene sequencing (iTag. Enrichment success and potential bias with iTag was evaluated in the context of full-length 16S rRNA gene clone libraries, CARD-FISH, functional gene clone libraries, and iTag mock communities. We determined commonly used Earth Microbiome Project (EMP iTAG primers introduced bias in some common methane seep microbial taxa that reduced the ability to directly compare OTU relative abundances within a sample, but comparison of relative abundances between samples (in nearly all cases and whole community-based analyses were robust. The iTag dataset was subjected to statistical co-occurrence measures of the most abundant OTUs to determine which taxa in this dataset were most correlated across all samples. Many non-canonical microbial partnerships were statistically significant in our co-occurrence network analysis, most of which were not recovered with conventional clone library sequencing, demonstrating the utility of combining Magneto-FISH and iTag sequencing methods for hypothesis generation of associations within complex microbial communities. Network analysis pointed to

  15. Characterization of microbial associations with methanotrophic archaea and sulfate-reducing bacteria through statistical comparison of nested Magneto-FISH enrichments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trembath-Reichert, Elizabeth; Case, David H; Orphan, Victoria J

    2016-01-01

    Methane seep systems along continental margins host diverse and dynamic microbial assemblages, sustained in large part through the microbially mediated process of sulfate-coupled Anaerobic Oxidation of Methane (AOM). This methanotrophic metabolism has been linked to consortia of anaerobic methane-oxidizing archaea (ANME) and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). These two groups are the focus of numerous studies; however, less is known about the wide diversity of other seep associated microorganisms. We selected a hierarchical set of FISH probes targeting a range of Deltaproteobacteria diversity. Using the Magneto-FISH enrichment technique, we then magnetically captured CARD-FISH hybridized cells and their physically associated microorganisms from a methane seep sediment incubation. DNA from nested Magneto-FISH experiments was analyzed using Illumina tag 16S rRNA gene sequencing (iTag). Enrichment success and potential bias with iTag was evaluated in the context of full-length 16S rRNA gene clone libraries, CARD-FISH, functional gene clone libraries, and iTag mock communities. We determined commonly used Earth Microbiome Project (EMP) iTAG primers introduced bias in some common methane seep microbial taxa that reduced the ability to directly compare OTU relative abundances within a sample, but comparison of relative abundances between samples (in nearly all cases) and whole community-based analyses were robust. The iTag dataset was subjected to statistical co-occurrence measures of the most abundant OTUs to determine which taxa in this dataset were most correlated across all samples. Many non-canonical microbial partnerships were statistically significant in our co-occurrence network analysis, most of which were not recovered with conventional clone library sequencing, demonstrating the utility of combining Magneto-FISH and iTag sequencing methods for hypothesis generation of associations within complex microbial communities. Network analysis pointed to many co

  16. Significance of Microbial Communities and Interactions in Safeguarding Reactive Mine Tailings by Ecological Engineering▿†

    Science.gov (United States)

    N̆ancucheo, Ivan; Johnson, D. Barrie

    2011-01-01

    Pyritic mine tailings (mineral waste generated by metal mining) pose significant risk to the environment as point sources of acidic, metal-rich effluents (acid mine drainage [AMD]). While the accelerated oxidative dissolution of pyrite and other sulfide minerals in tailings by acidophilic chemolithotrophic prokaryotes has been widely reported, other acidophiles (heterotrophic bacteria that catalyze the dissimilatory reduction of iron and sulfur) can reverse the reactions involved in AMD genesis, and these have been implicated in the “natural attenuation” of mine waters. We have investigated whether by manipulating microbial communities in tailings (inoculating with iron- and sulfur-reducing acidophilic bacteria and phototrophic acidophilic microalgae) it is possible to mitigate the impact of the acid-generating and metal-mobilizing chemolithotrophic prokaryotes that are indigenous to tailing deposits. Sixty tailings mesocosms were set up, using five different microbial inoculation variants, and analyzed at regular intervals for changes in physicochemical and microbiological parameters for up to 1 year. Differences between treatment protocols were most apparent between tailings that had been inoculated with acidophilic algae in addition to aerobic and anaerobic heterotrophic bacteria and those that had been inoculated with only pyrite-oxidizing chemolithotrophs; these differences included higher pH values, lower redox potentials, and smaller concentrations of soluble copper and zinc. The results suggest that empirical ecological engineering of tailing lagoons to promote the growth and activities of iron- and sulfate-reducing bacteria could minimize their risk of AMD production and that the heterotrophic populations could be sustained by facilitating the growth of microalgae to provide continuous inputs of organic carbon. PMID:21965397

  17. Acidophilic sulfur disproportionation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hardisty, Dalton S.; Olyphant, Greg A.; Bell, Jonathan B.; Johnson, Adam P.; Pratt, Lisa M.

    2013-07-01

    Bacterial disproportionation of elemental sulfur (S0) is a well-studied metabolism and is not previously reported to occur at pH values less than 4.5. In this study, a sediment core from an abandoned-coal-mine-waste deposit in Southwest Indiana revealed sulfur isotope fractionations between S0 and pyrite (Δ34Ses-py) of up to -35‰, inferred to indicate intense recycling of S0 via bacterial disproportionation and sulfide oxidation. Additionally, the chemistry of seasonally collected pore-water profiles were found to vary, with pore-water pH ranging from 2.2 to 3.8 and observed seasonal redox shifts expressed as abrupt transitions from Fe(III) to Fe(II) dominated conditions, often controlled by fluctuating water table depths. S0 is a common product during the oxidation of pyrite, a process known to generate acidic waters during weathering and production of acid mine drainage. The H2S product of S0 disproportionation, fractionated by up to -8.6‰, is rapidly oxidized to S0 near redox gradients via reaction with Fe(III) allowing for the accumulation of isotopically light S0 that can then become subject to further sulfur disproportionation. A mass-balance model for S0 incorporating pyrite oxidation, S0 disproportionation, and S0 oxidation readily explains the range of observed Δ34Ses-py and emphasizes the necessity of seasonally varying pyrite weathering and metabolic rates, as indicated by the pore water chemistry. The findings of this research suggest that S0 disproportionation is potentially a common microbial process at a pH < 4.5 and can create large sulfur isotope fractionations, even in the absence of sulfate reduction.

  18. The (d)evolution of methanotrophy in the Beijerinckiaceae—a comparative genomics analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tamas, Ivica; Smirnova, Angela V; He, Zhiguo; Dunfield, Peter F

    2014-01-01

    The alphaproteobacterial family Beijerinckiaceae contains generalists that grow on a wide range of substrates, and specialists that grow only on methane and methanol. We investigated the evolution of this family by comparing the genomes of the generalist organotroph Beijerinckia indica, the facultative methanotroph Methylocella silvestris and the obligate methanotroph Methylocapsa acidiphila. Highly resolved phylogenetic construction based on universally conserved genes demonstrated that the Beijerinckiaceae forms a monophyletic cluster with the Methylocystaceae, the only other family of alphaproteobacterial methanotrophs. Phylogenetic analyses also demonstrated a vertical inheritance pattern of methanotrophy and methylotrophy genes within these families. Conversely, many lateral gene transfer (LGT) events were detected for genes encoding carbohydrate transport and metabolism, energy production and conversion, and transcriptional regulation in the genome of B. indica, suggesting that it has recently acquired these genes. A key difference between the generalist B. indica and its specialist methanotrophic relatives was an abundance of transporter elements, particularly periplasmic-binding proteins and major facilitator transporters. The most parsimonious scenario for the evolution of methanotrophy in the Alphaproteobacteria is that it occurred only once, when a methylotroph acquired methane monooxygenases (MMOs) via LGT. This was supported by a compositional analysis suggesting that all MMOs in Alphaproteobacteria methanotrophs are foreign in origin. Some members of the Beijerinckiaceae subsequently lost methanotrophic functions and regained the ability to grow on multicarbon energy substrates. We conclude that B. indica is a recidivist multitroph, the only known example of a bacterium having completely abandoned an evolved lifestyle of specialized methanotrophy. PMID:23985741

  19. Specific jarosite biomineralization by purpureocillium lilacinum, an acidophilic fungi isolated from río Tinto

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Oggerin, Monike; Tornos, Fernando; Rodríguez, Nuria; del Moral, C.; Sánchez-Román, M.; Amils, R.

    Río Tinto (Huelva, southwestern Spain) is an extreme environment with a remarkably constant acidic pH and a high concentration of heavy metals, conditions generated by the metabolic activity of chemolithotrophic microorganisms thriving in the rich complex sulfides of the Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB).

  20. Methane oxidation and formation of EPS in compost: effect of oxygen concentration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilshusen, J.H.; Hettiaratchi, J.P.A.; Visscher, A. de; Saint-Fort, R.

    2004-01-01

    Oxygen concentration plays an important role in the regulation of methane oxidation and the microbial ecology of methanotrophs. However, this effect is still poorly quantified in soil and compost ecosystems. The effect of oxygen on the formation of exopolymeric substances (EPS) is as yet unknown. We studied the effect of oxygen on the evolution of methanotrophic activity. At both high and low oxygen concentrations, peak activity was observed twice within a period of 6 months. Phospholipid fatty acid analysis showed that there was a shift from type I to type II methanotrophs during this period. At high oxygen concentration, EPS production was about 250% of the amount at low oxygen concentration. It is hypothesized that EPS serves as a carbon cycling mechanism for type I methanotrophs when inorganic nitrogen is limiting. Simultaneously, EPS stimulates nitrogenase activity in type II methanotrophs by creating oxygen-depleted zones. The kinetic results were incorporated in a simulation model for gas transport and methane oxidation in a passively aerated biofilter. Comparison between the model and experimental data showed that, besides acting as a micro-scale diffusion barrier, EPS can act as a barrier to macro-scale diffusion, reducing the performance of such biofilters. - 1.5% oxygen resulted in a slightly higher and more stable methane oxidation activity

  1. Bacterial endosymbioses of gutless tube-dwelling worms in nonhydrothermal vent habitats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naganuma, Takeshi; Elsaied, Hosam E; Hoshii, Daiki; Kimura, Hiroyuki

    2005-01-01

    Gutless tube-dwelling worms of pogonophorans (also known as frenulates) and vestimentiferans depend on primary production of endosymbiotic bacteria. The endosymbionts include thiotrophs that oxidize sulfur for autotrophic production and methanotrophs that oxidize and assimilate methane. Although most of the pogonophoran and vestimentiferan tube worms possess single thiotrophic 16S rRNA genes (16S rDNA) related to gamma-proteobacteria, some pogonohorans are known to bear single methanotroph species or even dual symbionts of thiotrophs and methanotrophs. The vestimentiferan Lamellibrachia sp. L1 shows symbiotic 16S rDNA sequences of alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and epsilon-proteobacteria, varying among specimens, with RuBisCO form II gene (cbbM) sequences related to beta-proteobacteria. An unidentified pogonophoran from the world's deepest cold seep, 7326-m deep in the Japan Trench, hosts a symbiotic thiotroph based on 16S rDNA with the RuBisCO form I gene (cbbL). In contrast, a shallow-water pogonophoran (Oligobrachia mashikoi) in coastal Japan Sea has a methanotrophic 16S rDNA and thiotrophic cbbL, which may suggest the feature of type X methanotrophs. These observations demonstrate that pogonophoran and vestimentiferan worms have higher plasticity in bacterial symbioses than previously suspected.

  2. Seismic isolation structure for pool-type LMFBR - isolation building with vertically isolated floor for NSSS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakurai, A.; Shiojiri, H.; Aoyagi, S.; Matsuda, T.; Fujimoto, S.; Sasaki, Y.; Hirayama, H.

    1987-01-01

    The NSSS isolation floor vibration characteristics were made clear. Especially, the side support bearing (rubber bearing) is effective for horizontal floor motion restraint and rocking motion control. Seismic isolation effects for responses of the reactor components can be sufficiently expected, using the vertical seismic isolation floor. From the analytical and experimental studies, the following has been concluded: (1) Seismic isolation structure, which is suitable for large pool-type LMFBR, were proposed. (2) Seismic response characteristics of the seismic isolation structure were investigated. It was made clear that the proposed seismic isolation (Combination of the isolated building and the isolated NSSS floor) was effective. (orig./HP)

  3. Isolation and Distribution of a Novel Iron-Oxidizing Crenarchaeon from Acidic Geothermal Springs in Yellowstone National Park▿ †

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kozubal, M.; Macur, R. E.; Korf, S.; Taylor, W. P.; Ackerman, G. G.; Nagy, A.; Inskeep, W. P.

    2008-01-01

    Novel thermophilic crenarchaea have been observed in Fe(III) oxide microbial mats of Yellowstone National Park (YNP); however, no definitive work has identified specific microorganisms responsible for the oxidation of Fe(II). The objectives of the current study were to isolate and characterize an Fe(II)-oxidizing member of the Sulfolobales observed in previous 16S rRNA gene surveys and to determine the abundance and distribution of close relatives of this organism in acidic geothermal springs containing high concentrations of dissolved Fe(II). Here we report the isolation and characterization of the novel, Fe(II)-oxidizing, thermophilic, acidophilic organism Metallosphaera sp. strain MK1 obtained from a well-characterized acid-sulfate-chloride geothermal spring in Norris Geyser Basin, YNP. Full-length 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain MK1 exhibits only 94.9 to 96.1% sequence similarity to other known Metallosphaera spp. and less than 89.1% similarity to known Sulfolobus spp. Strain MK1 is a facultative chemolithoautotroph with an optimum pH range of 2.0 to 3.0 and an optimum temperature range of 65 to 75°C. Strain MK1 grows optimally on pyrite or Fe(II) sorbed onto ferrihydrite, exhibiting doubling times between 10 and 11 h under aerobic conditions (65°C). The distribution and relative abundance of MK1-like 16S rRNA gene sequences in 14 acidic geothermal springs containing Fe(III) oxide microbial mats were evaluated. Highly related MK1-like 16S rRNA gene sequences (>99% sequence similarity) were consistently observed in Fe(III) oxide mats at temperatures ranging from 55 to 80°C. Quantitative PCR using Metallosphaera-specific primers confirmed that organisms highly similar to strain MK1 comprised up to 40% of the total archaeal community at selected sites. The broad distribution of highly related MK1-like 16S rRNA gene sequences in acidic Fe(III) oxide microbial mats is consistent with the observed characteristics and growth optima of

  4. Water column methanotrophy controlled by a rapid oceanographic switch

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Steinle, L.; Graves, C.A.; Treude, T.; Ferré, B.; Biastoch, A.; Bussmann, I.; Berndt, C.; Krastel, S.; James, R.H.; Behrens, E.; Böning, C.W.; Greinert, J.; Sapart, C.-J.; Scheinert, M.; Sommer, S.; Lehmann, M.F.; Niemann, H.

    2015-01-01

    From the seabed to the water column, where it may be consumed by aerobic methanotrophic bacteria. The size and activity of methanotrophic communities, which determine the amount of methane consumed in the water column,are thought to be mainly controlled by nutrient and redoxdynamics3–7. Here, we

  5. Methane distribution and oxidation around the Lena Delta in summer 2013

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. Bussmann

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available The Lena River is one of the largest Russian rivers draining into the Laptev Sea. The predicted increases in global temperatures are expected to cause the permafrost areas surrounding the Lena Delta to melt at increasing rates. This melting will result in high amounts of methane reaching the waters of the Lena and the adjacent Laptev Sea. The only biological sink that can lower methane concentrations within this system is methane oxidation by methanotrophic bacteria. However, the polar estuary of the Lena River, due to its strong fluctuations in salinity and temperature, is a challenging environment for bacteria. We determined the activity and abundance of aerobic methanotrophic bacteria by a tracer method and by the quantitative polymerase chain reaction. We described the methanotrophic population with a molecular fingerprinting method (monooxygenase intergenic spacer analysis, as well as the methane distribution (via a headspace method and other abiotic parameters, in the Lena Delta in September 2013. The median methane concentrations were 22 nmol L−1 for riverine water (salinity (S  < 5, 19 nmol L−1 for mixed water (5 < S < 20 and 28 nmol L−1 for polar water (S > 20. The Lena River was not the source of methane in surface water, and the methane concentrations of the bottom water were mainly influenced by the methane concentration in surface sediments. However, the bacterial populations of the riverine and polar waters showed similar methane oxidation rates (0.419 and 0.400 nmol L−1 d−1, despite a higher relative abundance of methanotrophs and a higher estimated diversity in the riverine water than in the polar water. The methane turnover times ranged from 167 days in mixed water and 91 days in riverine water to only 36 days in polar water. The environmental parameters influencing the methane oxidation rate and the methanotrophic population also differed between the water masses. We

  6. The importance of methane and thiosulfate in the metabolism of the bacterial symbionts of two deep-sea mussels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisher, C.R.; Childress, J.J.; Oremland, R.S.; Bidigare, R.R.

    1987-01-01

    Undescribed hydrocarbon-seep mussels were collected from the Louisiana Slope, Gulf of Mexico, during March 1986, and the ultrastructure of their gills was examined and compared to Bathymodiolus thermophilus, a mussel collected from the deep-sea hydrothermal vents on the Gala??pagos Rift in March 1985. These closely related mytilids both contain abundant symbiotic bacteria in their gills. However, the bacteria from the two species are distinctly different in both morphology and biochemistry, and are housed differently within the gills of the two mussels. The symbionts from the seep mussel are larger than the symbionts from B. thermophilus and, unlike the latter, contain stacked intracytoplasmic membranes. In the seep mussel three or fewer symbionts appear to be contained in each host-cell vacuole, while in B. thermophilus there are often more than twenty bacteria visible in a single section through a vacuole. The methanotrophic nature of the seep-mussel symbionts was confirmed in 14C-methane uptake experiments by the appearance of label in both CO2 and acid-stable, non-volatile, organic compounds after a 3 h incubation of isolated gill tissue. Furthermore, methane consumption was correlated with methanol dehydrogenase activity in isolated gill tissue. Activity of ribulose-1,5-biphosphate (RuBP) carboxylase and 14CO2 assimilation studies indicate the presence of either a second type of symbiont or contaminating bacteria on the gills of freshly captured seep mussels. A reevaluation of the nutrition of the symbionts in B. thermophilus indicates that while the major symbiont is not a methanotroph, its status as a sulfur-oxidizing chemoautotroph, as has been suggested previously, is far from proven. ?? 1987 Springer-Verlag.

  7. Characterization of Plasmid pPO1 from the Hyperacidophile Picrophilus oshimae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angel Angelov

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Picrophilus oshimae and Picrophilus torridus are free-living, moderately thermophilic and acidophilic organisms from the lineage of Euryarchaeota. With a pH optimum of growth at pH 0.7 and the ability to even withstand molar concentrations of sulphuric acid, these organisms represent the most extreme acidophiles known. So far, nothing is known about plasmid biology in these hyperacidophiles. Also, there are no genetic tools available for this genus. We have mobilized the 7.6 Kbp plasmid from P. oshimae in E. coli by introducing origin-containing transposons and described the plasmid in terms of its nucleotide sequence, copy number in the native host, mode of replication, and transcriptional start sites of the encoded ORFs. Plasmid pPO1 may encode a restriction/modification system in addition to its replication functions. The information gained from the pPO1 plasmid may prove useful in developing a cloning system for this group of extreme acidophiles.

  8. Comparative biochemistry and physiology of iron-respiring bacteria from acidic and neutral-pH environments: Final Technical Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Magnuson, T S

    2009-04-07

    Acidophilic dissimilatory iron-reducing bacteria (DIRB) are now being detected in a variety of ‘extreme’ low-pH, radionuclide- and heavy-metal contaminated habitats where Fe(III) reduction is taking place, and may represent a significant proportion of metal-transforming organisms in these environments. Acidiphilium cryptum is our model organism, a facultative iron-respiring Alphaproteobacterium. Major findings of this project have been 1) Discovery of novel outer-membrane and periplasmic cytochromes c in acidophiles that are reactive with Fe and Cr, 2) Discovery of Cr(VI) reduction mechanisms in acidophiles, mediated by c-type cytochromes and other reductase activity, 3) Development of enzyme detection methods specific for Cr-reducing enzymes, 4) Characterization of biofilm formation in A. cryptum, and 5) Annotation of the Acidiphilium cryptum genome (Magnuson, Kusel, and Cummings, DOE-JGI 2005-2006). Two manuscripts and one book chapter have been published, and several more mauscripts are prepared for submission.

  9. Anaerobic Oxidation of Methane Coupled to Nitrite Reduction by Halophilic Marine NC10 Bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Zhanfei; Geng, Sha; Cai, Chaoyang; Liu, Shuai; Liu, Yan; Pan, Yawei; Lou, Liping; Zheng, Ping; Xu, Xinhua; Hu, Baolan

    2015-08-15

    Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) coupled to nitrite reduction is a novel AOM process that is mediated by denitrifying methanotrophs. To date, enrichments of these denitrifying methanotrophs have been confined to freshwater systems; however, the recent findings of 16S rRNA and pmoA gene sequences in marine sediments suggest a possible occurrence of AOM coupled to nitrite reduction in marine systems. In this research, a marine denitrifying methanotrophic culture was obtained after 20 months of enrichment. Activity testing and quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis were then conducted and showed that the methane oxidation activity and the number of NC10 bacteria increased correlatively during the enrichment period. 16S rRNA gene sequencing indicated that only bacteria in group A of the NC10 phylum were enriched and responsible for the resulting methane oxidation activity, although a diverse community of NC10 bacteria was harbored in the inoculum. Fluorescence in situ hybridization showed that NC10 bacteria were dominant in the enrichment culture after 20 months. The effect of salinity on the marine denitrifying methanotrophic culture was investigated, and the apparent optimal salinity was 20.5‰, which suggested that halophilic bacterial AOM coupled to nitrite reduction was obtained. Moreover, the apparent substrate affinity coefficients of the halophilic denitrifying methanotrophs were determined to be 9.8 ± 2.2 μM for methane and 8.7 ± 1.5 μM for nitrite. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  10. Complete genome sequence of Catenulispora acidiphila type strain (ID 139908T)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Copeland, Alex; Lapidus, Alla; Rio, Tijana GlavinaDel; Nolan, Matt; Lucas, Susan; Chen, Feng; Tice, Hope; Cheng, Jan-Fang; Bruce, David; Goodwin, Lynne; Pitluck, Sam; Mikhailova, Natalia; Pati, Amrita; Ivanova, Natalia; Mavromatis, Konstantinos; Chen, Amy; Palaniappan, Krishna; Chain, Patrick; Land, Miriam; Hauser, Loren; Chang, Yun-Juan; Jefferies, Cynthia C.; Chertkov, Olga; Brettin, Thomas; Detter, John C.; Han, Cliff; Ali, Zahid; Tindall, Brian J.; Goker, Markus; Bristow, James; Eisen, Jonathan A.; Markowitz, Victor; Hugenholtz, Philip; Kyrpides, Nikos C.; Klenk, Hans-Peter

    2009-05-20

    Catenulispora acidiphila Busti et al. 2006 is the type species of the genus Catenulispora, and is of interest because of the rather isolated phylogenetic location of the genomically little studied suborder Catenulisporineae within the order Actinomycetales. C. acidiphilia is known for its acidophilic, aerobic lifestyle, but can also grow scantly under anaerobic conditions. Under regular conditions C. acidiphilia grows in long filaments of relatively short aerial hyphae with marked septation. It is a free living, non motile, Gram-positive bacterium isolated from a forest soil sample taken from a wooded area in Gerenzano, Italy. Here we describe the features of this organism, together with the complete genome sequence and annotation. This is the first complete genome sequence of the actinobacterial family Catenulisporaceae, and the 10,467,782 bp long single replicon genome with its 9056 protein-coding and 69 RNA genes is a part of the Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea project.

  11. Isolated galaxies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Einasto, Maret

    1990-01-01

    To test for the possible presence of really isolated galaxies, which form a randomly distributed population in voids, we compare the distribution of most isolated galaxies in an observed sample with distributions of the same number of random points using the nearest neighbour test. The results show that the random population of really isolated galaxies does not exist - even the most isolated galaxies are connected with systems of galaxies, forming their outlying parts. (author)

  12. Production and characterization of an acido-thermophilic, organic solvent stable cellulase from Bacillus sonorensis HSC7 by conversion of lignocellulosic wastes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatemeh Azadian

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The acidophilic and thermophilic cellulase would facilitate the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to biofuel. In this study, Bacillus sonorensis HSC7 isolated as the best thermophilic cellulose degrading bacterium from Gorooh hot spring. 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that, this strain closely related to the B. sonorensis. CMCase production was considered under varying environmental parameters. Results showed that, sucrose and (NH42SO4 were obtained as the best carbon and nitrogen sources for CMCase production. B. sonorensis HSC7 produced CMCase during the growth in optimized medium supplemented with agricultural wastes as sole carbon sources. The enzyme was active with optimum temperature of 70 °C and the optimum CMCase activity and stability observed at pH 4.0 and 5.0, respectively. These are characteristics indicating that, this enzyme could be an acidophilic and thermophilic CMCase. Furthermore, the CMCase activity improved by methanol (166%, chloroform (152%, while it was inhibited by DMF (61%. The CMCase activity was enhanced in the presence of Mg+2 (110%, Cu+2 (116%, Triton X-100 (118% and it retained 57% of its activity at 30% NaCl. The compatibility of HSC7 CMCase varied for each laundry detergent, with higher stability being observed in the presence of Taj® and darya®. This enzyme, that is able to work under extreme conditions, has potential applications in various industries.

  13. Quantitative microbial community analysis of three different sulfidic mine tailing dumps generating acid mine drainage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kock, Dagmar; Schippers, Axel

    2008-08-01

    The microbial communities of three different sulfidic and acidic mine waste tailing dumps located in Botswana, Germany, and Sweden were quantitatively analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR (Q-PCR), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), catalyzed reporter deposition-FISH (CARD-FISH), Sybr green II direct counting, and the most probable number (MPN) cultivation technique. Depth profiles of cell numbers showed that the compositions of the microbial communities are greatly different at the three sites and also strongly varied between zones of oxidized and unoxidized tailings. Maximum cell numbers of up to 10(9) cells g(-1) dry weight were determined in the pyrite or pyrrhotite oxidation zones, whereas cell numbers in unoxidized tailings were significantly lower. Bacteria dominated over Archaea and Eukarya at all tailing sites. The acidophilic Fe(II)- and/or sulfur-oxidizing Acidithiobacillus spp. dominated over the acidophilic Fe(II)-oxidizing Leptospirillum spp. among the Bacteria at two sites. The two genera were equally abundant at the third site. The acidophilic Fe(II)- and sulfur-oxidizing Sulfobacillus spp. were generally less abundant. The acidophilic Fe(III)-reducing Acidiphilium spp. could be found at only one site. The neutrophilic Fe(III)-reducing Geobacteraceae as well as the dsrA gene of sulfate reducers were quantifiable at all three sites. FISH analysis provided reliable data only for tailing zones with high microbial activity, whereas CARD-FISH, Q-PCR, Sybr green II staining, and MPN were suitable methods for a quantitative microbial community analysis of tailings in general.

  14. Unsuspected meningioma in a patient with pituitary gigantism. Case report with autopsy findings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stock, J.M.; Ghatak, N.R.; Oppenheimer, J.H.

    1975-06-01

    A unique example of a clinically unsuspected large parasellar meningioma is described in a 36-yr-old pituitary giant who had been treated initially with conventional irradiation, subsequently by surgical excision of an acidophil adenoma, and ultimately with medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) prior to his demise. The patient died of increased intracranial pressure resulting from a combined mass effect of the meningioma and recurrent tumor. The relationship between radiation and the development of the meningioma is discussed, as well as the fine ultrastructure of a highly functioning acidophil adenoma.

  15. Unsuspected meningioma in a patient with pituitary gigantism. Case report with autopsy findings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stock, J.M.; Ghatak, N.R.; Oppenheimer, J.H.

    1975-01-01

    A unique example of a clinically unsuspected large parasellar meningioma is described in a 36-yr-old pituitary giant who had been treated initially with conventional irradiation, subsequently by surgical excision of an acidophil adenoma, and ultimately with medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) prior to his demise. The patient died of increased intracranial pressure resulting from a combined mass effect of the meningioma and recurrent tumor. The relationship between radiation and the development of the meningioma is discussed, as well as the fine ultrastructure of a highly functioning acidophil adenoma

  16. Experimental Study of Vibration Isolation Characteristics of a Geometric Anti-Spring Isolator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lixun Yan

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available In order to realize low-frequency vibration isolation, a novel geometric anti-spring isolator consisting of several cantilever blade springs are developed in this paper. The optimal design parameters of the geometric anti-spring isolator for different nonlinear geometric parameters are theoretically obtained. The transmissibility characteristic of the geometric anti-spring isolator is investigated through mathematical simulation. A geometric anti-spring isolator with a nonlinear geometric parameter of 0.92 is designed and its vibration isolation performance and nonlinearity characteristic is experimentally studied. The experiment results show that the designed isolator has good low-frequency vibration isolation performance, of which the initial isolation frequency is less than 3.6 Hz when the load weight is 21 kg. The jump phenomena of the response of the isolator under linear frequency sweep excitation are observed, and this result demonstrates that the geometric anti-spring isolator has a complex nonlinearity characteristics with the increment of excitation amplitude. This research work provides a theoretical and experimental basis for the application of the nonlinear geometric anti-spring low-frequency passive vibration isolation technology in engineering practice.

  17. The heterogeneity of socially isolated older adults: a social isolation typology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machielse, Anja

    2015-01-01

    Recent statistics show a growing number of older adults who are living alone and are socially isolated. It is against this background that, in recent years, many interventions have been developed to address social isolation among the elderly. Evaluative studies show that most interventions are hardly effective, though. An important reason for this is the heterogeneity of the socially isolated. This article offers insight into this heterogeneity by presenting a typology with different profiles of socially isolated older adults and the intervention implications of this typology. The typology is derived from an extensive qualitative study on socially isolated elderly individuals in the Netherlands. The typology imposes some degree of order to a diversity of circumstances, ambitions, and possibilities of the socially isolated elderly, thereby deepening the understanding of the heterogeneity of this population. The definition of social isolation used in this study starts from a societal angle of incidence, namely the current policy context of Western European welfare states, in which governments emphasize the importance of independence and self-reliance of their citizens. Developed from that perspective, the typology provides a theoretical basis for applying interventions aimed at increasing self-reliance of social isolated elderly. This perspective on social isolation also has consequences for the way in which the effectiveness of interventions to alleviate social isolation is assessed.

  18. The potential of methane-oxidizing bacteria for applications in environmental biotechnology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wendlandt, Karin-Dagmar; Stottmeister, Ulrich; Jechorek, Mirko [Helmholtz-Center for Environmental Research UFZ, Leipzig (Germany); Helm, Jana [School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh (United Kingdom); Soltmann, Bettina [Institute for Materials Science, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden (Germany); Beck, Matthias [Oncotec, Pharma Production GmbH, Dessau-Rosslau (Germany)

    2010-04-15

    Methanotrophic bacteria possess a unique set of enzymes enabling them to oxidize, degrade and transform organic molecules and synthesize new compounds. Therefore, they have great potential in environmental biotechnology. The application of these unique properties was demonstrated in three case studies: (i) Methane escaping from leaky gas pipes may lead to massive mortality of trees in urban areas. Lack of oxygen within the soil surrounding tree roots caused by methanotrophic activity was identified as one of the reasons for this phenomenon. The similarity between metabolic reactions performed by the key enzymes of methanotrophs (methane monooxygenase) and ammonium oxidizers (ammonium monooxygenase) might offer a solution to this problem by applying commercially available nitrification and urease inhibitors. (ii) Methanotrophs are able to co-metabolically degrade contaminants such as low-molecular-weight-chlorinated hydrocarbons in soil and water in the presence of methane. Batch and continuous trichloroethylene degradation experiments in laboratory-scale reactors using Methylocystis sp. GB 14 were performed, partly with cells entrapped in a polymer matrix. (iii) Using a short, two-stage pilot-scale process, the intracellular polymer accumulation of poly-{beta}-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) in methanotrophs reached a maximum of 52%. Interestingly, an ultra-high-molecular-weight PHB of 3.1 MDa was accumulated under potassium deficiency. Under strictly controlled conditions (temperature, pH and methane supply) this process can be nonsterile because of the establishment of a stable microbial community (dominant species Methylocystis sp. GB 25 {>=}86% by biomass). The possibility to substitute methane with biogas from renewable sources facilitates the development of a methane-based PHB production process that yields a high-quality biopolymer at competitive costs. (Abstract Copyright [2010], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

  19. Methanotrophy in surface sediments of streams

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bagnoud, Alexandre; Pramateftaki, Paraskevi; Peter, Hannes; Battin, Tom

    2017-04-01

    Because streams are often found to be supersaturated in methane (CH4), they are considered as atmospheric sources of this greenhouse gas. However, little is known about the processes driving CH4 cycling in these environments, i.e. production, consumption and fluxes. CH4 is thought to be produced in deeper anoxic sediments, before it migrates up to reach the oxic stream water, where it can be oxidized by methanotrophs. In order to gain insights into this process, we investigated 14 different streams across Switzerland. We characterized the chemistry of surface and sediment waters by measuring dissolved chemical profiles. We also sampled surface sediments and determined methanotrophic rates with laboratory incubations and Michaelis-Menten modeling. Interestingly, rates were strongly correlated with the CH4 concentrations in stream waters, rather than in sediment waters. This indicates that methantrophic populations feed on CH4 from the surface streamwater, even though CH4 concentrations are higher in the sediment waters. Methanotrophy rates were also correlated with Crenothrix counts (based on 16S rRNA sequencing), a strict methanotroph, while this latter was correlated with pmoA counts (based on quantitative PCR), a gene involved in methanotrophy. These results show that Crenothrix genera are the most active methanotrophs in surface sediments of streams, and can represent more than 2% of microbial communities. Remarkably, the dominating Crenothrix species was detected in all 14 samples. This work allows the assessment of in situ methanotrophic rates, of the environmental parameters driving this process, and of the microbial populations carrying it out, and thus brings useful insights about carbon cycling in streams.

  20. Methods of combined bioprocessing and related microorganisms, thermophilic and/or acidophilic enzymes, and nucleic acids encoding said enzymes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thompson, David N.; Apel, William A.; Thompson, Vicki S.; Ward, Thomas E.

    2017-08-15

    A genetically modified organism comprising: at least one nucleic acid sequence and/or at least one recombinant nucleic acid isolated from Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius and encoding a polypeptide involved in at least partially degrading, cleaving, transporting, metabolizing, or removing polysaccharides, cellulose, lignocellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, starch, sugars, sugar oligomers, carbohydrates, complex carbohydrates, chitin, heteroxylans, glycosides, xylan-, glucan-, galactan-, or mannan-decorating groups; and at least one nucleic acid sequence and/or at least one recombinant nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide involved in fermenting sugar molecules to a product. Additionally, enzymatic and/or proteinaceous extracts may be isolated from one or more genetically modified organisms. The extracts are utilized to convert biomass into a product. Further provided are methods of converting biomass into products comprising: placing the genetically modified organism and/or enzymatic extracts thereof in fluid contact with polysaccharides, cellulose, lignocellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, starch, sugars, sugar oligomers, carbohydrates, complex carbohydrates, chitin, heteroxylans, glycosides, and/or xylan-, glucan-, galactan-, or mannan-decorating groups.

  1. Methods of combined bioprocessing and related microorganisms, thermophilic and/or acidophilic enzymes, and nucleic acids encoding said enzymes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, David N; Apel, William A; Thompson, Vicki S; Ward, Thomas E

    2013-07-23

    A genetically modified organism comprising: at least one nucleic acid sequence and/or at least one recombinant nucleic acid isolated from Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius and encoding a polypeptide involved in at least partially degrading, cleaving, transporting, metabolizing, or removing polysaccharides, cellulose, lignocellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, starch, sugars, sugar oligomers, carbohydrates, complex carbohydrates, chitin, heteroxylans, glycosides, xylan-, glucan-, galactan-, or mannan-decorating groups; and at least one nucleic acid sequence and/or at least one recombinant nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide involved in fermenting sugar molecules to a product. Additionally, enzymatic and/or proteinaceous extracts may be isolated from one or more genetically modified organisms. The extracts are utilized to convert biomass into a product. Further provided are methods of converting biomass into products comprising: placing the genetically modified organism and/or enzymatic extracts thereof in fluid contact with polysaccharides, cellulose, lignocellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, starch, sugars, sugar oligomers, carbohydrates, complex carbohydrates, chitin, heteroxylans, glycosides, and/or xylan-, glucan-, galactan-, or mannan-decorating groups.

  2. Methods of combined bioprocessing and related microorganisms, thermophilic and/or acidophilic enzymes, and nucleic acids encoding said enzymes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thompson, David N.; Apel, William A.; Thompson, Vicki S.; Ward, Thomas E.

    2016-03-22

    A genetically modified organism comprising: at least one nucleic acid sequence and/or at least one recombinant nucleic acid isolated from Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius and encoding a polypeptide involved in at least partially degrading, cleaving, transporting, metabolizing, or removing polysaccharides, cellulose, lignocellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, starch, sugars, sugar oligomers, carbohydrates, complex carbohydrates, chitin, heteroxylans, glycosides, xylan-, glucan-, galactan-, or mannan-decorating groups; and at least one nucleic acid sequence and/or at least one recombinant nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide involved in fermenting sugar molecules to a product. Additionally, enzymatic and/or proteinaceous extracts may be isolated from one or more genetically modified organisms. The extracts are utilized to convert biomass into a product. Further provided are methods of converting biomass into products comprising: placing the genetically modified organism and/or enzymatic extracts thereof in fluid contact with polysaccharides, cellulose, lignocellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, starch, sugars, sugar oligomers, carbohydrates, complex carbohydrates, chitin, heteroxylans, glycosides, and/or xylan-, glucan-, galactan-, or mannan-decorating groups.

  3. The Global Redox Responding RegB/RegA Signal Transduction System Regulates the Genes Involved in Ferrous Iron and Inorganic Sulfur Compound Oxidation of the Acidophilic Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Danielle Moinier

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The chemical attack of ore by ferric iron and/or sulfuric acid releases valuable metals. The products of these reactions are recycled by iron and sulfur oxidizing microorganisms. These acidophilic chemolithotrophic prokaryotes, among which Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, grow at the expense of the energy released from the oxidation of ferrous iron and/or inorganic sulfur compounds (ISCs. In At. ferrooxidans, it has been shown that the expression of the genes encoding the proteins involved in these respiratory pathways is dependent on the electron donor and that the genes involved in iron oxidation are expressed before those responsible for ISCs oxidation when both iron and sulfur are present. Since the redox potential increases during iron oxidation but remains stable during sulfur oxidation, we have put forward the hypothesis that the global redox responding two components system RegB/RegA is involved in this regulation. To understand the mechanism of this system and its role in the regulation of the aerobic respiratory pathways in At. ferrooxidans, the binding of different forms of RegA (DNA binding domain, wild-type, unphosphorylated and phosphorylated-like forms of RegA on the regulatory region of different genes/operons involved in ferrous iron and ISC oxidation has been analyzed. We have shown that the four RegA forms are able to bind specifically the upstream region of these genes. Interestingly, the phosphorylation of RegA did not change its affinity for its cognate DNA. The transcriptional start site of these genes/operons has been determined. In most cases, the RegA binding site(s was (were located upstream from the −35 (or −24 box suggesting that RegA does not interfere with the RNA polymerase binding. Based on the results presented in this report, the role of the RegB/RegA system in the regulation of the ferrous iron and ISC oxidation pathways in At. ferrooxidans is discussed.

  4. The Global Redox Responding RegB/RegA Signal Transduction System Regulates the Genes Involved in Ferrous Iron and Inorganic Sulfur Compound Oxidation of the Acidophilic Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moinier, Danielle; Byrne, Deborah; Amouric, Agnès; Bonnefoy, Violaine

    2017-01-01

    The chemical attack of ore by ferric iron and/or sulfuric acid releases valuable metals. The products of these reactions are recycled by iron and sulfur oxidizing microorganisms. These acidophilic chemolithotrophic prokaryotes, among which Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, grow at the expense of the energy released from the oxidation of ferrous iron and/or inorganic sulfur compounds (ISCs). In At. ferrooxidans, it has been shown that the expression of the genes encoding the proteins involved in these respiratory pathways is dependent on the electron donor and that the genes involved in iron oxidation are expressed before those responsible for ISCs oxidation when both iron and sulfur are present. Since the redox potential increases during iron oxidation but remains stable during sulfur oxidation, we have put forward the hypothesis that the global redox responding two components system RegB/RegA is involved in this regulation. To understand the mechanism of this system and its role in the regulation of the aerobic respiratory pathways in At. ferrooxidans, the binding of different forms of RegA (DNA binding domain, wild-type, unphosphorylated and phosphorylated-like forms of RegA) on the regulatory region of different genes/operons involved in ferrous iron and ISC oxidation has been analyzed. We have shown that the four RegA forms are able to bind specifically the upstream region of these genes. Interestingly, the phosphorylation of RegA did not change its affinity for its cognate DNA. The transcriptional start site of these genes/operons has been determined. In most cases, the RegA binding site(s) was (were) located upstream from the −35 (or −24) box suggesting that RegA does not interfere with the RNA polymerase binding. Based on the results presented in this report, the role of the RegB/RegA system in the regulation of the ferrous iron and ISC oxidation pathways in At. ferrooxidans is discussed. PMID:28747899

  5. A note on isolate domination

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ismail Sahul Hamid

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available A set $S$ of vertices of a graph $G$ such that $\\left\\langle S\\right\\rangle$ has an isolated vertex is called an \\emph{isolate set} of $G$. The minimum and maximum cardinality of a maximal isolate set are called the \\emph{isolate number} $i_0(G$ and the \\emph{upper isolate number} $I_0(G$ respectively. An isolate set that is also a dominating set (an irredundant set is an $\\emph{isolate dominating set} \\ (\\emph{an isolate irredundant set}$. The \\emph{isolate domination number} $\\gamma_0(G$ and the \\emph{upper isolate domination number} $\\Gamma_0(G$ are respectively the minimum and maximum cardinality of a minimal isolate dominating set while the \\emph{isolate irredundance number} $ir_0(G$ and the \\emph{upper isolate irredundance number} $IR_0(G$ are the minimum and maximum cardinality of a maximal isolate irredundant set of $G$. The notion of isolate domination was introduced in \\cite{sb} and the remaining were introduced in \\cite{isrn}. This paper further extends a study of these parameters.   

  6. Impact of Peat Mining and Restoration on Methane Turnover Potential and Methane-Cycling Microorganisms in a Northern Bog.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reumer, Max; Harnisz, Monika; Lee, Hyo Jung; Reim, Andreas; Grunert, Oliver; Putkinen, Anuliina; Fritze, Hannu; Bodelier, Paul L E; Ho, Adrian

    2018-02-01

    Ombrotrophic peatlands are a recognized global carbon reservoir. Without restoration and peat regrowth, harvested peatlands are dramatically altered, impairing their carbon sink function, with consequences for methane turnover. Previous studies determined the impact of commercial mining on the physicochemical properties of peat and the effects on methane turnover. However, the response of the underlying microbial communities catalyzing methane production and oxidation have so far received little attention. We hypothesize that with the return of Sphagnum spp. postharvest, methane turnover potential and the corresponding microbial communities will converge in a natural and restored peatland. To address our hypothesis, we determined the potential methane production and oxidation rates in natural (as a reference), actively mined, abandoned, and restored peatlands over two consecutive years. In all sites, the methanogenic and methanotrophic population sizes were enumerated using quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays targeting the mcrA and pmoA genes, respectively. Shifts in the community composition were determined using Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the mcrA gene and a pmoA -based terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (t-RFLP) analysis, complemented by cloning and sequence analysis of the mmoX gene. Peat mining adversely affected methane turnover potential, but the rates recovered in the restored site. The recovery in potential activity was reflected in the methanogenic and methanotrophic abundances. However, the microbial community composition was altered, being more pronounced for the methanotrophs. Overall, we observed a lag between the recovery of the methanogenic/methanotrophic activity and the return of the corresponding microbial communities, suggesting that a longer duration (>15 years) is needed to reverse mining-induced effects on the methane-cycling microbial communities. IMPORTANCE Ombrotrophic peatlands are a crucial carbon sink, but this environment

  7. Dynamic isolation technologies in negative pressure isolation wards

    CERN Document Server

    Xu, Zhonglin

    2017-01-01

    This book presents novel design principles and technologies for dynamic isolation based on experimental studies. These approaches have now become the local standard in Beijing and are currently being promoted for use nationwide. Further, the book provides details of measures and guidelines for the design process. Departing from the traditional understanding that isolation wards should be designed with high negative pressure, airtight doors and fresh air, it establishes the basis for designing biological clean rooms, including isolation wards, using a simple and convenient scientific approach. This book is intended for designers, engineers, researchers, hospital management staff and graduate students in heating ventilation air conditioning (HVAC), air cleaning technologies and related areas.

  8. Isolated Proofs of Knowledge and Isolated Zero Knowledge

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Damgård, Ivan Bjerre; Nielsen, Jesper Buus; Wichs, Daniel

    2008-01-01

    . This is because the prover may just be forwarding messages between the environment and the verifier while the environment performs all the necessary computation. In this paper we consider an ℓ-isolated prover, which is restricted to exchanging at most ℓ bits of information with its environment. We introduce a new...... notion called ℓ-isolated proofs of knowledge (ℓ-IPoK). These protocols securely ensure that an ℓ-isolated prover knows the witness. To prevent the above-mentioned attack, an ℓ-IPoK protocol has to have communication complexity greater than ℓ. We show that for any relation in NP and any value ℓ...

  9. Spatial variations of community structures and methane cycling across a transect of Lei-Gong-Hou mud volcanoes in eastern Taiwan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pei-Ling eWang

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available This study analyzed cored sediments retrieved from sites distributed across a transect of the Lei-Gong-Hou mud volcanoes in eastern Taiwan to uncover the spatial distributions of biogeochemical processes and community assemblages involved in methane cycling. The profiles of methane concentration and carbon isotopic composition revealed various orders of the predominance of specific methane-related metabolisms along depth. At a site proximal to the bubbling pool, the methanogenic zone was sandwiched by the anaerobic methanotrophic zones. For two sites distributed toward the topographic depression, the methanogenic zone overlaid the anaerobic methanotrophic zone. The predominance of anaerobic methanotrophy at specific depth intervals is supported by the enhanced copy numbers of the ANME-2a 16S rRNA gene and coincides with high dissolved Fe/Mn concentrations and copy numbers of the Desulfuromonas/Pelobacter 16S rRNA gene. Assemblages of 16S rRNA and mcrA genes revealed that methanogenesis was mediated by Methanococcoides and Methanosarcina. pmoA genes and a few 16S rRNA genes related to aerobic methanotrophs were detected in limited numbers of subsurface samples. While dissolved Fe/Mn signifies the presence of anaerobic metabolisms near the surface, the correlations between geochemical characteristics and gene abundances, and the absence of aerobic methanotrophs in top sediments suggest that anaerobic methanotrophy is potentially dependent on iron/manganese reduction and dominates over aerobic methanotrophy for the removal of methane produced in situ or from a deep source. Near-surface methanogenesis contributes to the methane emissions from mud platform. The alternating arrangements of methanogenic and methanotrophic zones at different sites suggest that the interactions between mud deposition, evaporation, oxidation and fluid transport modulate the assemblages of microbial communities and methane cycling in different compartments of terrestrial

  10. Unexpected stimulation of soil methane uptake as emergent property of agricultural soils following bio-based residue application.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho, Adrian; Reim, Andreas; Kim, Sang Yoon; Meima-Franke, Marion; Termorshuizen, Aad; de Boer, Wietse; van der Putten, Wim H; Bodelier, Paul L E

    2015-10-01

    Intensification of agriculture to meet the global food, feed, and bioenergy demand entail increasing re-investment of carbon compounds (residues) into agro-systems to prevent decline of soil quality and fertility. However, agricultural intensification decreases soil methane uptake, reducing, and even causing the loss of the methane sink function. In contrast to wetland agricultural soils (rice paddies), the methanotrophic potential in well-aerated agricultural soils have received little attention, presumably due to the anticipated low or negligible methane uptake capacity in these soils. Consequently, a detailed study verifying or refuting this assumption is still lacking. Exemplifying a typical agricultural practice, we determined the impact of bio-based residue application on soil methane flux, and determined the methanotrophic potential, including a qualitative (diagnostic microarray) and quantitative (group-specific qPCR assays) analysis of the methanotrophic community after residue amendments over 2 months. Unexpectedly, after amendments with specific residues, we detected a significant transient stimulation of methane uptake confirmed by both the methane flux measurements and methane oxidation assay. This stimulation was apparently a result of induced cell-specific activity, rather than growth of the methanotroph population. Although transient, the heightened methane uptake offsets up to 16% of total gaseous CO2 emitted during the incubation. The methanotrophic community, predominantly comprised of Methylosinus may facilitate methane oxidation in the agricultural soils. While agricultural soils are generally regarded as a net methane source or a relatively weak methane sink, our results show that methane oxidation rate can be stimulated, leading to higher soil methane uptake. Hence, even if agriculture exerts an adverse impact on soil methane uptake, implementing carefully designed management strategies (e.g. repeated application of specific residues) may

  11. Biotechnological conversion of methane to methanol: evaluation of progress and potential

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Charlotte E. Bjorck

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Sources of methane are numerous, and vary greatly in their use and sustainable credentials. A Jekyll and Hyde character, it is a valuable energy source present as geological deposits of natural gas, however it is also potent greenhouse gas, released during many waste management processes. Gas-to-liquid technologies are being investigated as a means to exploit and monetise non-traditional and unutilised methane sources. The product identified as having the greatest potential is methanol due to it being a robust, commercially mature conversion process from methane and its beneficial fuel characteristics. Commercial methane to methanol conversion requires high temperatures and pressures, in an energy intensive and costly process. In contrast methanotrophic bacteria perform the desired transformation under ambient conditions, using methane monooxygenase (MMO enzymes. Despite the great potential of these bacteria a number of biotechnical difficulties are hindering progress towards an industrially suitable process. We have identified five major challenges that exist as barriers to a viable conversion process that, to our knowledge, have not previously been examined as distinct process challenges. Although biotechnological applications of methanotrophic bacteria have been reviewed in part, no review has comprehensively covered progress and challenges for a methane to methanol process from an industrial perspective. All published examples to date of methanotroph catalysed conversion of methane to methanol are collated, and standardised to allow direct comparison. The focus will be on conversion of methane to methanol by whole-cell, wild type, methanotroph cultures, and the potential for their application in an industrially relevant process. A recent shift in the research community focus from a mainly biological angle to an overall engineering approach, offers potential to exploit methanotrophs in an industrially relevant biotechnological gas

  12. Spatial variations of community structures and methane cycling across a transect of Lei-Gong-Hou mud volcanoes in eastern Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Pei-Ling; Chiu, Yi-Ping; Cheng, Ting-Wen; Chang, Yung-Hsin; Tu, Wei-Xain; Lin, Li-Hung

    2014-01-01

    This study analyzed cored sediments retrieved from sites distributed across a transect of the Lei-Gong-Hou mud volcanoes in eastern Taiwan to uncover the spatial distributions of biogeochemical processes and community assemblages involved in methane cycling. The profiles of methane concentration and carbon isotopic composition revealed various orders of the predominance of specific methane-related metabolisms along depth. At a site proximal to the bubbling pool, the methanogenic zone was sandwiched by the anaerobic methanotrophic zones. For two sites distributed toward the topographic depression, the methanogenic zone overlaid the anaerobic methanotrophic zone. The predominance of anaerobic methanotrophy at specific depth intervals is supported by the enhanced copy numbers of the ANME-2a 16S rRNA gene and coincides with high dissolved Fe/Mn concentrations and copy numbers of the Desulfuromonas/Pelobacter 16S rRNA gene. Assemblages of 16S rRNA and mcrA genes revealed that methanogenesis was mediated by Methanococcoides and Methanosarcina. pmoA genes and a few 16S rRNA genes related to aerobic methanotrophs were detected in limited numbers of subsurface samples. While dissolved Fe/Mn signifies the presence of anaerobic metabolisms near the surface, the correlations between geochemical characteristics and gene abundances, and the absence of aerobic methanotrophs in top sediments suggest that anaerobic methanotrophy is potentially dependent on iron/manganese reduction and dominates over aerobic methanotrophy for the removal of methane produced in situ or from a deep source. Near-surface methanogenesis contributes to the methane emissions from mud platform. The alternating arrangements of methanogenic and methanotrophic zones at different sites suggest that the interactions between mud deposition, evaporation, oxidation and fluid transport modulate the assemblages of microbial communities and methane cycling in different compartments of terrestrial mud volcanoes.

  13. Microbial CH4 and N2O consumption in acidic wetlands

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steffen eKolb

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Acidic wetlands are global sources of the atmospheric greenhouse gases methane (CH4, and nitrous oxide (N2O. Consumption of both atmospheric gases has been observed in various acidic wetlands, but information on the microbial mechanisms underlying these phenomena is scarce. A substantial amount of CH4 is consumed in sub soil by aerobic methanotrophs at anoxic–oxic interfaces (e.g., tissues of Sphagnum mosses, rhizosphere of vascular plant roots. Methylocystis-related species are likely candidates that are involved in the consumption of atmospheric CH4 in acidic wetlands. Oxygen availability regulates the activity of methanotrophs of acidic wetlands. Other parameters impacting on the methanotroph-mediated CH4 consumption have not been systematically evaluated. N2O is produced and consumed by microbial denitrification, thus rendering acidic wetlands as temporary sources or sinks for N2O. Denitrifier communities in such ecosystems are diverse, and largely uncultured and/or new, and environmental factors that control their consumption activity are unresolved. Analyses of the composition of N2O reductase genes in acidic wetlands suggest that acid-tolerant Proteobacteria have the potential to mediate N2O consumption in such soils. Thus, the fragmented current state of knowledge raises open questions concerning methanotrophs and dentrifiers that consume atmospheric CH4 and N2O in acidic wetlands.

  14. Coupled effects of methane monooxygenase and nitrogen source on growth and poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) production of Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Tingting; Zhou, Jiti; Wang, Xiaowei; Zhang, Yu

    2017-02-01

    The coupled effects of nitrogen source and methane monooxygenase (MMO) on the growth and poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) accumulation capacity of methanotrophs were explored. The ammonia-supplied methanotrophs expressing soluble MMO (sMMO) grew at the highest rate, while N 2 -fixing bacteria expressing particulate MMO (pMMO) grew at the lowest rate. Further study showed that more hydroxylamine and nitrite was formed by ammonia-supplied bacteria containing pMMO, which might cause their slightly lower growth rate. The highest PHB content (51.0%) was obtained under nitrogen-limiting conditions with the inoculation of nitrate-supplied bacteria containing pMMO. Ammonia-supplied bacteria also accumulated a higher content of PHB (45.2%) with the expression of pMMO, while N 2 -fixing bacteria containing pMMO only showed low PHB production capacity (32.1%). The maximal PHB contents of bacteria expressing sMMO were low, with no significant change under different nitrogen source conditions. The low MMO activity, low cell growth rate and low PHB production capacity of methanotrophs continuously cultivated with N 2 with the expression of pMMO were greatly improved in the cyclic NO 3 - N 2 cultivation regime, indicating that long-term deficiency of nitrogen sources was detrimental to the activity of methanotrophs expressing pMMO. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  15. Effect of isolation techniques on the characteristics of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) protein isolates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adenekan, Monilola K; Fadimu, Gbemisola J; Odunmbaku, Lukumon A; Oke, Emmanuel K

    2018-01-01

    In this study, the effect of different isolation techniques on the isolated proteins from pigeon pea was investigated. Water, methanol, ammonium sulfate, and acetone were used for the precipitation of proteins from pigeon pea. Proximate composition, and antinutritional and functional properties of the pigeon pea flour and the isolated proteins were measured. Data generated were statistically analyzed. The proximate composition of the water-extracted protein isolate was moisture 8.30%, protein 91.83%, fat 0.25%, ash 0.05%, and crude fiber 0.05%. The methanol-extracted protein isolate composition was moisture 7.87%, protein 91.83%, fat 0.17%, and ash 0.13%, while crude fiber and carbohydrates were not detected. The composition of the ammonium sulfate-extracted protein isolate was moisture 7.73%, protein 91.73%, fat 0.36, ash 0.13%, and crude fiber 0.67%. The acetone-extracted protein isolate composition was moisture 8.03%, protein 91.50%, ash 0.67%, and fat 0.30%, but crude fiber and carbohydrates were not detected. The isolate precipitated with ammonium sulfate displayed the highest foaming capacity (37.63%) and foaming stability (55.75%). Isolates precipitated with methanol and acetone had the highest water absorption capacity (160%). Pigeon pea protein isolates extracted with methanol and ammonium sulfate had the highest oil absorption capacity of 145%. Protein isolates recovered through acetone and methanol had the highest emulsifying capacity of 2.23% and emulsifying stability of 91.47%, respectively. The proximate composition of the recovered protein isolates were of high purity. This shows the efficiency of the extraction techniques. The isolates had desirable solubility index. All the isolation techniques brought significant impact on the characteristics of the isolated pigeon pea protein.

  16. Wire rope isolators for vibration isolation of equipment and structures – A review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Balaji, P S; Rahman, M E; Lau, H H; Moussa, Leblouba

    2015-01-01

    Vibrations and shocks are studied using various techniques and analyzed to predict their detrimental effect on the equipment and structures. In cases, where the effects of vibration become unacceptable, it may cause structural damage and affect the operation of the equipment. Hence, adding a discrete system to isolate the vibration from source becomes necessary. The Wire Rope Isolator (WRI) can be used to effectively isolate the system from disturbing vibrations. The WRI is a type of passive isolator that exhibits nonlinear behavior. It consists of stranded wire rope held between two metal retainer bars and the metal wire rope is made up of individual wire strands that are in frictional contact with each other, hence, it is a kind of friction-type isolator. This paper compiles the research work on wire rope isolators. This paper presents the research work under two categories, namely monotonic and cyclic loading behaviors of WRI. The review also discusses the different terminologies associated with vibration isolation system and highlights the comparison between various isolation systems. (paper)

  17. Mutation and premating isolation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woodruff, R. C.; Thompson, J. N. Jr

    2002-01-01

    While premating isolation might be traceable to different genetic mechanisms in different species, evidence supports the idea that as few as one or two genes may often be sufficient to initiate isolation. Thus, new mutation can theoretically play a key role in the process. But it has long been thought that a new isolation mutation would fail, because there would be no other individuals for the isolation-mutation-carrier to mate with. We now realize that premeiotic mutations are very common and will yield a cluster of progeny carrying the same new mutant allele. In this paper, we discuss the evidence for genetically simple premating isolation barriers and the role that clusters of an isolation mutation may play in initiating allopatric, and even sympatric, species divisions.

  18. Cometabolic biotreatment of TCE-contaminated groundwater: Laboratory and bench-scale development studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Donaldson, T.L.; Jennings, H.L.; Lucero, A.J.; Strandberg, G.W.; Morris, M.I.; Palumbo, A.V.; Boerman, P.A.; Tyndall, R.L.

    1992-01-01

    The Oak Ridge National Laboratory is conducting a demonstration of two cometabolic technologies for biotreatment of groundwater contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE) and other organics. Technologies based on methanotrophic (methane-utilizing) and toluene-degrading microorganisms will be compared side-by-side on the same groundwater stream. Laboratory and bench-scale bioreactor studies have been conducted to guide selection of microbial cultures and operating conditions for the field demonstration. This report presents the results of the laboratory and bench-scale studies for the methanotrophic system

  19. Denitrifying bacteria from the terrestrial subsurface exposed to mixed waste contamination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Green, Stefan; Prakash, Om; Gihring, Thomas; Akob, Denise M.; Jasrotia, Puja; Jardine, Philip M.; Watson, David B.; Brown, Steven David; Palumbo, Anthony Vito; Kostka, Joel

    2010-01-01

    In terrestrial subsurface environments where nitrate is a critical groundwater contaminant, few cultivated representatives are available with which to verify the metabolism of organisms that catalyze denitrification. In this study, five species of denitrifying bacteria from three phyla were isolated from subsurface sediments exposed to metal radionuclide and nitrate contamination as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Integrated Field Research Challenge (OR-IFRC). Isolates belonged to the genera Afipia and Hyphomicrobium (Alphaproteobacteria), Rhodanobacter (Gammaproteobacteria), Intrasporangium (Actinobacteria) and Bacillus (Firmicutes). Isolates from the phylum Proteobacteria were confirmed as complete denitrifiers, whereas the Gram-positive isolates reduced nitrate to nitrous oxide. Ribosomal RNA gene analyses reveal that bacteria from the genus Rhodanobacter comprise a diverse population of circumneutral to moderately acidophilic denitrifiers at the ORIFRC site, with a high relative abundance in areas of the acidic source zone. Rhodanobacter species do not contain a periplasmic nitrite reductase and have not been previously detected in functional gene surveys of denitrifying bacteria at the OR-IFRC site. Sequences of nitrite and nitrous oxide reductase genes were recovered from the isolates and from the terrestrial subsurface by designing primer sets mined from genomic and metagenomic data and from draft genomes of two of the isolates. We demonstrate that a combination of cultivation, genomic and metagenomic data are essential to the in situ characterization of denitrifiers and that current PCR-based approaches are not suitable for deep coverage of denitrifying microorganisms. Our results indicate that the diversity of denitrifiers is significantly underestimated in the terrestrial subsurface.

  20. Cometabolic biotreatment of TCE-contaminated groundwater - Laboratory and bench-scale development studies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Donaldson, T L; Palumbo, A V; Boerman, P A; Jennings, H L; Lucero, A J; Tyndall, R L; Strandberg, G W; Morris, M I [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

    1992-07-01

    The Oak Ridge National Laboratory is conducting a demonstration of two cometabolic technologies for biotreatment of groundwater contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE) and other organics. Technologies based on methanotrophic (methane-utilizing) and toluene-degrading microorganisms will be compared side-by-side on the same groundwater stream. Laboratory and bench-scale bioreactor studies have been conducted to guide selection of microbial cultures and operating conditions for the field demonstration. This report presents the results of the laboratory and bench-scale studies for the methanotrophic system. (author)

  1. SYMBIODINIUM ISOLATES FROM STONY CORAL: ISOLATION, GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS AND EFFECTS OF UV IRRADIATION

    Science.gov (United States)

    Symbiodinium spp. Isolates from Stony Coral: Isolation, Growth Characteristics and Effects of UV Irradiation (Abstract). J. Phycol. 37(3):42-43.Symbiodinium species were isolated from Montipora capitata, Acropora palmata and two field samples of Porites porites. Cultures ...

  2. A Multifunctional Isolated and Non-Isolated Dual Mode Converter for Renewable Energy Conversion Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yiwang Wang

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, a multifunctional isolated and non-isolated dual-mode low-power converter was designed for renewable energy conversion applications such as photovoltaic power generation to achieve different operating modes under bi-directional electrical conversion. The proposed topology consists of a bidirectional non-isolated DC/DC circuit and an isolated converter with a high-frequency transformer, which merge the advantages of both the conventional isolated converter and non-isolated converter with the combination of the two converter technologies. Compared with traditional converters, the multifunctional converter can not only realize conventional bi-directional functions, but can also be applied for many different operation modes and meet the high output/input ratio demands with the two converter circuits operating together. A novel control algorithm was proposed to achieve the various functions of the proposed converter. An experimental platform based on the proposed circuit was established. Both the simulation and experimental results indicated that the proposed converter could provide isolated and non-isolated modes in different applications, which could meet different practical engineering requirements.

  3. Physics in isolation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1986-01-01

    In late May, about 330 physicists made their way up to isolated and beautiful Lake Louise high in the Canadian Rockies about 100 miles west of Calgary in a second effort to increase interactions between particle and nuclear physicists. The conference series aims to foster exciting and diverse physics by bringing the different physicists together somewhere which is so isolated that they must interact with each other. The formula worked very well and isolated Lake Louise was a huge success

  4. Physics in isolation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anon.

    1986-09-15

    In late May, about 330 physicists made their way up to isolated and beautiful Lake Louise high in the Canadian Rockies about 100 miles west of Calgary in a second effort to increase interactions between particle and nuclear physicists. The conference series aims to foster exciting and diverse physics by bringing the different physicists together somewhere which is so isolated that they must interact with each other. The formula worked very well and isolated Lake Louise was a huge success.

  5. Morphological and cytochemical characterization of cell types of the adenohypophysis of Manjuba, Anchoviella lepidentostole (Fowler, 1911 (Osteichthyes, Engraulidae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah Arana

    1997-04-01

    Full Text Available The pituitary gland of Anchoviella lepidentostole consists of the neurohypophysis and the adenohypophysis, which is subdivided in pars intermedia and pars distalis. The pars distalis comprises pars distalis rostralis and pars distalis proximalis. The cell types of the pars distalis rostralis are arranged in follicles. In the follicular epithelium, four cell types were cytochemically characterized: l-PDR (basophilic, ll-PDR (lead haematoxylin+/HPb+, lll-PDR (PAS+, AB pH2.5+ and AF+, IV-PDR (acidophilic. Thepars distalis proximalis has two cell types: l-PDP (PAS+, AB pH 2.5+ and AF+ and ll-PDP (acidophilic. In the pars intermedia there are two cell types: l-PI (HPb+ and ll-PI (chromophobes.

  6. Effect of bio-column composed of aged refuse on methane abatement--a novel configuration of biological oxidation in refuse landfill.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Dan; Zhao, Youcai; Xue, Binjie; Chai, Xiaoli

    2010-01-01

    An experimental bio-column composed of aged refuse was installed around the exhaust pipe as a new way to mitigate methane in refuse landfill. One of the objectives of this work was to assess the effect of aged refuse thickness in bio-column on reducing CH4 emissions. Over the study period, methane oxidation was observed at various thicknesses, 5 cm (small size), 10 cm (middle size) and 15 cm (large size), representing one to three times of pipeline diameters. The middle and large size both showed over 90% methane conversion, and the highest methane conversion rate of above 95% occurred in the middle-size column cell. Michaelis-Menten equation addressed the methanotrophs diffusion in different layers of the bio-columns. Maximum methanotrophic activity (Vmax) measured at the three thicknesses ranged from 6.4 x 10(-3) to 15.6 x 10(-3) units, and the half-saturation value (K(M)) ranged from 0.85% to 1.67%. Both the highest Vmax and K(M) were observed at the middle-size of the bio-column, as well as the largest methanotrophs population, suggesting a significant efficiency of methane mitigation happened in the optimum zone with greatest affinity and methanotrophic bacteria activities. Therefore, bio-column is a potential style for methane abatement in landfill, and the aged refuse both naturally formed and artificially placed in the column plays a critical role in CH4 emission.

  7. Paraffin oil as a "methane vector" for rapid and high cell density cultivation of Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Bing; Su, Tao; Wu, Hao; Gou, Zhongxuan; Xing, Xin-Hui; Jiang, Hao; Chen, Yin; Li, Xin; Murrell, J Colin

    2009-06-01

    Slow growth and relatively low cell densities of methanotrophs have limited their uses in industrial applications. In this study, a novel method for rapid cultivation of Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b was studied by adding a water-immiscible organic solvent in the medium. Paraffin oil was the most effective at enhancing cell growth and final cell density. This is at least partially due to the increase of methane gas transfer between gas and medium phases since methane solubility is higher in paraffin than in water/nitrate minimal salt medium. During cultivation with paraffin oil at 5% (v/v) in the medium, M. trichosporium OB3b cells also showed higher concentrations of the intermediary metabolites, such as formic acid and pyruvic acid, and consumed more methane compared with the control. Paraffin as methane vector to improve methanotroph growth was further studied in a 5-L fermentor at three concentrations (i.e., 2.5%, 5%, and 10%). Cell density reached about 14 g dry weight per liter with 5% paraffin, around seven times higher than that of the control (without paraffin). Cells cultivated with paraffin tended to accumulate around the interface between oil droplets and the water phase and could exist in oil phase in the case of 10% (v/v) paraffin. These results indicated that paraffin could enhance methanotroph growth, which is potentially useful in cultivation of methanotrophs in large scale in industry.

  8. Optimum Shock Isolation

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Bolotnik, Nikolai

    2001-01-01

    .... Several types of performance criteria for isolation are considered, the most important of which are the peak force transmitted to the body to be isolated and the maximum displacement of the body relative to the base...

  9. Isolated patellofemoral osteoarthritis.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jonbergen, J.P.W. van; Poolman, R.W.; Kampen, A. van

    2010-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The optimal treatment for isolated patellofemoral osteoarthritis is unclear at present. We systematically reviewed the highest level of available evidence on the nonoperative and operative treatment of isolated patellofemoral osteoarthritis to develop an evidenced-based

  10. [Isolation and identification of cow-origin Cryptosporidium isolates in Hefei].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Tao; Liu, Wei; Wang, Ju-Hua; Xue, Xiu-Heng; Zhao, Chang-Cheng; Li, Pei-Ying

    2011-12-01

    To isolate cow-origin Cryptosporidium in Hefei, and identify its species. 285 dairy cattle fecal samples collected from a farm in Hefei were examined by using floating saturated solution of sucrose and modified acid-fast staining. Cryptosporidium oocysts were isolated and purified from positive fecal samples. Genetic DNA was extracted to be the template. According to the sequence of 18S rRNA gene and HSP70 gene from Cryptosporidium sp., the primers were designed and synthesized. The PCR products were amplified by PCR and nested-PCR. The nested PCR products were cloned and sequenced. Homology searches and phylogenic tree construction were done by DNAStar software. Five fecal samples were positive by morphological methods with an infection rate of 1.8% (5/285). Oocysts from the 5 positive fecal samples were elliptical or ovoid detected by using floating saturated solution of sucrose and modified acid-fast staining with the size of 7.37 microm x 6.13 microm and 7.58 microm x 6.20 microm, and a shape index of 1.20 and 1.22, respectively. Nested-PCR resulted in a 18S rRNA and HSP70 gene fragments with approximately 250 bp and 325 bp, respectively. The five isolates showed a high level of nucleic acid identity with sequence data of the 18S rRNA gene of Cryptosporidium andersoni (DQ989573), and they were clustered in the same clade. The highest HSP70 gene sequence identity was found among the five isolates and other reported C. andersoni isolates (AY954892 and DQ989576), and they were placed into the same clade. The cow-origin Cryptosporidium isolates derived from Hefei is Cryptosporidium andersoni.

  11. Static and dynamic stability of pneumatic vibration isolators and systems of isolators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryaboy, Vyacheslav M.

    2014-01-01

    Pneumatic vibration isolation is the most widespread effective method for creating vibration-free environments that are vital for precise experiments and manufacturing operations in optoelectronics, life sciences, microelectronics, nanotechnology and other areas. The modeling and design principles of a dual-chamber pneumatic vibration isolator, basically established a few decades ago, continue to attract attention of researchers. On the other hand, behavior of systems of such isolators was never explained in the literature in sufficient detail. This paper covers a range of questions essential for understanding the mechanics of pneumatic isolation systems from both design and application perspectives. The theory and a model of a single standalone isolator are presented in concise form necessary for subsequent analysis. Then the dynamics of a system of isolators supporting a payload is considered with main attention directed to two aspects of their behavior: first, the static stability of payloads with high positions of the center of gravity; second, dynamic stability of the feedback system formed by mechanical leveling valves. The direct method of calculating the maximum stable position of the center of gravity is presented and illustrated by three-dimensional stability domains; analytic formulas are given that delineate these domains. A numerical method for feedback stability analysis of self-leveling valve systems is given, and the results are compared with the analytical estimates for a single isolator. The relation between the static and dynamic phenomena is discussed.

  12. Effect of isolation techniques on the characteristics of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) protein isolates

    OpenAIRE

    Adenekan, Monilola K.; Fadimu, Gbemisola J.; Odunmbaku, Lukumon A.; Oke, Emmanuel K.

    2017-01-01

    Abstract In this study, the effect of different isolation techniques on the isolated proteins from pigeon pea was investigated. Water, methanol, ammonium sulfate, and acetone were used for the precipitation of proteins from pigeon pea. Proximate composition, and antinutritional and functional properties of the pigeon pea flour and the isolated proteins were measured. Data generated were statistically analyzed. The proximate composition of the water‐extracted protein isolate was moisture 8.30%...

  13. Use of gene probes to assess the impact and effectiveness of aerobic in situ bioremediation of TCE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hazen, Terry C.; Chakraborty, Romy; Fleming, James M.; Gregory, Ingrid R.; Bowman, John P.; Jimenez, Luis; Zhang, Dai; Pfiffner, Susan M.; Brockman, Fred J.; Sayler, Gary S.

    2009-03-15

    Gene probe hybridization was used to determine distribution and expression of co-metabolic genes at a contaminated site as it underwent in situ methanotrophic bioremediation of trichloroethylene (TCE). The bioremediation strategies tested included a series of air, air:methane, and air:methane:nutrient pulses of the test plot using horizontal injection wells. During the test period, the levels of TCE reduced drastically in almost all test samples. Sediment core samples (n = 367) taken from 0 m (surface)-43 m depth were probed for gene coding for methanotrophic soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO) and heterotrophic toluene dioxygenase (TOD), which are known to co-metabolize TCE. The same sediment samples were also probed for genes coding for methanol dehydrogenase (MDH) (catalyzing the oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde) to assess specifically changes in methylotrophic bacterial populations in the site. Gene hybridization results showed that the frequency of detection of sMMO genes were stimulated approximately 250% following 1% methane:air (v/v) injection. Subsequent injection of 4% methane:air (v/v) resulted in an 85% decline probably due to nutrient limitations, since addition of nutrients (gaseous nitrogen and phosphorus) thereafter caused an increase in the frequency of detection of sMMO genes. Detection of TOD genes declined during the process, and eventually they were non-detectable by the final treatment, suggesting that methanotrophs displaced the TOD gene containing heterotrophs. Active transcription of sMMO and TOD was evidenced by hybridization to mRNA. These analyses combined with results showing the concomitant decline in TCE concentrations, increases in chloride concentration and increases in methanotroph viable counts, provide multiple lines of evidence that TCE remediation was caused specifically by methanotrophs. Our results suggest that sMMO genes are responsible for most, if not all, of the observed biodegradation of TCE. This study

  14. SUSCEPTIBILITY OF RESPIRATORY ISOLATES OF STREPTOCOCCUS PNEUMONIAE ISOLATED FROM CHILDREN HOSPITALIZED IN THE CLINICAL CENTER NIS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dinić, Marina M; Mladenović Antić, Snezana; Kocić, Branislava; Stanković Dordević, Dobrila; Vrbić, Miodrag; Bogdanović, Milena

    2016-01-01

    Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the most common causes of respiratory infections. The aim was to study the susceptibility to antimicrobial agents of respiratory isolates ofStreptococcus pneumoniae obtained from hospitalized children. A total of 190 respiratory pneumococcal isolates obtained from children aged from 0 to 14 years were isolated and identified by using standard microbiological methods. Susceptibility to oxacillin, erythromycin, clindamycin, tetracycline, cotrimoxazole, ofloxacin and rifampicin was tested by disc diffusion method. Minimal inhibitory concentrations for amoxicillin and ceftriaxone were determined by means of E test. The macrolide-resistant phenotype was detected by double disc diffusion test. All tested isolates were susceptible to amoxicillin and ceftriaxone. The minimal amoxicillin concentration inhibiting the growth of 50% of isolates and of 90% of isolates was 0.50 microg/ml and 1.0 microg/ml, respectively and the minimal ceftriaxone concentration inhibiting the growth of 50% of isolates and of 90% of isolates was 0.25 microg/ml and 0.50 microg/ml, respectively. Susceptibility to erythromycin and clindamycin was observed in 21.6% and 29.47% of isolates, respectively. The resistence to macrolides-M phenotype was detected in 10.07% of isolates and constitutive macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin phenotype (constitutive MLS phenotype) was found in 89.93% of isolates. All tested isolates were susceptible to ofloxacin and rifampicin. Amoxicillin could be the therapy of choice in pediatric practice. The macrolides should not be recommended for the empirical therapy of pneumococcal respiratory tract infection in our local area.

  15. Yeast Isolation for Bioethanol Production

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    EKA RURIANI

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available We have isolated 12 yeast isolates from five different rotten fruits by using a yeast glucose chloramphenicol agar (YGCA medium supplemented with tetracycline. From pre-screening assay, four isolates exhibited higher substrate (glucose-xylose consumption efficiency in the reaction tube fermentation compared to Saccharomyces cerevisiae dan Saccharomyces ellipsoids as the reference strains. Based on the fermentation process in gooseneck flasks, we observed that two isolates (K and SB showed high fermentation efficiency both in sole glucose and mixed glucose-xylose substrate. Moreover, isolates K and SB produced relatively identical level of ethanol concentration compared to the reference strains. Isolates H and MP could only produce high levels of ethanol in glucose fermentation, while only half of that amount of ethanol was detected in glucose-xylose fermentation. Isolate K and SB were identified as Pichia kudriavzeevii (100% based on large sub unit (LSU ribosomal DNA D1/D2 region.

  16. Isolation, characterization, antibiogram and pathology of Pasteurella multocida isolated from pigs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mamta Tigga

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Aim: Isolation, characterization and antibiogram of Pasteurella multocida from diseased pigs of district Durg of Chhattisgarh, and to study pathological changes caused by swine pasteurellosis. Materials and Methods: An outbreak of swine pasteurellosis was suspected in pigs of Ruwabandha (Bhilai, Anjora, Somni, Tedesara, Tirgajhola villages of Durg district in Chhattisgarh, India during August and September of 2011. Nasal Swabs and blood samples from ailing pigs and heart blood and impression smears from morbid pigs were processed for detection and isolation of P. multocida by bacteriological methods. Detailed necropsy was conducted and gross and histopathological lesions were recorded. The test Isolates were subjected to antimicrobial sensitivity profile by disc-diffusion method. Results: The blood smears from heart blood and tissue impression smears revealed teaming of bipolar organisms indicating the presence of Pasteurella spp. The isolates obtained were subjected to Gram's staining for checking the purity and bipolar morphology and characterized biochemically. Gross lesions included severe acute pneumonia and haemorrhages in lungs, petechial haemorrhages on serous membranes and other visceral organs. On histopathological examination, lungs showed typical fibrinous bronchopneumonia, multifocal suppuration. All the isolates of P. multocida were 100% sensitive to Amoxicillin, Gentamicin, Enrofloxacin and showed100% resistance to Ceftizoxim and Cloxacillin. Conclusion: Gross and microscopic lesions in dead animals are of great diagnostic value and are of characteristic of P. multocida infection. Cultural, morphological and biochemical characters are useful to rule out the causative agent as P. multocida. Antibiotic sensitivity pattern of the isolates should routinely be carried out for knowing the antibiotic resistance trends in an endemic area.

  17. Active Fault Isolation in MIMO Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Niemann, Hans Henrik; Poulsen, Niels Kjølstad

    2014-01-01

    isolation is based directly on the input/output s ignals applied for the fault detection. It is guaranteed that the fault group includes the fault that had occurred in the system. The second step is individual fault isolation in the fault group . Both types of isolation are obtained by applying dedicated......Active fault isolation of parametric faults in closed-loop MIMO system s are considered in this paper. The fault isolation consists of two steps. T he first step is group- wise fault isolation. Here, a group of faults is isolated from other pos sible faults in the system. The group-wise fault...

  18. Single spore isolation and morphological characterization of local Malaysian isolates of rice blast fungus Magnoporthe grisea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mishra, Ankitta; Ratnam, Wickneswari; Bhuiyan, Md Atiqur Rahman; Ponaya, Ariane; Jena, Khisord K.

    2015-09-01

    Rice blast is a destructive disease, caused by the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe grisea. It causes considerable damage to rice and leads to crop loss in rice growing regions worldwide. Although fungicides can be used to control rice blast, they generate additional cost in rice production and contamination of environment and food. Therefore, the use of resistant varieties is thought to be one of the most economically and environmentally efficient ways of crop protection from the disease. Six new local Malaysian isolates of M. grisea were isolated using single spore isolation method. Five isolates were from infected leaf samples collected from Kompleks Latihan MADA, Kedah and one was from Kelantan. These isolates were identified using morphological characteristics and microscopic studies and later confirmed by ITSequences. These isolates were induced to sporulate and used for greenhouse screening on two differential rice varieties: Mahsuri (susceptible) and Pongsu Seribu 2 (resistant). Among the 6 isolates, isolate number 3 was found to be the most virulent showing high sporulation while isolate number 4 was very slow growing, and the least virulent.

  19. Potential of Immobilized Whole-Cell Methylocella tundrae as a Biocatalyst for Methanol Production from Methane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mardina, Primata; Li, Jinglin; Patel, Sanjay K S; Kim, In-Won; Lee, Jung-Kul; Selvaraj, Chandrabose

    2016-07-28

    Methanol is a versatile compound that can be biologically synthesized from methane (CH4) by methanotrophs using a low energy-consuming and environment-friendly process. Methylocella tundrae is a type II methanotroph that can utilize CH4 as a carbon and energy source. Methanol is produced in the first step of the metabolic pathway of methanotrophs and is further oxidized into formaldehyde. Several parameters must be optimized to achieve high methanol production. In this study, we optimized the production conditions and process parameters for methanol production. The optimum incubation time, substrate, pH, agitation rate, temperature, phosphate buffer and sodium formate concentration, and cell concentration were determined to be 24 h, 50% CH4, pH 7, 150 rpm, 30°C, 100 mM and 50 mM, and 18 mg/ml, respectively. The optimization of these parameters significantly improved methanol production from 0.66 to 5.18 mM. The use of alginate-encapsulated cells resulted in enhanced methanol production stability and reusability of cells after five cycles of reuse under batch culture conditions.

  20. [Comparative characterization of cultured methane-oxidizing bacteria by serological and molecular methods].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slobodova, N V; Kolganova, T V; Bulygina, E S; Kuznetsov, B B; Turova, T P; Kravchenko, I K

    2006-01-01

    Three stable methane-oxidizing enrichment cultures, SB26, SB31, and SB31A were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy and by serological and molecular techniques. Electron microscopy revealed the presence of both type I and type II methanotrophs in SB31 and SB31A enrichments; only type II methanotrophs were found in SB26 enrichment. Methylosinus trichosporium was detected in all three enrichments by the application of species-specific antibodies. Additionally, Methylocystis echinoides was found in SB26 culture; Methylococcus capsulatus, in SB31 and SB31A; and Methylomonas methanica, in SB31. The analysis with pmoA and nifH gene sequences as phylogenetic markers revealed the presence of Methylosinus/Methylocystis group in all communities. Moreover, the analysis of pmoA sequences revealed the presence of Methylomonas in SB31. Methylocella was detected in SB31 and SB31A enrichments only by nifH analysis. It was concluded that the simultaneous application of different approaches reveals more reliable information on the diversity of methanotrophs.

  1. Linking activity, composition and seasonal dynamics of atmospheric methane oxidizers in a meadow soil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shrestha, Pravin Malla; Kammann, Claudia; Lenhart, Katharina; Dam, Bomba; Liesack, Werner

    2012-06-01

    Microbial oxidation is the only biological sink for atmospheric methane. We assessed seasonal changes in atmospheric methane oxidation and the underlying methanotrophic communities in grassland near Giessen (Germany), along a soil moisture gradient. Soil samples were taken from the surface layer (0-10 cm) of three sites in August 2007, November 2007, February 2008 and May 2008. The sites showed seasonal differences in hydrological parameters. Net uptake rates varied seasonally between 0 and 70 μg CH(4) m(-2) h(-1). Greatest uptake rates coincided with lowest soil moisture in spring and summer. Over all sites and seasons, the methanotrophic communities were dominated by uncultivated methanotrophs. These formed a monophyletic cluster defined by the RA14, MHP and JR1 clades, referred to as upland soil cluster alphaproteobacteria (USCα)-like group. The copy numbers of pmoA genes ranged between 3.8 × 10(5)-1.9 × 10(6) copies g(-1) of soil. Temperature was positively correlated with CH(4) uptake rates (P50 vol% and primarily related to members of the MHP clade.

  2. Activity and diversity of methane-oxidizing bacteria along a Norwegian sub-Arctic glacier forefield.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mateos-Rivera, Alejandro; Øvreås, Lise; Wilson, Bryan; Yde, Jacob C; Finster, Kai W

    2018-05-01

    Methane (CH4) is one of the most abundant greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and identification of its sources and sinks is crucial for the reliability of climate model outputs. Although CH4 production and consumption rates have been reported from a broad spectrum of environments, data obtained from glacier forefields are restricted to a few locations. We report the activities of methanotrophic communities and their diversity along a chronosequence in front of a sub-Arctic glacier using high-throughput sequencing and gas flux measurements. CH4 oxidation rates were measured in the field throughout the growing season during three sampling times at eight different sampling points in combination with laboratory incubation experiments. The overall results showed that the methanotrophic community had similar trends of increased CH4 consumption and increased abundance as a function of soil development and time of year. Sequencing results revealed that the methanotrophic community was dominated by a few OTUs and that a short-term increase in CH4 concentration, as performed in the field measurements, altered slightly the relative abundance of the OTUs.

  3. Bacterial isolates from the bryozoan Membranipora membranacea: influence of culture media on isolation and antimicrobial activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heindl, Herwig; Thiel, Vera; Wiese, Jutta; Imhoff, Johannes F

    2012-03-01

    From specimens of the bryozoan Membranipora membranacea collected in the Baltic Sea, bacteria were isolated on four different media, which significantly increased the diversity of the isolated groups. All isolates were classified according to 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and tested for antimicrobial properties using a panel of five indicator strains and six different media. Each medium featured a unique set of isolated phylotypes, and a phylogenetically diverse collection of isolates was obtained. A total of 96 isolates were assigned to 49 phylotypes and 29 genera. Only one-third of the members of these genera had been isolated previously from comparable sources. The isolates were affiliated with Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria, Bacilli, and Actinobacteria. A comparable large portion of up to 22 isolates, i.e., 15 phylotypes, probably represent new species. Likewise, 47 isolates (approximately 50%) displayed antibiotic activities, mostly against grampositive indicator strains. Of the active strains, 63.8 % had antibiotic traits only on one or two of the growth media, whereas only 12.7 % inhibited growth on five or all six media. The application of six different media for antimicrobial testing resulted in twice the number of positive hits as obtained with only a single medium. The use of different media for the isolation of bacteria as well as the variation of media considered suitable for the production of antibiotic substances significantly enhanced both the number of isolates obtained and the proportion of antibiotic active cultures. Thus the approach described herein offers an improved strategy in the search for new antibiotic compounds.

  4. Preserved Organic Matter in the Alpine Tethyan Ocean Continental Transition (Totalp unit, Eastern Swiss Alps)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mateeva, T.; Wolff, G. A.; Kusznir, N.; Wheeler, J.; Manatschal, G.

    2015-12-01

    Observations at hydrothermal systems in modern ocean settings suggest that methane produced by serpentinization can support methanotrophic bio-systems. An important question is whether such bio-systems are localised or are more pervasive in their association with serpentinized mantle in the subsurface. This has implications for the global importance of the hidden sub-surface bio-systems, the fate of methane and the carbon cycle. The Totalp unit, a remnant of a former Ocean Continent Transition (OCT) exposed in Alps of Eastern Switzerland, has been chosen to investigate the presence or absence of methanotrophic biosystems within serpentinized exhumed mantle in the Alpine Tethyan margin. The Totalp unit is made of serpentinized mantle and ophicalcites overlain by Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous post-rift sediments. The Totalp unit has undergone little Alpine deformation and only a low-grade metamorphic overprint (serpentinized peridotite, ophicalcite and post-rift sediments contain hydrocarbons in the form of n-alkanes in the range C20 - C40; isoprenoids, for example pristane and phytane are present in sediments. The organic biological marker distribution is consistent with the temperature history of the OCT (i.e.lower maximum temperature than 200°C). First results from Totalp show evidence for preservation of marine organic matter in the serpentinized mantle and overlying sediments, although there is no evidence that any organic matter is generated from methanotrophic bio-systems. Nevertheless, focussing on Tethyan hydrothermal systems and preserved hydrocarbons will be critical in understanding whether methanotrophic biomarkers can be preserved and if so whether the methane originated from serpentenization.

  5. Bacterial community structure in two permafrost wetlands on the Tibetan Plateau and Sanjiang Plain, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yun, Juanli; Ju, Yiwen; Deng, Yongcui; Zhang, Hongxun

    2014-08-01

    Permafrost wetlands are important methane emission sources and fragile ecosystems sensitive to climate change. Presently, there remains a lack of knowledge regarding bacterial communities, especially methanotrophs in vast areas of permafrost on the Tibetan Plateau in Northwest China and the Sanjiang Plain (SJ) in Northeast China. In this study, 16S rRNA-based quantitative PCR (qPCR) and 454 pyrosequencing were used to identify bacterial communities in soils sampled from a littoral wetland of Lake Namco on the Tibetan Plateau (NMC) and an alluvial wetland on the SJ. Additionally, methanotroph-specific primers targeting particulate methane monooxygenase subunit A gene (pmoA) were used for qPCR and pyrosequencing analysis of methanotrophic community structure in NMC soils. qPCR analysis revealed the presence of 10(10) 16S rRNA gene copies per gram of wet soil in both wetlands, with 10(8) pmoA copies per gram of wet soil in NMC. The two permafrost wetlands showed similar bacterial community compositions, which differed from those reported in other cold environments. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria , and Chloroflexi were the most abundant phyla in both wetlands, whereas Acidobacteria was prevalent in the acidic wetland SJ only. These four phyla constituted more than 80 % of total bacterial community diversity in permafrost wetland soils, and Methylobacter of type I methanotrophs was overwhelmingly dominant in NMC soils. This study is the first major bacterial sequencing effort of permafrost in the NMC and SJ wetlands, which provides fundamental data for further studies of microbial function in extreme ecosystems under climate change scenarios.

  6. Composition of methane-oxidizing bacterial communities as a function of nutrient loading in the Florida everglades.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chauhan, Ashvini; Pathak, Ashish; Ogram, Andrew

    2012-10-01

    Agricultural runoff of phosphorus (P) in the northern Florida Everglades has resulted in several ecosystem level changes, including shifts in the microbial ecology of carbon cycling, with significantly higher methane being produced in the nutrient-enriched soils. Little is, however, known of the structure and activities of methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) in these environments. To address this, 0 to 10 cm plant-associated soil cores were collected from nutrient-impacted (F1), transition (F4), and unimpacted (U3) areas, sectioned in 2-cm increments, and methane oxidation rates were measured. F1 soils consumed approximately two-fold higher methane than U3 soils; additionally, most probable numbers of methanotrophs were 4-log higher in F1 than U3 soils. Metabolically active MOB containing pmoA sequences were characterized by stable-isotope probing using 10 % (v/v) (13)CH(4). pmoA sequences, encoding the alpha subunit of methane monooxygenase and related to type I methanotrophs, were identified from both impacted and unimpacted soils. Additionally, impacted soils also harbored type II methanotrophs, which have been shown to exhibit preferences for high methane concentrations. Additionally, across all soils, novel pmoA-type sequences were also detected, indicating presence of MOB specific to the Everglades. Multivariate statistical analyses confirmed that eutrophic soils consisted of metabolically distinct MOB community that is likely driven by nutrient enrichment. This study enhances our understanding on the biological fate of methane being produced in productive wetland soils of the Florida Everglades and how nutrient-enrichment affects the composition of methanotroph bacterial communities.

  7. Isolation & characterization of Brucella melitensis isolated from patients suspected for human brucellosis in India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barua, Anita; Kumar, Ashu; Thavaselvam, Duraipandian; Mangalgi, Smita; Prakash, Archana; Tiwari, Sapana; Arora, Sonia; Sathyaseelan, Kannusamy

    2016-01-01

    Background & objectives: Brucellosis is endemic in the southern part of India. A combination of biochemical, serological and molecular methods is required for identification and biotyping of Brucella. The present study describes the isolation and biochemical, molecular characterization of Brucella melitensis from patients suspected for human brucellosis. Methods: The blood samples were collected from febrile patients suspected to have brucellosis. A total of 18 isolates were obtained from 102 blood samples subjected to culture. The characterization of these 18 isolates was done by growth on Brucella specific medium, biochemical reactions, CO2 requirement, H2S production, agglutination with A and M mono-specific antiserum, dye sensitivity to basic fuchsin and thionin. Further, molecular characterization of the isolates was done by amplification of B. melitensis species specific IS711 repetitive DNA fragment and 16S (rRNA) sequence analysis. PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of omp2 locus and IS711 gene was also done for molecular characterization. Results: All 102 suspected samples were subjected to bacteria isolation and of these, 18 isolates could be recovered on blood culture. The biochemical, PCR and PCR-RFLP and 16s rRNA sequencing revealed that all isolates were of B. melitensis and matched exactly with reference strain B. melitensis 16M. Interpretation & conclusions: The present study showed an overall isolation rate of 17.64 per cent for B. melitensis. There is a need to establish facilities for isolation and characterization of Brucella species for effective clinical management of the disease among patients as well as surveillance and control of infection in domestic animals. Further studies are needed from different geographical areas of the country with different level of endemicity to plan and execute control strategies against human brucellosis. PMID:27488010

  8. Isolation and screening of azo dye decolorizing bacterial isolates from dye-contaminated textile wastewater

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shahid Mahmood

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Azo dyes are released into wastewater streams without any pretreatment and pollute water and soilenvironments. To prevent contamination of our vulnerable resources, removal of these dye pollutants is of greatimportance. For this purpose, wastewater samples were collected from dye-contaminated sites of Faisalabad. About200 bacterial isolates were isolated through enrichment and then tested for their potential to remove RemazolBlack-B azo dye in liquid medium. Five bacterial isolates capable of degrading Remazol Black-B azo dye efficientlywere screened through experimentation on modified mineral salt medium. Isolate SS1 (collected from wastewater ofSupreme Textile Industry was able to completely remove the Remazol Black-B dye from the liquid medium in 18 h.Further, the isolate showed the best performance at the dye concentration of 100 mg L-1 medium (pH 7 and attemperature 35oC. Similarly, yeast extract proved to be the best carbon source for decolorization purpose. Theresults imply that the isolate SS1 could be used for the removal of the reactive dyes from textile effluents.

  9. Review of nuclear waste isolation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Richard, B.H.

    1978-06-01

    On Jun 22 and 23, 1978, Rockwell Hanford Operations assembled a committee of their personnel, subcontractors, and representatives of other waste isolation programs for a review of nuclear waste isolation. Appendix A lists the participants and their affiliations; Appendix B indicates the agenda. The purpose of the review was to gather experts in the areas pertaining to isolation of nuclear waste to discuss three basic issues that must be addressed in isolation studies. These were: the paths of transport to the biosphere; the barriers needed for containment; and the isolation time necessary for each radioactive isotope. In that these issues are media dependent, the basalt medium was emphasized. Conclusions of the review are described

  10. Recent results of seismic isolation study in CRIEPI: Tests on seismic isolation elements, vibration tests and observations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishida, Katsuhiko; Shiojiri, Hiroo; Mazda, Taiji; Ohtori, Yasuki; Aoyagi, Sakae

    1992-01-01

    Seismic isolation is expected to be effective in raising reliability during earthquake, reducing cost, enlarging and promoting the design standardization of electric power facilities. In Japan, it has been applied to several buildings. However it is considered that more research is needed to verify the reliability and effectiveness of seismic isolation for fast breeder reactors. In the preliminary study of isolation concepts for FBRs the horizontal base isolation of buildings was investigated in detail. The laminated rubber bearings were considered to be most suitable isolation system. Tests on large scale models of rubber bearing and vibration test of base isolation system have been conducted as well as the earthquake response observation of isolated buildings were conducted

  11. Recent results of seismic isolation study in CRIEPI: Tests on seismic isolation elements, vibration tests and observations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ishida, Katsuhiko; Shiojiri, Hiroo; Mazda, Taiji; Ohtori, Yasuki [Abiko Research Laboratory, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (Japan); Aoyagi, Sakae [Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (Japan)

    1992-07-01

    Seismic isolation is expected to be effective in raising reliability during earthquake, reducing cost, enlarging and promoting the design standardization of electric power facilities. In Japan, it has been applied to several buildings. However it is considered that more research is needed to verify the reliability and effectiveness of seismic isolation for fast breeder reactors. In the preliminary study of isolation concepts for FBRs the horizontal base isolation of buildings was investigated in detail. The laminated rubber bearings were considered to be most suitable isolation system. Tests on large scale models of rubber bearing and vibration test of base isolation system have been conducted as well as the earthquake response observation of isolated buildings were conducted.

  12. Three new genera of fungi from extremely acidic soils

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Hujslová, Martina; Kubátová, A.; Kostovčík, Martin; Blanchette, R.A.; de Beer, Z.W.; Chudíčková, Milada; Kolařík, Miroslav

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 13, č. 3 (2014), s. 819-831 ISSN 1617-416X Institutional support: RVO:61388971 Keywords : Amplistromataceae * Micromycetes * Acidophilic Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 1.913, year: 2014

  13. The Neuroendocrinology of Social Isolation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacioppo, John T.; Cacioppo, Stephanie; Capitanio, John P.; Cole, Steven W.

    2016-01-01

    Social isolation has been recognized as a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality in humans for more than a quarter of a century. Although the focus of research has been on objective social roles and health behavior, the brain is the key organ for forming, monitoring, maintaining, repairing, and replacing salutary connections with others. Accordingly, population-based longitudinal research indicates that perceived social isolation (loneliness) is a risk factor for morbidity and mortality independent of objective social isolation and health behavior. Human and animal investigations of neuroendocrine stress mechanisms that may be involved suggest that (a) chronic social isolation increases the activation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenocortical axis, and (b) these effects are more dependent on the disruption of a social bond between a significant pair than objective isolation per se. The relational factors and neuroendocrine, neurobiological, and genetic mechanisms that may contribute to the association between perceived isolation and mortality are reviewed. PMID:25148851

  14. The neuroendocrinology of social isolation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cacioppo, John T; Cacioppo, Stephanie; Capitanio, John P; Cole, Steven W

    2015-01-03

    Social isolation has been recognized as a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality in humans for more than a quarter of a century. Although the focus of research has been on objective social roles and health behavior, the brain is the key organ for forming, monitoring, maintaining, repairing, and replacing salutary connections with others. Accordingly, population-based longitudinal research indicates that perceived social isolation (loneliness) is a risk factor for morbidity and mortality independent of objective social isolation and health behavior. Human and animal investigations of neuroendocrine stress mechanisms that may be involved suggest that (a) chronic social isolation increases the activation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenocortical axis, and (b) these effects are more dependent on the disruption of a social bond between a significant pair than objective isolation per se. The relational factors and neuroendocrine, neurobiological, and genetic mechanisms that may contribute to the association between perceived isolation and mortality are reviewed.

  15. Discrete optimization of isolator locations for vibration isolation systems: An analytical and experimental investigation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ponslet, E.R.; Eldred, M.S. [Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States). Structural Dynamics Dept.

    1996-05-17

    An analytical and experimental study is conducted to investigate the effect of isolator locations on the effectiveness of vibration isolation systems. The study uses isolators with fixed properties and evaluates potential improvements to the isolation system that can be achieved by optimizing isolator locations. Because the available locations for the isolators are discrete in this application, a Genetic Algorithm (GA) is used as the optimization method. The system is modeled in MATLAB{trademark} and coupled with the GA available in the DAKOTA optimization toolkit under development at Sandia National Laboratories. Design constraints dictated by hardware and experimental limitations are implemented through penalty function techniques. A series of GA runs reveal difficulties in the search on this heavily constrained, multimodal, discrete problem. However, the GA runs provide a variety of optimized designs with predicted performance from 30 to 70 times better than a baseline configuration. An alternate approach is also tested on this problem: it uses continuous optimization, followed by rounding of the solution to neighboring discrete configurations. Results show that this approach leads to either infeasible or poor designs. Finally, a number of optimized designs obtained from the GA searches are tested in the laboratory and compared to the baseline design. These experimental results show a 7 to 46 times improvement in vibration isolation from the baseline configuration.

  16. Electrochemically active microorganisms from an acid mine drainage-affected site promote cathode oxidation in microbial fuel cells

    KAUST Repository

    Rojas, Claudia; Vargas, Ignacio T.; Bruns, Mary Ann; Regan, John M.

    2017-01-01

    The limited database of acidophilic or acidotolerant electrochemically active microorganisms prevents advancements on microbial fuel cells (MFCs) operated under low pH. In this study, three MFCs were used to enrich cathodic biofilms using acid mine drainage (AMD) sediments as inoculum. Linear sweep voltammetry showed cathodic current plateaus of 5.5 (± 0.7) mA at about − 170 mV vs Ag/AgCl and 8.5 (± 0.9) mA between − 500 mV to − 450 mV vs Ag/AgCl for biofilms developed on small graphite fiber brushes. After gamma irradiation, biocathodes exhibited a decrease in current density approaching that of abiotic controls. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed six-fold lower charge transfer resistance with viable biofilm. Pyrosequencing data showed that Proteobacteria and Firmicutes dominated the biofilms. Acidithiobacillus representatives were enriched in some biocathodes, supporting the potential importance of these known iron and sulfur oxidizers as cathodic biocatalysts. Other acidophilic chemolithoautotrophs identified included Sulfobacillus and Leptospirillum species. The presence of chemoautotrophs was consistent with functional capabilities predicted by PICRUSt related to carbon fixation pathways in prokaryotic microorganisms. Acidophilic or acidotolerant heterotrophs were also abundant; however, their contribution to cathodic performance is unknown. This study directs subsequent research efforts to particular groups of AMD-associated bacteria that are electrochemically active on cathodes.

  17. Electrochemically active microorganisms from an acid mine drainage-affected site promote cathode oxidation in microbial fuel cells

    KAUST Repository

    Rojas, Claudia

    2017-08-03

    The limited database of acidophilic or acidotolerant electrochemically active microorganisms prevents advancements on microbial fuel cells (MFCs) operated under low pH. In this study, three MFCs were used to enrich cathodic biofilms using acid mine drainage (AMD) sediments as inoculum. Linear sweep voltammetry showed cathodic current plateaus of 5.5 (± 0.7) mA at about − 170 mV vs Ag/AgCl and 8.5 (± 0.9) mA between − 500 mV to − 450 mV vs Ag/AgCl for biofilms developed on small graphite fiber brushes. After gamma irradiation, biocathodes exhibited a decrease in current density approaching that of abiotic controls. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed six-fold lower charge transfer resistance with viable biofilm. Pyrosequencing data showed that Proteobacteria and Firmicutes dominated the biofilms. Acidithiobacillus representatives were enriched in some biocathodes, supporting the potential importance of these known iron and sulfur oxidizers as cathodic biocatalysts. Other acidophilic chemolithoautotrophs identified included Sulfobacillus and Leptospirillum species. The presence of chemoautotrophs was consistent with functional capabilities predicted by PICRUSt related to carbon fixation pathways in prokaryotic microorganisms. Acidophilic or acidotolerant heterotrophs were also abundant; however, their contribution to cathodic performance is unknown. This study directs subsequent research efforts to particular groups of AMD-associated bacteria that are electrochemically active on cathodes.

  18. Isolation and Characterization of Pollulan Produced by a Local Isolate of Aureobasidium Pullulans

    OpenAIRE

    Kassim, Mohammad Bashir Ismail [محمد بشيراسماعيل قاسم

    2000-01-01

    A local isolate of Aureobasidium pullulans was obtained from fig leaves surface. The isolate was identified as A. pullulans on the basis of appearance of polymorphism in the colonies, melanin pigment and pullulan production in shake flask cultures. Pullulan production by the local isolate of A pullulans was two thirds of that produced by ATCC 42023. The studies of physico — chemical properties, chemical analysis, sugar composition periodate oxidation and smith degradation showed that the pull...

  19. Recent advances in micro-vibration isolation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Chunchuan; Jing, Xingjian; Daley, Steve; Li, Fengming

    2015-05-01

    Micro-vibration caused by disturbance sources onboard spacecraft can severely degrade the working environment of sensitive payloads. Some notable vibration control methods have been developed particularly for the suppression or isolation of micro-vibration over recent decades. Usually, passive isolation techniques are deployed in aerospace engineering. Active isolators, however, are often proposed to deal with the low frequency vibration that is common in spacecraft. Active/passive hybrid isolation has also been effectively used in some spacecraft structures for a number of years. In semi-active isolation systems, the inherent structural performance can be adjusted to deal with variation in the aerospace environment. This latter approach is potentially one of the most practical isolation techniques for micro-vibration isolation tasks. Some emerging advanced vibration isolation methods that exploit the benefits of nonlinearity have also been reported in the literature. This represents an interesting and highly promising approach for solving some challenging problems in the area. This paper serves as a state-of-the-art review of the vibration isolation theory and/or methods which were developed, mainly over the last decade, specifically for or potentially could be used for, micro-vibration control.

  20. Descriptions of Roseiarcus fermentans gen. nov., sp. nov., a bacteriochlorophyll a-containing fermentative bacterium related phylogenetically to alphaproteobacterial methanotrophs, and of the family Roseiarcaceae fam. nov.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kulichevskaya, Irina S; Danilova, Olga V; Tereshina, Vera M; Kevbrin, Vadim V; Dedysh, Svetlana N

    2014-08-01

    A light-pink-pigmented, microaerophilic bacterium was obtained from a methanotrophic consortium enriched from acidic Sphagnum peat and designated strain Pf56(T). Cells of this bacterium were Gram-negative, non-motile, thick curved rods that contained a vesicular intracytoplasmic membrane system characteristic of some purple non-sulfur alphaproteobacteria. The absorption spectrum of acetone/methanol extracts of cells grown in the light showed maxima at 363, 475, 505, 601 and 770 nm; the peaks at 363 and 770 nm are characteristic of bacteriochlorophyll a. However, in contrast to purple non-sulfur bacteria, strain Pf56(T) was unable to grow phototrophically under anoxic conditions in the light. Best growth occurred on some sugars and organic acids under micro-oxic conditions by means of fermentation. The fermentation products were propionate, acetate and hydrogen. Slow chemo-organotrophic growth was also observed under fully oxic conditions. Light stimulated growth. C1 substrates were not utilized. Strain Pf56(T) grew at pH 4.0-7.0 (optimum pH 5.5-6.5) and at 15-30 °C (optimum 22-28 °C). The major cellular fatty acids were 19 : 0 cyclo ω8c and 18 : 1ω7c; quinones were represented by ubiquinone Q-10. The G+C content of the DNA was 70.0 mol%. Strain Pf56 displays 93.6-94.7 and 92.7-93.7% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to members of the families Methylocystaceae and Beijerinckiaceae, respectively, and belongs to a large cluster of environmental sequences retrieved from various wetlands and forest soils in cultivation-independent studies. Phenotypic, genotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics of strain Pf56(T) suggest that it represents a novel genus and species of bacteriochlorophyll a-containing fermentative bacteria, for which the name Roseiarcus fermentans gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. Strain Pf56(T) ( = DSM 24875(T) = VKM B-2876(T)) is the type strain of Roseiarcus fermentans, and is also the first characterized member of a novel family

  1. Patients experience of source isolation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Johansen, Kamilla; Pedersen, Didde; Kragbak, Nina

    2014-01-01

    , Nursing education in Århus, Hedeager 2, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark. Background: Medical treatment and care of patients with infections may include source isolation of the patient, to avoid spreading of the infection. However, isolation is a potential physiological and psychological stress factor...... of the patients perspectives of being isolated to identify areas of potential interest for developing new caring strategies to minimize the negative side effects of isolation. Methods: Literature was systematically searched in CINAHL, Nursing Reference Center, Social Care Online, SveMed+, The Cochrane Library...... of Care: The patients felt abandoned and forgotten by the nurses, because of fewer visits and time limited communication. This led to emotions such as frustrations, insecurity and neglect. While isolated the patients felt it difficult to achieve contact and have an optimal relation with the nurses...

  2. Seismic isolation of nuclear power plants using sliding isolation bearings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Manish

    Nuclear power plants (NPP) are designed for earthquake shaking with very long return periods. Seismic isolation is a viable strategy to protect NPPs from extreme earthquake shaking because it filters a significant fraction of earthquake input energy. This study addresses the seismic isolation of NPPs using sliding bearings, with a focus on the single concave Friction Pendulum(TM) (FP) bearing. Friction at the sliding surface of an FP bearing changes continuously during an earthquake as a function of sliding velocity, axial pressure and temperature at the sliding surface. The temperature at the sliding surface, in turn, is a function of the histories of coefficient of friction, sliding velocity and axial pressure, and the travel path of the slider. A simple model to describe the complex interdependence of the coefficient of friction, axial pressure, sliding velocity and temperature at the sliding surface is proposed, and then verified and validated. Seismic hazard for a seismically isolated nuclear power plant is defined in the United States using a uniform hazard response spectrum (UHRS) at mean annual frequencies of exceedance (MAFE) of 10-4 and 10 -5. A key design parameter is the clearance to the hard stop (CHS), which is influenced substantially by the definition of the seismic hazard. Four alternate representations of seismic hazard are studied, which incorporate different variabilities and uncertainties. Response-history analyses performed on single FP-bearing isolation systems using ground motions consistent with the four representations at the two shaking levels indicate that the CHS is influenced primarily by whether the observed difference between the two horizontal components of ground motions in a given set is accounted for. The UHRS at the MAFE of 10-4 is increased by a design factor (≥ 1) for conventional (fixed base) nuclear structure to achieve a target annual frequency of unacceptable performance. Risk oriented calculations are performed for

  3. Improved hybrid isolator with maglev actuator integrated in air spring for active-passive isolation of ship machinery vibration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yan; He, Lin; Shuai, Chang-geng; Wang, Chun-yu

    2017-10-01

    A hybrid isolator consisting of maglev actuator and air spring is proposed and developed for application in active-passive vibration isolation system of ship machinery. The dynamic characteristics of this hybrid isolator are analyzed and tested. The stability and adaptability of this hybrid isolator to shock and swing in the marine environment are improved by a compliant gap protection technique and a disengageable suspended structure. The functions of these new engineering designs are proved by analytical verification and experimental validation of the designed stiffness of such a hybrid isolator, and also by shock adaptability testing of the hybrid isolator. Finally, such hybrid isolators are installed in an engineering mounting loaded with a 200-kW ship diesel generator, and the broadband and low-frequency sinusoidal isolation performance is tested.

  4. Isolation and in vitro evaluation of bacteriophages against MDR-bacterial isolates from septic wound infections.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roja Rani Pallavali

    Full Text Available Multi-drug resistance has become a major problem for the treatment of pathogenic bacterial infections. The use of bacteriophages is an attractive approach to overcome the problem of drug resistance in several pathogens that cause fatal diseases. Our study aimed to isolate multi drug resistant bacteria from patients with septic wounds and then isolate and apply bacteriophages in vitro as alternative therapeutic agents. Pus samples were aseptically collected from Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Science (RIMS, Kadapa, A.P., and samples were analyzed by gram staining, evaluating morphological characteristics, and biochemical methods. MDR-bacterial strains were collected using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method against a variety of antibiotics. Bacteriophages were collected and tested in vitro for lytic activity against MDR-bacterial isolates. Analysis of the pus swab samples revealed that the most of the isolates detected had Pseudomonas aeruginosa as the predominant bacterium, followed by Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. Our results suggested that gram-negative bacteria were more predominant than gram-positive bacteria in septic wounds; most of these isolates were resistant to ampicillin, amoxicillin, penicillin, vancomycin and tetracycline. All the gram-positive isolates (100% were multi-drug resistant, whereas 86% of the gram-negative isolates had a drug resistant nature. Further bacteriophages isolated from sewage demonstrated perfect lytic activity against the multi-drug resistant bacteria causing septic wounds. In vitro analysis of the isolated bacteriophages demonstrated perfect lysis against the corresponding MDR-bacteria, and these isolated phages may be promising as a first choice for prophylaxis against wound sepsis, Moreover, phage therapy does not enhance multi-drug resistance in bacteria and could work simultaneously on a wide variety of MDR-bacteria when used in a bacteriophage cocktail. Hence

  5. Variable stiffness and damping MR isolator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, X Z; Wang, X Y; Li, W H; Kostidis, K [University of Wollongong, School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronic Engineering, NSW 2522 (Australia)], E-mail: weihuali@uow.edu.au

    2009-02-01

    This paper presents the development of a magnetorheological (MR) fluid-based variable stiffness and damping isolator for vibration suppressions. The MR fluid isolator used a sole MR control unit to achieve the variable stiffness and damping in stepless and relative large scope. A mathematical model of the isolator was derived, and a prototype of the MR fluid isolator was fabricated and its dynamic behavior was measured in vibration under various applied magnetic fields. The parameters of the model under various magnetic fields were identified and the dynamic performances of isolator were evaluated.

  6. Frequency of isolation and antibiotic resistance patterns of bacterial isolates from wound infections

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stojanović-Radić, Z.

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Six hundred and thirteen bacterial strains were isolated from wound swabs and the isolates were identified on the basis of growth on differential and selective media. In order to test the sensitivity of isolated strains to different antibiotics, the disc diffusion method, according to EUCAST protocol v 5.0 was used. The most common species isolated from wound swabs was Staphylococcus epidermidis (18.4%, followed by Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis (16.8%, 12.7% and 10.4%, respectively. The maximum resistance of Gram-positive cocci was observed to penicillin and the lowest to linezolid. Gram-negative bacteria showed the highest resistance to tetracyclines, while the same strains demonstrated the highest sensitivity to polypeptide antibiotics. Comparison of the resistance patterns of Gramnegative and Gram-positive bacterial strains showed significant difference in the tetracycline efficiency.

  7. Comparison of seismic isolation concepts for FBR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shiojiri, H.; Mazda, T.; Kasai, H.; Kanda, J.N.; Kubo, T.; Madokoro, M.; Shimomura, T.; Nojima, O.

    1989-01-01

    This paper seeks to verify the reliability and effectiveness of seismic isolation for FBR. Some results of the preliminary study of the program are described. Seismic isolation concepts and corresponding seismic isolation devices were selected. Three kinds of seismically-isolated FBR plant concepts were developed by applying promising seismic isolation concepts to the non-isolated FBR plant, and by developing plant component layout plans and building structural designs. Each plant was subjected to seismic response analysis and reduction in the amount of material of components and buildings were estimated for each seismic isolation concepts. Research and development items were evaluated

  8. Teaching basic lung isolation skills on human anatomy simulator: attainment and retention of lung isolation skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Latif, Rana K; VanHorne, Edgar M; Kandadai, Sunitha Kanchi; Bautista, Alexander F; Neamtu, Aurel; Wadhwa, Anupama; Carter, Mary B; Ziegler, Craig H; Memon, Mohammed Faisal; Akça, Ozan

    2016-01-20

    Lung isolation skills, such as correct insertion of double lumen endobronchial tube and bronchial blocker, are essential in anesthesia training; however, how to teach novices these skills is underexplored. Our aims were to determine (1) if novices can be trained to a basic proficiency level of lung isolation skills, (2) whether video-didactic and simulation-based trainings are comparable in teaching lung isolation basic skills, and (3) whether novice learners' lung isolation skills decay over time without practice. First, five board certified anesthesiologist with experience of more than 100 successful lung isolations were tested on Human Airway Anatomy Simulator (HAAS) to establish Expert proficiency skill level. Thirty senior medical students, who were naive to bronchoscopy and lung isolation techniques (Novice) were randomized to video-didactic and simulation-based trainings to learn lung isolation skills. Before and after training, Novices' performances were scored for correct placement using pass/fail scoring and a 5-point Global Rating Scale (GRS); and time of insertion was recorded. Fourteen novices were retested 2 months later to assess skill decay. Experts' and novices' double lumen endobronchial tube and bronchial blocker passing rates showed similar success rates after training (P >0.99). There were no differences between the video-didactic and simulation-based methods. Novices' time of insertion decayed within 2 months without practice. Novices could be trained to basic skill proficiency level of lung isolation. Video-didactic and simulation-based methods we utilized were found equally successful in training novices for lung isolation skills. Acquired skills partially decayed without practice.

  9. Linking activity, composition and seasonal dynamics of atmospheric methane oxidizers in a meadow soil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shrestha, Pravin Malla; Kammann, Claudia; Lenhart, Katharina; Dam, Bomba; Liesack, Werner

    2012-01-01

    Microbial oxidation is the only biological sink for atmospheric methane. We assessed seasonal changes in atmospheric methane oxidation and the underlying methanotrophic communities in grassland near Giessen (Germany), along a soil moisture gradient. Soil samples were taken from the surface layer (0–10 cm) of three sites in August 2007, November 2007, February 2008 and May 2008. The sites showed seasonal differences in hydrological parameters. Net uptake rates varied seasonally between 0 and 70 μg CH4 m−2 h−1. Greatest uptake rates coincided with lowest soil moisture in spring and summer. Over all sites and seasons, the methanotrophic communities were dominated by uncultivated methanotrophs. These formed a monophyletic cluster defined by the RA14, MHP and JR1 clades, referred to as upland soil cluster alphaproteobacteria (USCα)-like group. The copy numbers of pmoA genes ranged between 3.8 × 105–1.9 × 106 copies g−1 of soil. Temperature was positively correlated with CH4 uptake rates (P50 vol% and primarily related to members of the MHP clade. PMID:22189499

  10. MOX Fabrication Isolation Considerations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Eric L. Shaber; Bradley J Schrader

    2005-08-01

    This document provides a technical position on the preferred level of isolation to fabricate demonstration quantities of mixed oxide transmutation fuels. The Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative should design and construct automated glovebox fabrication lines for this purpose. This level of isolation adequately protects the health and safety of workers and the general public for all mixed oxide (and other transmutation fuel) manufacturing efforts while retaining flexibility, allowing parallel development and setup, and minimizing capital expense. The basis regulations, issues, and advantages/disadvantages of five potential forms of isolation are summarized here as justification for selection of the preferred technical position.

  11. Isolation and identification of citrus psorosis virus Egyptian isolate (CPsV-EG).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghazal, S A; El-Dougdoug, Kh A; Mousa, A A; Fahmy, H; Sofy, A R

    2008-01-01

    Citrus psorosis ophiovirus (CPsV), is considered to be of the most serious and deter mental virus pathogen's citrus species trees in Egypt. CPsV-EG was isolated from infected citrus grapefruit (C. paradisi Macf.) at Agric. Res. Centre (ARC). The grapefruit which used for CPsV-EG isolate was found to be free from CTV, CEVd and Spiroplasma citri where as gave -ve results with DTBIA, tissue print hybridization and Diene's stain respectively. CPsV-EG was detected on the basis of biological indexing by graft inoculation which gave oak leaf pattern (OLP) on Dweet tangor and serological assay by DAS-ELISA using Mab specific CPsV. CPsV-EG was reacted with variable responses on 16 host plants belonging to 6 families. Only 8 host plants are susceptible and showed visible external symptoms which appeared as local, systemic and local followed by systemic infections. CPsV-EG isolate was transmitted from infected citrus to citrus by syringe and grafting and herbaceous plants by forefinger inoculation and syringe. The woody indicators and rootstocks were differed in response to CPsV-EG isolate which appeared as no-response, response, sensitivity and hypersensitivity. The serological characters represented as the antigenic determinants of CPsV-EG isolate related to monoclonal antibodies specific CPsV strain where as appeared precipitation reaction by DAS-ELISA and DTBIA. The partial fragment of RNA3 (coat protein gene) of CPsV-EG (-1140bp and -571bp) was amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from grapefruit tissues using two sets primers specific CPsV (CPV3 and CPV4) and (PS66 and PS65) respectively. The virus under study was identified as CPsV-EG isolate according to biological, serological and molecular characters.

  12. Isolation, characterization, virulence and immunogenicity testing of field isolates of Pasteurella multocida, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus agalactiae in laboratory settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qudratullah; Muhammad, G; Saqib, M; Bilal, M Qamar

    2017-08-01

    The present study was designed to investigate isolation, characterization, virulence and immunogenicity testing of field isolates of Pasteurella multocida, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus agalactiae in rabbits and mice. Isolates of P. multocida, S. aureus and Str. agalactiae recovered from field cases of Hemorragic septicemia and mastitis were scrutinized for virulence/pathogenicity and immunogenicity. Mouse LD 50 of P. multocida showed that P. multocida isolate No.1 was more virulent than isolates No. 2 and 3. Virulence of isolate No.1S. aureus and Str. agalactiae revealed that 100, 80% rabbits died within 18h of inoculation. Seven-digit numerical profiles of these 4 isolates with API ® Staph test strips isolates, No.1 (6736153) showed good identification (S. aureus id=90.3%). Indirect ELISA-based serum antibody titers to P. multocida isolate No.1, S. aureus No.1, Str. agalactiae, isolate No.1 elicited high antibody titers 1.9, 1.23, 1.12 respectively. All the pathogens of Isolate No. 1 (P. multocida, S. aureus Str. agalactiae), were high antibody than others isolates. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Isolation and antibiogram of Staphylococcus, Streptococcus and Escherichia coli isolates from clinical and subclinical cases of bovine mastitis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nihar Nalini Mohanty,

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Aim: The present study was aimed to isolate and evaluate the continuous change in the pattern of drug resistance showed by different mastitogenic organisms, isolated from clinical and subclinical cases of mastitis.Materials and Methods: The study was carried out using 150 milk samples received from various clinical and subclinical cases, from which the causative organisms were isolated and subjected to in vitro antibiotic sensitivity test.Results: The bacteriological analysis of the samples indicated the presence of both Gram positive and Gram negative organisms followed by isolation of isolates like Staphylococcus, E. coli, Streptococcus, Bacillus, Corynebacterium, Listeria, Klebsiella. The in vitro sensitivity of Staphylococcus, E. coli and Streptococcus isolates revealed that they were more sensitive towards newer antimicrobials like Levofloxacin and Enrofloxacin.Conclusion: The prevalence of Staphylococcus was found to be maximum followed by Streptococcus and E. coli among the isolated organisms. Levofloxacin and Enrofloxacin were found to be most effective against the targeted isolates.

  14. Analyzing the Effects of Nitrogen Deficiency on the PHB Production of Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kyauk, E.

    2011-12-01

    Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a biodegradable thermoplastic that is produced by various microorganisms. Because of its potential to replace conventional plastics, it has been closely researched in the past few years. Methanotrophic bacteria, bacteria that consume methane, produce this bioplastic when it lacks certain nutrients. The utilization of methane to produce PHB shows much promise as methane is a cheap, plentiful gas. In this study, we observed the methanotroph, Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b , and its yield of PHB in the absence of nitrogen. The optical density of Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b was measured in order to observe cell growth and PHB production patterns over a 48 hour period.

  15. Isolation and identification of bovine Brucella isolates from Pakistan by biochemical tests and PCR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Shahzad; Ali, Qurban; Melzer, Falk; Khan, Iahtasham; Akhter, Shamim; Neubauer, Heinrich; Jamal, Syed M

    2014-01-01

    Brucellosis is endemic in bovines in Pakistan. The Brucella species and biovars involved, however, are unknown. The objectives of the present study were to isolate and characterize brucellae from seropositive milk samples, aborted fetuses, and vaginal swabs of cattle and buffaloes which had recently aborted. The seropositive milk samples, aborted fetuses, and vaginal swabs of cattle and buffaloes were collected from the Potohar Plateau, Pakistan. Isolation of brucellae was done on modified Farrell's serum dextrose agar. Isolates were characterized by conventional biotyping methods, while molecular typing was done by genus (B4/B5) and species-specific (Brucella abortus, Brucella melitensis, Brucella ovis, and Brucella suis) polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A total of 30 isolates were recovered from milk (n = 5), aborted fetuses (n = 13), and vaginal swabs (n = 12). Most isolates were from cattle (56.7 %). All of them were identified as B. abortus biovar 1 based on conventional biotyping methods and genus and species-specific PCR. This preliminary study provides the first report on the prevalence of B. abortus biovar 1 in cattle and buffaloes in Pakistan.

  16. Isolation, Identification, and Evaluation of Novel Probiotic Strains Isolated from Feces of Breast-Fed Infants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panya, Marutpong; Lulitanond, Viraphong; Rattanachaikunsopon, Pongsak; Srivoramas, Thanyakarn; Chaiwong, Tarinee

    2016-01-01

    To isolate, identify, and evaluate the probiotic properties of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from the feces of breast-fed infants. The probiotic tests included investigation of hemolysis activity, survival in simulated gastrointestinal tract conditions (acid and bile salt tolerance), susceptibility to antibiotics, and ability to inhibit selected bacterial pathogens (Escherichia coli O157:H7, Vibrio cholerae and Salmonella enterica subsp enterica serovar Typhimurium). The bacterial species identification was performed by both carbohydrate utilization and partial 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing. Five of fifty LAB isolates (UBU-03, UBU-06, UBU-09, UBU-34, and UBU-37) showed good probiotic properties. These five isolates showed non-hemolysis type (gamma-hemolysis), susceptibility to all antibiotics tested except for vancomycin, ability to survive in the simulated gastrointestinal conditions of both acid and bile salt solution, and ability to inhibit growth of E. coli O157: H7 and V. cholerae. Bacterial species identification revealed that all five isolates were firmly identified as Lactobacillus rhamnosus species. The L. rhamnosus strains that were isolated and characterized in this study could be considered as probiotic strains, and then used for further probiotic characterization in human cell cultures or animal models.

  17. Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated in 1965 are more susceptible to triclosan than current isolates

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skovgaard, Sissel; Nielsen, Lene Nørby; Larsen, Marianne Halberg

    2013-01-01

    pathogen Staphylococcus epidermidis with isolates collected in the 1960s prior to introduction of triclosan to the market. Of 64 current S. epidermidis isolates 12.5% were found to have tolerance towards triclosan defined as MIC≥0.25 mg/l compared to none of 34 isolates obtained in the 1960s. When passaged......Since its introduction to the market in the 1970s, the synthetic biocide triclosan has had widespread use in household and medical products. Although decreased triclosan susceptibility has been observed for several bacterial species, when exposed under laboratory settings, no in vivo studies have...... in the laboratory in the presence of triclosan, old and current susceptible isolates could be adapted to the same triclosan MIC level as found in current tolerant isolates. DNA sequence analysis revealed that laboratory-adapted strains carried mutations in fabI encoding the enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase...

  18. Different Babesia canis isolates, different diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schetters, T P; Moubri, K; Précigout, E; Kleuskens, J; Scholtes, N C; Gorenflot, A

    1997-11-01

    Using surface immunofluorescence isolate-specific antigens were detected on the membrane of erythrocytes infected with Babesia parasites. In addition, the strains reacted differently with Plasmagel in that the European isolate (B.c. canis) could be purified on Plasmagel effectively, whereas infected erythrocytes of the South-African isolate (B.c. rossi) could not. Experimental infection of dogs with Babesia canis isolates from geographically different areas revealed different pathology. The European isolate obtained from France exhibited transient parasitaemia, usually below 1%, associated with low PCV values and congestion of internal organs. Clinical disease was correlated with an effect on the coagulation system, and not with peripheral parasitaemia. Infection of dogs with South-African-derived isolate induced high parasitaemia usually much higher than 1%, which required chemotherapeutic treatment. In these animals clinical disease was correlated with peripheral parasitaemia and not with parameters of the coagulation system. The results show that the etiology of disease caused by these isolates of B.c. canis and B.c. rossi is different. This might have implications for the development of vaccines against these infections.

  19. Isolated Systolic Hypertension: A Health Concern?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isolated systolic hypertension: A health concern? Is having a high top number (systolic) blood pressure, but a normal bottom number (diastolic) ... mm Hg, you have a common type of high blood pressure called isolated systolic hypertension. Isolated systolic hypertension can ...

  20. Seismic isolation in New Zealand

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Skinner, R.I.; Robinson, W.H.; McVerry, G.H.

    1989-01-01

    Bridges, buildings, and industrial equipment can be given increased protection from earthquake damage by limiting the earthquake attack through seismic isolation. A broad summary of the seismic responses of base-isolated structures is of considerable assistance for their preliminary design. Seismic isolation as already used in New Zealand consists of a flexible base or support combined with some form of energy-dissipating device, usually involving the hysteretic working of steel or lead. This paper presents examples of the New Zealand experience, where seismic isolation has been used for 42 bridges, 3 buildings, a tall chimney, and high-voltage capacitor banks. Additional seismic response factors, which may be important for nuclear power plants, are also discussed briefly

  1. Tiamulin resistance in porcine Brachyspira pilosicoli isolates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pringle, M; Landén, A; Franklin, A

    2006-02-01

    There are few studies on antimicrobial susceptibility of Brachyspira pilosicoli, therefore this study was performed to investigate the situation among isolates from pigs. The tiamulin and tylosin susceptibility was determined by broth dilution for 93 and 86 porcine B. pilosicoli isolates, respectively. The isolates came from clinical samples taken in Swedish pig herds during the years 2002 and 2003. The tylosin minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was >16 microg/ml for 50% (n=43) of the isolates tested. A tiamulin MIC >2 microg/ml was obtained for 14% (n=13) of the isolates and these were also tested against doxycycline, salinomycin, valnemulin, lincomycin and aivlosin. For these isolates the susceptibility to salinomycin and doxycycline was high but the MICs for aivlosin varied. The relationship between the 13 tiamulin resistant isolates was analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Among the 13 isolates 10 different PFGE patterns were identified.

  2. Assessing Social Isolation: Pilot Testing Different Methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Harry Owen; Herbers, Stephanie; Talisman, Samuel; Morrow-Howell, Nancy

    2016-04-01

    Social isolation is a significant public health problem among many older adults; however, most of the empirical knowledge about isolation derives from community-based samples. There has been less attention given to isolation in senior housing communities. The objectives of this pilot study were to test two methods to identify socially isolated residents in low-income senior housing and compare findings about the extent of isolation from these two methods. The first method, self-report by residents, included 47 out of 135 residents who completed in-person interviews. To determine self-report isolation, residents completed the Lubben Social Network Scale 6 (LSNS-6). The second method involved a staff member who reported the extent of isolation on all 135 residents via an online survey. Results indicated that 26% of residents who were interviewed were deemed socially isolated by the LSNS-6. Staff members rated 12% of residents as having some or a lot of isolation. In comparing the two methods, staff members rated 2% of interviewed residents as having a lot of isolation. The combination of self-report and staff report could be more informative than just self-report alone, particularly when participation rates are low. However, researchers should be aware of the potential discrepancy between these two methods.

  3. Food sensing: selection and characterization of DNA aptamers to Alicyclobacillus spores for trapping and detection from orange juice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hünniger, Tim; Fischer, Christin; Wessels, Hauke; Hoffmann, Antonia; Paschke-Kratzin, Angelika; Haase, Ilka; Fischer, Markus

    2015-03-04

    The quality of the beverage industry's products has to be constantly monitored to fulfill consumers' high expectations. The thermo-acidophilic Gram-positive Alicyclobacillus spp. are not pathogenic, but their heat-resistant endospores can survive juice-processing conditions and have become a major economic concern for the fruit juice industry. Current detection methods rely on cultivation, isolation, and organism identification, which can take up to a week, resulting in economic loss. This work presents the selection and identification of DNA aptamers targeting Alicyclobacillus spores by spore-SELEX (systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment) in orange-juice-simulating buffer. The selection process was verified by various techniques, including flow cytometric binding assays, radioactive binding assays, and agarose gel electrophoresis. The subsequent aptamer characterization included the determination of dissociations constants and selectivity by different techniques, such as surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy. In summary, 10 different aptamers with an affinity to Alicyclobacillus spp. have been developed, analyzed, and characterized in terms of affinity and specificity.

  4. Draft genome sequence of chloride-tolerant Leptospirillum ferriphilum Sp-Cl from industrial bioleaching operations in northern Chile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Issotta, Francisco; Galleguillos, Pedro A; Moya-Beltrán, Ana; Davis-Belmar, Carol S; Rautenbach, George; Covarrubias, Paulo C; Acosta, Mauricio; Ossandon, Francisco J; Contador, Yasna; Holmes, David S; Marín-Eliantonio, Sabrina; Quatrini, Raquel; Demergasso, Cecilia

    2016-01-01

    Leptospirillum ferriphilum Sp-Cl is a Gram negative, thermotolerant, curved, rod-shaped bacterium, isolated from an industrial bioleaching operation in northern Chile, where chalcocite is the major copper mineral and copper hydroxychloride atacamite is present in variable proportions in the ore. This strain has unique features as compared to the other members of the species, namely resistance to elevated concentrations of chloride, sulfate and metals. Basic microbiological features and genomic properties of this biotechnologically relevant strain are described in this work. The 2,475,669 bp draft genome is arranged into 74 scaffolds of 74 contigs. A total of 48 RNA genes and 2,834 protein coding genes were predicted from its annotation; 55 % of these were assigned a putative function. Release of the genome sequence of this strain will provide further understanding of the mechanisms used by acidophilic bacteria to endure high osmotic stress and high chloride levels and of the role of chloride-tolerant iron-oxidizers in industrial bioleaching operations.

  5. Mathematical modelling of demineralisation of high sulphur coal by bioleaching

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Weerasekara, N.S.; Frutos, F.J.G.; Cara, J.; Lockwood, F.C. [University of London Imperial College of Science Technology & Medicine, London (United Kingdom)

    2008-02-15

    During coal combustion various toxic compounds are generated from its sulphur content. Their environmental impacts are considered to be very important. While there are various conventional preparation methods to remove the sulphur in the fuel, recent work reveals that newly-isolated micro-organisms, naturally present in coal, have the ability to reduce its sulphur content. The removal of sulphur using biological leaching involving acidophilic iron oxidising bacteria like Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Leptospirillum ferrooxidans are examined and a computational technique based on computational fluid dynamics is developed to model the biological leaching of sulphur from coal. The model was validated against a pack-column experiment carried out for iron separation during 60 days. The mathematical model predicted iron separation over time is similar to experimental measurements, with an average difference of 5.5%. According to the experimental results, there was an overall reduction of 33% of pyrite, whereas the model prediction was 32%. The model results shows overall good agreement with pack-column experimental data.

  6. Miniature Optical Isolator, Phase II

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — To address NASA's need for compact optical isolators, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to continue the development of a new Miniature Optical Isolator...

  7. Preventing social isolation in older people.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cotterell, Natalie; Buffel, Tine; Phillipson, Christopher

    2018-07-01

    The extent of social isolation amongst older people has emerged as a major concern for health and social policy. Although the social and health outcomes of social isolation are well documented, evidence regarding the prevention of isolation in later life remains scarce. This article addresses this by presenting the findings from a literature review focusing on the identification, assessment, prevention, and intervention strategies relevant to social isolation in older age. The paper first addresses the issues of identification and assessment, using an ecological framework to identify the risk factors for social isolation at four levels: individual, relationship, community, and societal. It then reviews different types of interventions to reduce or prevent social isolation in later life, including one-to-one, group, service provision, technology-based, neighbourhood, and structural interventions. The paper discusses both the opportunities and the constraints associated with these different approaches. The discussion highlights future directions for research, emphasising the need for a cultural change from 'cure' to 'prevention' of social isolation across the life-course, and the importance of acknowledging greater diversity within the ageing population. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Methylocella: a gourmand among methanotrophs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunfield, Peter F; Dedysh, Svetlana N

    2014-07-01

    A recent article in Nature describes the ability of Methylocella silvestris to grow simultaneously on methane and longer chain alkanes, something never before observed in the microbial world. It adds to a growing list of unique metabolic traits that distinguish Methylocella from any other bacterium. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Metabolic engineering in methanotrophic bacteria

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kalyuzhnaya, MG; Puri, AW; Lidstrom, ME

    2015-05-01

    Methane, as natural gas or biogas, is the least expensive source of carbon for (bio)chemical synthesis. Scalable biological upgrading of this simple alkane to chemicals and fuels can bring new sustainable solutions to a number of industries with large environmental footprints, such as natural gas/petroleum production, landfills, wastewater treatment, and livestock. Microbial biocatalysis with methane as a feedstock has been pursued off and on for almost a half century, with little enduring success. Today, biological engineering and systems biology provide new opportunities for metabolic system modulation and give new optimism to the concept of a methane-based bio-industry. Here we present an overview of the most recent advances pertaining to metabolic engineering of microbial methane utilization. Some ideas concerning metabolic improvements for production of acetyl-CoA and pyruvate, two main precursors for bioconversion, are presented. We also discuss main gaps in the current knowledge of aerobic methane utilization, which must be solved in order to release the full potential of methane-based biosystems. (C) 2015 International Metabolic Engineering Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Genetic diversity among brazilian isolates of beauveria bassiana: comparisons with non-brazilian isolates and other beauveria species

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandes, E.K.K.; Moraes, A.M.L.; Pacheco, R.S.; Rangel, D.E.N.; Miller, M.P.; Bittencourt, V.R.E.P.; Roberts, D.W.

    2009-01-01

    Aims: The genetic diversity of Beauveria bassiana was investigated by comparing isolates of this species to each other (49 from different geographical regions of Brazil and 4 from USA) and to other Beauveria spp. Methods and Results: The isolates were examined by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MLEE), amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), and rDNA sequencing. MLEE and AFLP revealed considerable genetic variability among B. bassiana isolates. Several isolates from South and Southeast Brazil had high similarity coefficients, providing evidence of at least one population with clonal structure. There were clear genomic differences between most Brazilian and USA B. bassiana isolates. A Mantel test using data generated by AFLP provided evidence that greater geographical distances were associated with higher genetic distances. AFLP and rDNA sequencing demonstrated notable genotypic variation between B. bassiana and other Beauveria spp. Conclusion: Geographical distance between populations apparently is an important factor influencing genotypic variability among B. bassiana populations in Brazil. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study characterized many B. bassiana isolates. The results indicate that certain Brazilian isolates are considerably different from others and possibly should be regarded as separate species from B. bassiana sensu latu. The information on genetic variation among the Brazilian isolates, therefore, will be important to comprehending the population structure of B. bassiana in Brazil. ?? 2009 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  11. Antagonistic Activity of Trichoderma ISolates against Sclerotium rolfsii : Screening of Efficient Isolates from Morocco Soils for Biological Control

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. Khattabi

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available Seventy Trichoderma spp. isolates collected from different regions of Morocco were tested for their capacity to inhibit in vitro mycelial growth of Sclerotium rolfsii, and for their effect on the viability of S. rolfsii sclerotia in the soil. The Trichoderma spp. isolates inhibited mycelial growth of S. rolfsii to various degrees, with 52% of isolates expressing an average inhibition, varying between 45 and 55%. The effect on the viability of sclerotia in the soil also varied between isolates of Trichoderma, with the majority (84% having a slight effect. A group of twenty isolates identified as Trichoderma harzianum when tested in sterilized soil, significantly reduced sclerotial viability though not in natural soil. Four of these isolates (Nz, Kb2, Kb3 and Kf1 showed good antagonistic activity against S. rolfsii and were also highly competitive in natural soil. These isolates would therefore be candidates for development in biological control program.

  12. Sensitivity of seismically isolated structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Politopoulos, I.; Hoan, Khac Pham

    2009-01-01

    In this paper we study the sensitivity of seismically isolated structures to a small variability of the earthquake excitation and of some structural properties with respect to the probability of failure and floor spectra. In particular, the influence of the nonlinear behaviour of the isolated superstructure on the vulnerability and on the floor spectra is investigated by means of a series of Monte Carlo simulations of simple two degrees-of-freedom systems. Several types of passive and active isolation systems are examined and three different idealized nonlinear constitutive laws are considered for the superstructure. It is found that, in general, the probability of failure does not depend on the specific cyclic behaviour of the assumed constitutive law and general trends regarding the impact of different isolation devices on vulnerability are established. As for the floor spectra, the influence of moderate nonlinear behaviour of isolated Superstructures, with the exception of the case of a non-dissipative elastic nonlinear law is negligible, contrary to the case of conventional Structures. (authors)

  13. Sensitivity of seismically isolated structures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Politopoulos, I. [CEA Saclay, DEN DANS DM2S, 91 - Gif sur Yvette (France); Hoan, Khac Pham

    2009-07-15

    In this paper we study the sensitivity of seismically isolated structures to a small variability of the earthquake excitation and of some structural properties with respect to the probability of failure and floor spectra. In particular, the influence of the nonlinear behaviour of the isolated superstructure on the vulnerability and on the floor spectra is investigated by means of a series of Monte Carlo simulations of simple two degrees-of-freedom systems. Several types of passive and active isolation systems are examined and three different idealized nonlinear constitutive laws are considered for the superstructure. It is found that, in general, the probability of failure does not depend on the specific cyclic behaviour of the assumed constitutive law and general trends regarding the impact of different isolation devices on vulnerability are established. As for the floor spectra, the influence of moderate nonlinear behaviour of isolated Superstructures, with the exception of the case of a non-dissipative elastic nonlinear law is negligible, contrary to the case of conventional Structures. (authors)

  14. Isolation, characterization and identification of actinomycetes from ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A total of 62 isolates of actinomycetes were isolated from 7 soil samples collected from Agriculture Research Center Semongok, Sarawak. All 62 isolates exhibited a range of colony colours (dark grey, grey, dark brown, brownish, whitish and yellowish white). All the isolates were later purified and subjected to a few ...

  15. Identity of streptococcal blood isolates and oral isolates from two patients with infective endocarditis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fiehn, N E; Gutschik, E; Larsen, Tove

    1995-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to isolate streptococcal strains from the oral cavities of streptococcal endocarditis patients and compare these strains biochemically and genetically with the corresponding streptococcal blood isolates. Total identity was observed between the blood and oral cavity...

  16. Age-related associative deficits and the isolation effect.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badham, Stephen P; Maylor, Elizabeth A

    2013-01-01

    If all but one of the items in a list are similar (e.g., all black except one red), memory for the different item is enhanced (the isolation effect). Older adults generally show similar or smaller isolation effects compared to young adults, which has been attributed to age-related deficits in associative memory whereby older adults are less able to associate an isolated stimulus to its isolating feature. Experiment 1 examined the isolation effect for isolation based on spatial position, modality and color; in Experiment 2, the criterion for isolation was the associative relation between stimuli. The results consistently showed no differences between young and older participants in the magnitude of the isolation effect. Whilst age deficits in associative memory may act to reduce the isolation effect in older adults, age deficits in self-initiated processing and inhibitory functionality may counteract this reduction by enhancing the isolation effect in older adults.

  17. Waste isolation safety assessment program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brandstetter, A.; Harwell, M.A.

    1979-05-01

    Associated with commercial nuclear power production in the United States is the generation of potentially hazardous radioactive wastes. The Department of Energy (DOE), through the National Waste Terminal Storage (NWTS) Program, is seeking to develop nuclear waste isolation systems in geologic formations that will preclude contact with the biosphere of waste radionuclides in concentrations which are sufficient to cause deleterious impact on humans or their environments. Comprehensive analyses of specific isolation systems are needed to assess the expectations of meeting that objective. The Waste Isolation Safety Assessment Program (WISAP) has been established at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (operated by Battelle Memorial Institute) for developing the capability of making those analyses. Among the analyses required for isolation system evaluation is the detailed assessment of the post-closure performance of nuclear waste repositories in geologic formations. This assessment is essential, since it is concerned with aspects of the nuclear power program which previously have not been addressed. Specifically, the nature of the isolation systems (e.g., involving breach scenarios and transport through the geosphere), and the time-scales necessary for isolation, dictate the development, demonstration and application of novel assessment capabilities. The assessment methodology needs to be thorough, flexible, objective, and scientifically defensible. Further, the data utilized must be accurate, documented, reproducible, and based on sound scientific principles

  18. Experiments on seismic isolation in Italy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bonacina, G.; Bettinali, F.; Martelli, A.; Olivieri, M.

    1992-01-01

    Static and dynamic tests have been performed in Italy on high damping steel-laminated elastomer bearings in various scales, rubber specimens and structures isolated by means of such bearings, in the framework of studies in progress to support seismic isolation development. Tests on rubber specimens and bearings have already provided important data (vertical and horizontal stiffness, damping, creep, temperature, aging and scale effects, etc.), necessary for the development and validation of numerical models, comparison with the test results of isolated structure mockups and actual buildings, and improvement of design guidelines. Dynamic experiments of structures concerned both full-scale and scaled isolated structure mock-ups and actual isolated buildings (one of those forming the SIP Administration Center at Ancona, an isolated house at Squillace, Calabria). Both snap-back tests and forced excitation experiments were performed, to rather large displacements. The latter were both sinusoidal and (on a 1/4 scale mock-up) seismic, with one- and multidirectional simultaneous excitations. Test results have already demonstrated the adequacy of seismic isolation and have provided data useful for the comparison with single bearing test results and validation of numerical models for the analysis of isolated structures. This paper reports the main features and results of tests performed or in progress. Further tests planned have been mentioned in the Status Report. Numerical analysis of measured data and guidelines development have been discussed in separate technical papers. (author)

  19. Isolation, characterization, and evaluation of wild isolates of Lactobacillus reuteri from pig feces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Deog Yong; Seo, Yeon-Soo; Rayamajhi, Nabin; Kang, Mi Lan; Lee, Su In; Yoo, Han Sang

    2009-12-01

    Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are a well-used probiotics for health improvements in both humans and animals. Despite of several benefits, non-host-specific LAB showed poor probiotics effects due to difficulty in colonization and competition with normal flora. Therefore, the feasibility of porcine LAB isolates was evaluated as a probiotics. Ten of 49 Lactobacillus spp. isolates harbored 2 approximately 10 kb plasmid DNA. Seven strains were selected based on the safety test, such as hemolytic activity, ammonia, indole, and phenylalanine production. After safety test, five strains were selected again by several tests, such as epithelial adherence, antimicrobial activity, tolerance against acid, bile, heat, and cold-drying, and production of acid and hydrogen peroxide. Then, enzyme profiles (ZYM test) and antibiotics resistance were analyzed for further characterization. Five Lactobacillus reuteri isolates from pig feces were selected by safety and functional tests. The plasmid DNA which was able to develop vector system was detected in the isolates. Together with these approaches, pig-specific Lactobacillus spp. originated from pigs were selected. These strains may be useful tools to develop oral delivery system.

  20. Methanobactin from Methylocystis sp. strain SB2 affects gene expression and methane monooxygenase activity in Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farhan Ul-Haque, Muhammad; Kalidass, Bhagyalakshmi; Vorobev, Alexey; Baral, Bipin S; DiSpirito, Alan A; Semrau, Jeremy D

    2015-04-01

    Methanotrophs can express a cytoplasmic (soluble) methane monooxygenase (sMMO) or membrane-bound (particulate) methane monooxygenase (pMMO). Expression of these MMOs is strongly regulated by the availability of copper. Many methanotrophs have been found to synthesize a novel compound, methanobactin (Mb), that is responsible for the uptake of copper, and methanobactin produced by Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b plays a key role in controlling expression of MMO genes in this strain. As all known forms of methanobactin are structurally similar, it was hypothesized that methanobactin from one methanotroph may alter gene expression in another. When Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b was grown in the presence of 1 μM CuCl2, expression of mmoX, encoding a subunit of the hydroxylase component of sMMO, was very low. mmoX expression increased, however, when methanobactin from Methylocystis sp. strain SB2 (SB2-Mb) was added, as did whole-cell sMMO activity, but there was no significant change in the amount of copper associated with M. trichosporium OB3b. If M. trichosporium OB3b was grown in the absence of CuCl2, the mmoX expression level was high but decreased by several orders of magnitude if copper prebound to SB2-Mb (Cu-SB2-Mb) was added, and biomass-associated copper was increased. Exposure of Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b to SB2-Mb had no effect on expression of mbnA, encoding the polypeptide precursor of methanobactin in either the presence or absence of CuCl2. mbnA expression, however, was reduced when Cu-SB2-Mb was added in both the absence and presence of CuCl2. These data suggest that methanobactin acts as a general signaling molecule in methanotrophs and that methanobactin "piracy" may be commonplace. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  1. Pasteurella multocida isolated from wild birds of North America: a serotype and DNA fingerprint study of isolates from 1978 to 1993

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, M.A.; Duncan, R.M.; Nordholm, G.E.; Berlowski, B.M.

    1995-01-01

    Serotype and DNA fingerprint methods were used to study Pasteurella multocida isolated from 320 wild birds of North America. Isolates were collected during 1978-93. The HhaI profiles of 314 isolates matched the HhaI profile of somatic reference type 1, strain X-73; somatic type 1 antigen was expressed by 310 isolates, and the serotype of four isolates was undetected. Differentiation of the 314 isolates was observed by digestion of DNA with HpaII. None of the HpaII profiles matched the HpaII profile of X-73 (designated HhaI 001/HpaII 001). Three HpaII profiles were recognized among the somatic type 1 isolates: HpaII 002 (n = 18), HpaII 003 (n = 122), and HpaII 004 (n = 174). Profile HpaII 002 was found among isolates collected during 1979-83. Profile HpaII 003 was identified from isolates collected during 1979-89, with the exception of two isolates in 1992. The HpaII 004 profile was identified from isolates collected during 1983-93. Of the six remaining isolates, four expressed somatic type 4 and had HhaI profiles identical to the somatic type 4 reference strain P-1662 profile (designated HhaI 004); these isolates were differentiated by digestion of DNA with HpaII. One isolate was identified as serotype F:11, and another was serotype A:3,4. In the present study, 314 of 316 (99.4%) isolates from wild birds in the Central, Mississippi, and Pacific flyways during 1978-93, were P. multocida somatic type 1.

  2. Study of the Mechanical Properties and Vibration Isolation Performance of a Molecular Spring Isolator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muchun Yu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Molecular Spring Isolator (MSI is a novel passive vibration isolation technique, providing High-Static-Low-Dynamic (HSLD stiffness based on the use of molecular spring material. The molecular spring material is a solid-liquid mixture consisting of water and hydrophobic nanoporous materials. Under a certain level of external pressure, water molecules can intrude into the hydrophobic pores of nanoporous materials, developing an additional solid-liquid interface. Such interfaces are able to store, release, and transform mechanical energy, providing properties like mechanical spring. Having been only recently developed, the basic mechanic properties of a MSI have not been studied in depth. This paper focuses on the stiffness influence factors, the dynamic frequency response, and the vibration isolation performance of a MSI; these properties help engineers to design MSIs for different engineering applications. First, the working mechanism of a MSI is introduced from a three-dimensional general view of the water infiltration massive hydrophobic nanoporous pores. Next, a wide range of influence factors on the stiffness properties of MSI are studied. In addition, the frequency response functions (FRFs of the MSI vibration isolation system are studied utilizing the matching method based on equivalent piecewise linear (EPL system. Finally, the vibration isolation properties of MSI are evaluated by force transmissibility.

  3. Isolated optic nerve pseudotumour

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patankar, T.; Prasad, S.; Krishnan, A.; Laxminarayan, R.

    2000-01-01

    Isolated optic nerve involvement by the idiopathic inflammatory process is a rare finding and very few reports are available. Here a case of an isolated optic nerve inflammatory pseudotumour presenting with gradually progressive unilateral loss of vision is described. It showed dramatic response to a trial of steroids and its differential diagnoses are discussed. Copyright (1999) Blackwell Science Pty Ltd

  4. NRL (Naval Research Laboratory) Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    1989-07-01

    interest, such as the monomeric have developed methods to improve the yield of tubules formed from diacetylenic lecithins , was LEH during the critical...thermo- acidophiles live at somewhat lower temperatures Fig. 8 - Depiction of a symmetric, hydrolyzed , archaebacterial lipid, glycerol dialkyl

  5. Real-time monitoring of intracellular redox changes in Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath) for efficient bioconversion of methane to methanol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishikawa, Masahito; Tanaka, Yuya; Suzuki, Risa; Kimura, Kota; Tanaka, Kenya; Kamiya, Kazuhide; Ito, Hidehiro; Kato, Souichiro; Kamachi, Toshiaki; Hori, Katsutoshi; Nakanishi, Shuji

    2017-10-01

    This study aimed to develop a novel method for real-time monitoring of the intracellular redox states in a methanotroph Methylococcus capsulatus, using Peredox as a genetically encoded fluorescent sensor of the NADH:NAD + ratio. As expected, the fluorescence derived from the Peredox-expressing M. capsulatus transformant increased by supplementation of electron donor compounds (methane and formate), while it decreased by specifically inhibiting the methanol oxidation reaction. Electrochemical measurements confirmed that the Peredox fluorescence reliably represents the intracellular redox changes. This study is the first to construct a reliable redox-monitoring method for methanotrophs, which will facilitate to develop more efficient methane-to-methanol bioconversion processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Isolation and Cultivation of Anaerobes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aragao Börner, Rosa

    2016-01-01

    Anaerobic microorganisms play important roles in different biotechnological processes. Their complex metabolism and special cultivation requirements have led to less isolated representatives in comparison to their aerobic counterparts.In view of that, the isolation and cultivation of anaerobic...

  7. Mycoplasma contamination of Chlamydia pneumoniae isolates

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Huniche, BS; Jensen, Lise Torp; Birkelund, Svend

    1998-01-01

    media, immunoblotting, polymerase chain reaction and pulsed field gel electrophoresis. Two of the 6 ATCC isolates [ATCC VR1355 (TWAR strain 2043) and ATCC VR1356 (TWAR strain 2023)] were infected with Mycoplasma hominis and 1 isolate [ATCC VR2282 (TWAR strain TW183)] was contaminated with both...... Mycoplasma hominis and Mycoplasma orale, whereas 3 of the ATCC isolates [ATCC VR1310, ATCC VR1360 (TWAR strain CM-1) and ATCC 53592 (TWAR strain AR39)] were not contaminated. The Finnish C. pneumoniae isolates Kajaani 6 and Parola were found to be contaminated with M. hominis and M. orale, respectively...

  8. Permanent isolation surface barrier: Functional performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wing, N.R.

    1993-10-01

    This document presents the functional performance parameters for permanent isolation surface barriers. Permanent isolation surface barriers have been proposed for use at the Hanford Site (and elsewhere) to isolate and dispose of certain types of waste in place. Much of the waste that would be disposed of using in-place isolation techniques is located in subsurface structures, such as solid waste burial grounds, tanks, vaults, and cribs. Unless protected in some way, the wastes could be transported to the accessible environment via transport pathways, such as water infiltration, biointrusion, wind and water erosion, human interference, and/or gaseous release

  9. Fault Isolation for Shipboard Decision Support

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lajic, Zoran; Blanke, Mogens; Nielsen, Ulrik Dam

    2010-01-01

    Fault detection and fault isolation for in-service decision support systems for marine surface vehicles will be presented in this paper. The stochastic wave elevation and the associated ship responses are modeled in the frequency domain. The paper takes as an example fault isolation of a containe......Fault detection and fault isolation for in-service decision support systems for marine surface vehicles will be presented in this paper. The stochastic wave elevation and the associated ship responses are modeled in the frequency domain. The paper takes as an example fault isolation...... to the quality of decisions given to navigators....

  10. Seismic isolation systems designed with distinct multiple frequencies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, Ting-shu; Seidensticker, R.W.

    1991-01-01

    Two systems for seismic base isolation are presented. The main feature of these system is that, instead of only one isolation frequency as in conventional isolation systems, they are designed to have two distinct isolation frequencies. When the responses during an earthquake exceed the design value(s), the system will automatically and passively shift to the secondly isolation frequency. Responses of these two systems to different ground motions including a harmonic motion with frequency same as the primary isolation frequency, show that no excessive amplification will occur. Adoption of these new systems certainly will greatly enhance the safety and reliability of an isolated superstructure against future strong earthquakes. 3 refs

  11. Patterns of reproductive isolation in the Drosophila subquinaria complex: can reinforced premating isolation cascade to other species?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Humphreys, Devon P.; Rundle, Howard D.; Dyer, Kelly A.

    2016-01-01

    Abstract The reinforcement of premating barriers due to reduced hybrid fitness in sympatry may cause secondary sexual isolation within a species as a by-product. Consistent with this, in the fly Drosophila subquinaria, females that are sympatric with D. recens mate at very low rates not only with D. recens, but also with conspecific D. subquinaria males from allopatry. Here, we ask if these effects of reinforcement cascade more broadly to affect sexual isolation with other closely related species. We assay reproductive isolation of these species with D. transversa and find that choosy D. subquinaria females from the region sympatric with D. recens discriminate strongly against male D. transversa, whereas D. subquinaria from the allopatric region do not. This increased sexual isolation cannot be explained by natural selection to avoid mating with this species, as they are allopatric in geographic range and we do not identify any intrinsic postzygotic isolation between D. subquinaria and D. transversa. Variation in epicuticular hydrocarbons, which are used as mating signals in D. subquinaria, follow patterns of premating isolation: D. transversa and allopatric D. subquinaria are most similar to each other and differ from sympatric D. subquinaria, and those of D. recens are distinct from the other two species. We suggest that the secondary effects of reinforcement may cascade to strengthen reproductive isolation with other species that were not a target of selection. These effects may enhance the divergence that occurs in allopatry to help explain why some species are already sexually isolated upon secondary contact. PMID:29491905

  12. Study on three dimensional seismic isolation system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morishita, Masaki; Kitamura, Seiji

    2003-01-01

    Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) and Japan Atomic Power Company (JAPC) launched joint research programs on structural design and three-dimensional seismic isolation technologies, as part of the supporting R and D activities for the feasibility studies on commercialized fast breeder reactor cycle systems. A research project by JAPC under the auspices of the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) with technical support by JNC is included in this joint study. This report contains the results of the research on the three-dimensional seismic isolation technologies, and the results of this year's study are summarized in the following five aspects. (1) Study on Earthquake Condition for Developing 3-dimensional Base Isolation System. The case study S2 is one of the maximum ground motions, of which the records were investigated up to this time. But a few observed near the fault exceed the case study S2 in the long period domain, depending on the fault length and conditions. Generally it is appropriate that the response spectra ratio (vertical/horizontal) is 0.6. (2) Performance Requirement for 3-dimensional Base Isolation System and Devices. Although the integrity map of main equipment/piping dominate the design criteria for the 3-dimensional base isolation system, the combined integrity map is the same as those of FY 2000, which are under fv=1Hz and over hv=20%. (3) Developing Targets and Schedule for 3-dimensional Isolation Technology. The target items for 3-dimensional base isolation system were rearranged into a table, and developing items to be examined concerning the device were also adjusted. A development plan until FY 2009 was made from the viewpoint of realization and establishment of a design guideline on 3-dimensional base isolation system. (4) Study on 3-dimensional Entire Building Base Isolation System. Three ideas among six ideas that had been proposed in FY2001, i.e., '3-dimensional base isolation system incorporating hydraulic

  13. Light-Dependent Aerobic Methane Oxidation Reduces Methane Emissions from Seasonally Stratified Lakes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oswald, Kirsten; Milucka, Jana; Brand, Andreas; Littmann, Sten; Wehrli, Bernhard; Kuypers, Marcel M. M.; Schubert, Carsten J.

    2015-01-01

    Lakes are a natural source of methane to the atmosphere and contribute significantly to total emissions compared to the oceans. Controls on methane emissions from lake surfaces, particularly biotic processes within anoxic hypolimnia, are only partially understood. Here we investigated biological methane oxidation in the water column of the seasonally stratified Lake Rotsee. A zone of methane oxidation extending from the oxic/anoxic interface into anoxic waters was identified by chemical profiling of oxygen, methane and δ13C of methane. Incubation experiments with 13C-methane yielded highest oxidation rates within the oxycline, and comparable rates were measured in anoxic waters. Despite predominantly anoxic conditions within the zone of methane oxidation, known groups of anaerobic methanotrophic archaea were conspicuously absent. Instead, aerobic gammaproteobacterial methanotrophs were identified as the active methane oxidizers. In addition, continuous oxidation and maximum rates always occurred under light conditions. These findings, along with the detection of chlorophyll a, suggest that aerobic methane oxidation is tightly coupled to light-dependent photosynthetic oxygen production both at the oxycline and in the anoxic bottom layer. It is likely that this interaction between oxygenic phototrophs and aerobic methanotrophs represents a widespread mechanism by which methane is oxidized in lake water, thus diminishing its release into the atmosphere. PMID:26193458

  14. Effects of plant species on soil microbial processes and CH4 emission from constructed wetlands

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Yanhua; Yang, Hao; Ye, Chun; Chen, Xia; Xie, Biao; Huang, Changchun; Zhang, Jixiang; Xu, Meina

    2013-01-01

    Methane (CH 4 ) emission from constructed wetland has raised environmental concern. This study evaluated the influence of mono and polyculture constructed wetland and seasonal variation on CH 4 fluxes. Methane emission data showed large temporal variation ranging from 0 to 249.29 mg CH 4 m −2 h −1 . Results indicated that the highest CH 4 flux was obtained in the polyculture system, planted with Phragmites australis, Zizania latifolia and Typha latifolia, reflecting polyculture system could stimulate CH 4 emission. FISH analysis showed the higher amount of methanotrophs in the profile of Z. latifolia in both mono and polyculture systems. The highest methanogens amount and relatively lower methanotrophs amount in the profile of polyculture system were obtained. The results support the characteristics of CH 4 fluxes. The polyculture constructed wetland has the higher potential of global warming. -- Highlights: ► The polyculture constructed wetland has the higher contribution to CH 4 emission. ► The CH 4 –C conversion ranged from 0 to 3.7%. ► The Z. latifolia played important roles in methanotrophs growth and CH 4 consumption. ► Major influence of T-N, TOC and plant cover on CH 4 emission was obtained. -- The polyculture constructed wetland has the higher contribution to global warming

  15. Conversion of Amazon rainforest to agriculture alters community traits of methane-cycling organisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Kyle M; Klein, Ann M; Rodrigues, Jorge L M; Nüsslein, Klaus; Tringe, Susannah G; Mirza, Babur S; Tiedje, James M; Bohannan, Brendan J M

    2017-03-01

    Land use change is one of the greatest environmental impacts worldwide, especially to tropical forests. The Amazon rainforest has been subject to particularly high rates of land use change, primarily to cattle pasture. A commonly observed response to cattle pasture establishment in the Amazon is the conversion of soil from a methane sink in rainforest, to a methane source in pasture. However, it is not known how the microorganisms that mediate methane flux are altered by land use change. Here, we use the deepest metagenomic sequencing of Amazonian soil to date to investigate differences in methane-cycling microorganisms and their traits across rainforest and cattle pasture soils. We found that methane-cycling microorganisms responded to land use change, with the strongest responses exhibited by methane-consuming, rather than methane-producing, microorganisms. These responses included a reduction in the relative abundance of methanotrophs and a significant decrease in the abundance of genes encoding particulate methane monooxygenase. We also observed compositional changes to methanotroph and methanogen communities as well as changes to methanotroph life history strategies. Our observations suggest that methane-cycling microorganisms are vulnerable to land use change, and this vulnerability may underlie the response of methane flux to land use change in Amazon soils. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Isolation of Pasteurella multocida subspec. Multocida from chronic periapical lesion: First isolation in ex-Yugoslavia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suvajdžić Ljiljana Ð.

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available This study presents five isolates of Pasteurella multocida subsp. multo-cida isolated from chronic periapical inflammatory lesion. We described the methods of sampling and cultivation as well as diagnostic criteria. Pasteurella multocida was diagnosed on the basis of characteristic cultural and tinctorial properties and the facts that all strains produced indole and induced ornithine decarboxilation, glucose, saccharose and manitole fermentation. Isolates produced neither urease, nor fermented lactose and maltose. Further classification to subspecies multocida was based on the fact that all investigated isolates fermented trechalose, xylose and sorbitol the traits which are diagnostically significant for the species. Patients deny any contact with farm animals or pets, which indicates a possible aerosol transport and animal-human as well as human-human infection. We consider that this organism should be paid more attention by dentist, oral surgeons and microbiologists.

  17. Design experience on seismically isolated buildings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Giuliani, G.C.

    1989-01-01

    This paper describes the practical problems associated with the structural design of a group of seismically isolated buildings now under construction in Ancona, Italy. These structures are the first seismically isolated buildings in Italy. Taking into account previous earthquakes, the structural design of these new buildings was performed according to an acceleration spectrum which was different from its Zone 2 seismic code and which provided protection for stronger ground motions. To minimize the cost of the structure, the buildings used ribbed plate decks, thus reducing the amount of material and the mass of the structures to be isolated. The design requirements, dynamic analysis performed, structural design, and practical engineering employed are reported in this paper. A comparison between the costs of a conventionally designed and a base-isolated structure is also reported. The tests undertaken for certifying the mechanical properties of the isolators for both static and dynamic loads are also described, as is the full-scale dynamic test which is scheduled for next year (1990) for one of the completed buildings. Lessons learned in this design effort are potentially applicable to seismic base isolation for nuclear power plants

  18. A half mode inkjet printed tunable ferrite isolator

    KAUST Repository

    Ghaffar, Farhan A.

    2017-10-24

    A novel half mode waveguide based ferrite isolator design is presented in this work. For the first time, tunability of the isolation band is demonstrated for a ferrite isolator. Instead of using the conventional antisymmetric bias the isolator requires a single direction of the magnetic bias field due to the half mode operation. Yttrium Iron Garnet (YIG) is used as the substrate for the device. The metallic walls of the waveguide are realized using inkjet printing. The magnetic biasing applied to the waveguide causes the RF waves to experience negative permeability in one direction of propagation hence providing isolation for this direction. For an applied bias of 3000 Oe, the device provides a maximum isolation figure of merit of 76.7 dB at 7.5 GHz. The isolation band can be controlled by changing the applied magnetostatic bias. As the bias is varied from 1500 Oe to 3500 Oe the center frequency of the isolation band varies from 4.45 GHz to 9 GHz. The measured response of the isolator shows that it can be integrated in any RF system requiring lower cost and good isolation.

  19. Oligotrophic bacteria isolated from clinical materials.

    OpenAIRE

    Tada, Y; Ihmori, M; Yamaguchi, J

    1995-01-01

    Oligotrophic bacteria (oligotrophs) are microorganisms that grow in extremely nutritionally deficient conditions in which the concentrations of organic substances are low. Many oligotrophic bacteria were isolated from clinical materials including urine, sputum, swabbings of the throat, vaginal discharges, and others. Seventy-seven strains of oligotrophic bacteria from 871 samples of clinical material were isolated. A relatively higher frequency of isolation of oligotrophic bacteria was shown ...

  20. Reducing Open Cell Landfill Methane Emissions with a Bioactive Alternative Daily

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Helene Hilger; James Oliver; Jean Bogner; David Jones

    2009-03-31

    Methane and carbon dioxide are formed in landfills as wastes degrade. Molecule-for-molecule, methane is about 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the earth's atmosphere, and thus, it is the methane emissions from landfills that are scrutinized. For example, if emissions composed of 60% methane and 40% carbon dioxide were changed to a mix that was 40% methane and 60% carbon dioxide, a 30% reduction in the landfill's global warming potential would result. A 10% methane, 90% carbon dioxide ratio will result in a 75% reduction in global warming potential compared to the baseline. Gas collection from a closed landfill can reduce emissions, and it is sometimes combined with a biocover, an engineered system where methane oxidizing bacteria living in a medium such as compost, convert landfill methane to carbon dioxide and water. Although methane oxidizing bacteria merely convert one greenhouse gas (methane) to another (carbon dioxide), this conversion can offer significant reductions in the overall greenhouse gas contribution, or global warming potential, associated with the landfill. What has not been addressed to date is the fact that methane can also escape from a landfill when the active cell is being filled with waste. Federal regulations require that newly deposited solid waste to be covered daily with a 6 in layer of soil or an alternative daily cover (ADC), such as a canvas tarp. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of immobilizing methane oxidizing bacteria into a tarp-like matrix that could be used for alternative daily cover at open landfill cells to prevent methane emissions. A unique method of isolating methanotrophs from landfill cover soil was used to create a liquid culture of mixed methanotrophs. A variety of prospective immobilization techniques were used to affix the bacteria in a tarp-like matrix. Both gel encapsulation of methanotrophs and gels with liquid cores containing methanotrophs were readily

  1. EMPLACEMENT DRIFT ISOLATION DOOR CONTROL SYSTEM

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    N.T. Raczka

    1998-01-01

    The purpose of this analysis is to review and refine key design concepts related to the control system presently under consideration for remotely operating the emplacement drift isolation doors at the potential subsurface nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain. This analysis will discuss the key design concepts of the control system that may be utilized for remotely monitoring, opening, and closing the emplacement drift isolation doors. The scope and primary objectives of this analysis are to: (1) Discuss the purpose and function of the isolation doors (Presented in Section 7.1). (2) Review the construction of the isolation door and other physical characteristics of the doors that the control system will interface with (Presented in Section 7.2). (3) Discuss monitoring and controlling the operation of the isolation doors with a digital control system (either a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) system or a Distributed Control System (DCS)) (Presented in Section 7.3). (4) Discuss how all isolation doors can be monitored and controlled from a subsurface central control center (Presented in Section 7.4). This analysis will focus on the development of input/output (I/O) counts including the types of I/O, redundancy and fault tolerance considerations, and processor requirements for the isolation door control system. Attention will be placed on operability, maintainability, and reliability issues for the system operating in the subsurface environment with exposure to high temperatures and radiation

  2. Isolation Effect in Immediate and Delayed Recall

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bellezza, Francis S.; Cheney, Terry L.

    1973-01-01

    If the hypothesis of selective rehearsal is used to account for the isolation effect, then the recall of isolated items will depend both on the serial position of the isolated item and on whether recall is immediate or delayed. (Author)

  3. Geomorphology of Minnesota - Isolated Landform Structures

    Data.gov (United States)

    Minnesota Department of Natural Resources — Geomorphology of Minnesota - Isolated Landform Structures are essentially cartographic arcs representing isolated glacial features that were mapped in conjunction...

  4. METHICILLIN RESISTANCE IN STAPHYLOCOCCAL ISOLATES ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The study assessed the importance of Staphylococcus aureus as a urinary pathogen and the incidence of multidrug resistant (MDR), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). A total of 86 staphylococcal isolates made up of 50 clinical isolates from urine samples submitted to the Medical Microbiology Laboratory ...

  5. Dielectric isolation for power integrated circuits; Isolation dielectrique enterree pour les circuits integres de puissance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zerrouk, D.

    1997-07-18

    Considerable efforts have been recently directed towards integrating onto the same chip, sense or protection elements that is low voltage analog and/or digital control circuitry together with high voltage/high current devices. Most of these so called `smart power` devices use either self isolation, junction isolation or Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) to integrate low voltage elements with vertical power devices. Dielectric isolation is superior to the other isolation techniques such as self isolation or junction isolation. Thesis work consists of the study of the feasibility of a dielectric technology based on the melting and the solidification in a Rapid Thermal Processing furnace (RTP), of thick polysilicon films deposited on oxide. The purpose of this technique is to obtain substrate with localized SOI structures for smart power applications. SOI technology offers significant potential advantages, such as non-occurrence of latch-up in CMOS structures, high packaging density, low parasitic capacitance and the possibility of 3D structures. In addition, SOI technology using thick silicon films (10-100 {mu}m) offers special advantages for high voltage integrated circuits. Several techniques have been developed to form SOI films. Zone melting recrystallization is one of the most promising for localized SOI. The SOI structures have first been analyzed in term of extended defects. N-channel MOSFET`s transistors have also been fabricated in the SOI substrates and electrically characterized (threshold voltages, off-state leakage current, mobilities,...). The SOI transistors exhibit good characteristics, although inferior to witness transistors. The recrystallized silicon films are therefore found to be suitable for the fabrication of SOI devices. (author) 106 refs.

  6. Comparison of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae Isolates Recovered from Pigs in Apparently Healthy Multiplier Herds with Isolates from Herds with Swine Dysentery.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tom La

    Full Text Available Swine dysentery (SD is a mucohaemorrhagic colitis of grower/finisher pigs classically resulting from infection by the anaerobic intestinal spirochaete Brachyspira hyodysenteriae. This study aimed to determine whether B. hyodysenteriae isolates from pigs in three healthy German multiplier herds supplying gilts to other farms differed from isolates from nine German production herds with SD. Isolates were subjected to whole genomic sequencing, and in silico multilocus sequence typing showed that those from the three multiplier herds were of previously undescribed sequence types (ST132, ST133 and ST134, with all isolates from the same herd having the same ST. All isolates were examined for the presence of 332 genes encoding predicted virulence or virulence lifestyle associated factors, and these were well conserved. Isolates from one multiplier herd were atypical in being weakly haemolytic: they had 10 amino acid substitutions in the haemolysin III protein and five in the haemolysin activation protein compared to reference strain WA1, and had a disruption in the promoter site of the hlyA gene. These changes likely contribute to the weakly haemolytic phenotype and putative lack of virulence. These same isolates also had nine base pair insertions in the iron metabolism genes bitB and bitC and lacked five of six plasmid genes that previously have been associated with colonisation. Other overall differences between isolates from the different herds were in genes from three of five outer membrane proteins, which were not found in all the isolates, and in members of a block of six plasmid genes. Isolates from three herds with SD had all six plasmid genes, while isolates lacking some of these genes were found in the three healthy herds-but also in isolates from six herds with SD. Other differences in genes of unknown function or in gene expression may contribute to variation in virulence; alternatively, superior husbandry and better general health may have

  7. Isolation of rat adrenocortical mitochondria

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Solinas, Paola [Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); Department of Medicine, Center for Mitochondrial Disease, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); Fujioka, Hisashi [Electron Microscopy Facility, Department of Pharmacology, Center for Mitochondrial Disease, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); Tandler, Bernard [Department of Biological Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, Center for Mitochondrial Disease, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); Hoppel, Charles L., E-mail: charles.hoppel@case.edu [Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); Department of Medicine, Center for Mitochondrial Disease, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States)

    2012-10-12

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A method for isolation of adrenocortical mitochondria from the adrenal gland of rats is described. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The purified isolated mitochondria show excellent morphological integrity. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The properties of oxidative phosphorylation are excellent. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The method increases the opportunity of direct analysis of adrenal mitochondria from small animals. -- Abstract: This report describes a relatively simple and reliable method for isolating adrenocortical mitochondria from rats in good, reasonably pure yield. These organelles, which heretofore have been unobtainable in isolated form from small laboratory animals, are now readily accessible. A high degree of mitochondrial purity is shown by the electron micrographs, as well as the structural integrity of each mitochondrion. That these organelles have retained their functional integrity is shown by their high respiratory control ratios. In general, the biochemical performance of these adrenal cortical mitochondria closely mirrors that of typical hepatic or cardiac mitochondria.

  8. Seismic Isolation Studies and Applications for Nuclear Facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choun, Young Sun

    2005-01-01

    Seismic isolation, which is being used worldwide for buildings, is a well-known technology to protect structures from destructive earthquakes. In spite of the many potential advantages of a seismic isolation, however, the applications of a seismic isolation to nuclear facilities have been very limited because of a lack of sufficient knowledge about the isolation practices. The most important advantage of seismic isolation applications in nuclear power plants is that the safety and reliability of the plants can be remarkably improved through the standardization of the structures and equipment regardless of the seismic conditions of the sites. The standardization of structures and equipment will reduce the capital cost and design/construction schedule for future plants. Also, a seismic isolation can facilitate decoupling of the design and development for equipment, piping, and components due to the use of the generic in-structure response spectra associated with the standardized plant. Moreover, a seismic isolation will improve the plant safety margin against the design basis earthquake (DBE) as well as a beyond design basis seismic event due to its superior seismic performance. A number of seismic isolation systems have been developed and tested since 1970s, and some of them have been applied to conventional structures in several countries of high seismicity. In the nuclear field, there have been many studies on the applicability of such seismic isolation systems, but the application of a seismic isolation is very limited. Currently, there are some discussions on the application of seismic isolation systems to nuclear facilities between the nuclear industries and the regulatory agencies in the U.S.. In the future, a seismic isolation for nuclear facilities will be one of the important issues in the nuclear industry. This paper summarizes the past studies and applications of a seismic isolation in the nuclear industry

  9. Isolated Horizon, Killing Horizon and Event Horizon

    OpenAIRE

    Date, G.

    2001-01-01

    We consider space-times which in addition to admitting an isolated horizon also admit Killing horizons with or without an event horizon. We show that an isolated horizon is a Killing horizon provided either (1) it admits a stationary neighbourhood or (2) it admits a neighbourhood with two independent, commuting Killing vectors. A Killing horizon is always an isolated horizon. For the case when an event horizon is definable, all conceivable relative locations of isolated horizon and event hori...

  10. Comparison of the isolation rates and characteristics of Salmonella isolated from antibiotic-free and conventional chicken meat samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, J-H; Kim, H-S; Yim, J-H; Kim, Y-J; Kim, D-H; Chon, J-W; Kim, H; Om, A-S; Seo, K-H

    2017-08-01

    Salmonella contamination in chicken samples can cause major health problems in humans. However, not only the effects of antibiotic treatment during growth but also the impacts of the poultry slaughter line on the prevalence of Salmonellae in final chicken meat sold to consumers are unknown. In this study, we compared the isolation rates and antimicrobial resistance of Salmonellae among antibiotic-free, conventional, conventional Korean native retail chicken meat samples, and clonal divergence of Salmonella isolates by multilocus sequence typing. In addition, the distribution of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) genes in ESBL-producing Salmonella isolates was analyzed. A total of 72 retail chicken meat samples (n = 24 antibiotic-free broiler [AFB] chickens, n = 24 conventional broiler [CB] chickens, and n = 24 conventional Korean native [CK] chickens) was collected from local retail markets in Seoul, South Korea. The isolation rates of Salmonellae were 66.6% in AFB chickens, 45.8% in CB chickens, and 25% in CK chickens. By analyzing the minimum inhibitory concentrations of β-lactam antibiotics with the disc-diffusion test, we found that 81.2% of Salmonella isolates from AFB chickens, 63.6% of isolates from CB chickens, and 50% of isolates from CK chickens were ESBL producers; all ESBL-positive isolates had the CTX-M-15 genotype. Interestingly, all ESBL-producing Salmonellae were revealed as ST16 by multilocus sequence typing and had the genetic platform of blaCTX-M gene (IS26-ISEcp1-blaCTX-M-15-IS903), which was first reported in Salmonellae around the world. The Salmonella ST33 strain (S. Hadar) isolated in this study has never been reported in South Korea. In conclusion, our findings showed that antibiotic-free retail chicken meat products were also largely contaminated with ESBL-producing Salmonellae and that their ESBL genes and genetic platforms were the same as those isolated from conventional retail chicken meat products. © 2017 Poultry Science

  11. K-Basin isolation barrier seal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ruff, E.S.

    1994-10-01

    This report documents various aspects of the design, analysis, procurement, and fabrication of the hydraulic seal on the isolation barriers to be installed in the 100-K Area spent nuclear fuel basin. The isolation barrier is used to keep water in the basin in the event of an earthquake

  12. Geographically isolated wetlands: Rethinking a misnomer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mushet, David M.; Calhoun, Aram J.K.; Alexander, Laurie C.; Cohen, Matthew J.; DeKeyser, Edward S.; Fowler, Laurie G.; Lane, Charles R.; Lang, Megan W.; Rains, Mark C.; Walls, Susan

    2015-01-01

    We explore the category “geographically isolated wetlands” (GIWs; i.e., wetlands completely surrounded by uplands at the local scale) as used in the wetland sciences. As currently used, the GIW category (1) hampers scientific efforts by obscuring important hydrological and ecological differences among multiple wetland functional types, (2) aggregates wetlands in a manner not reflective of regulatory and management information needs, (3) implies wetlands so described are in some way “isolated,” an often incorrect implication, (4) is inconsistent with more broadly used and accepted concepts of “geographic isolation,” and (5) has injected unnecessary confusion into scientific investigations and discussions. Instead, we suggest other wetland classification systems offer more informative alternatives. For example, hydrogeomorphic (HGM) classes based on well-established scientific definitions account for wetland functional diversity thereby facilitating explorations into questions of connectivity without an a priori designation of “isolation.” Additionally, an HGM-type approach could be used in combination with terms reflective of current regulatory or policymaking needs. For those rare cases in which the condition of being surrounded by uplands is the relevant distinguishing characteristic, use of terminology that does not unnecessarily imply isolation (e.g., “upland embedded wetlands”) would help alleviate much confusion caused by the “geographically isolated wetlands” misnomer.

  13. Behavioural reproductive isolation and speciation in Drosophila

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    In the genus Drosophila, the phenomenon of behavioural reproductive isolation, which is an important type of premating (prezygotic) reproductive isolating mechanisms, has been extensively studied and interesting data have been documented. In many cases incomplete sexual isolation has been observed and the pattern ...

  14. Isolation and morphological characterization of antibiotic producing ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Purpose: To isolate and characterize antibiotic producing actinomycetes from soil samples in Belgaum, Karnataka, India. Methods: Crowded plate technique was used for the isolation of actinomycetes in media such as soybean – casein digest medium and actinomycetes isolation agar. The morphological and cultural ...

  15. Isolation, screening and identification of novel isolates of Actinomycetes from India for antimicrobial applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vineeta Singh

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The search for novel bioactive compounds from the natural environment has been rapidly increased with the increase in multi-drug resistant (MDR pathogens. In the present study, the antimicrobial potential of novel actinomycetes has been evaluated by initial screening of six soil samples. Primary and secondary screening was performed against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Trichophyton rubrum, and other MDR bacterial and fungal test strains, and at the end thirteen active isolates were selected for further study. Microbial strains were identified on the basis of growth conditions and other biochemical characters. Five most active microbial strains were identified using 16S rRNA sequence homology and designated as Streptomyces xanthophaeus MTCC 11938, Streptomyces variabilis MTCC 12266, Streptomyces xanthochromogenes MTCC 11937, Streptomyces levis EU 124569 and Streptomyces sp. NCIM 5500. Four antibacterial and three antifungal compounds isolated from the above five isolates were purified and partially characterized using UV absorption and IR spectra. Two antibacterial metabolites, belong to chromone and peptide antibiotic, respectively. The antifungal compounds were found to be of non-polyene nature. In conclusion, we study the isolation of novel bacterial strains of actinomycetes for producing novel compounds having antibacterial and antifungal activities from the unexplored agro-ecological niches of India. Also, this study paves the way for further characterization of these isolates of Streptomyces sp. for their optimum utilization for antimicrobial purposes.

  16. Isolation and Identification of L-asparaginase producing Erwinia strains which isolated from Potato Farms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arastoo Badoei-Dalfard

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: L-Asparaginase can be effectively used for the treatment of lymphoblastic leukemia. The rapid growth of cancer cells are needed for L-asparagine abundant storage. L-asparaginase catalyzes the hydrolysis of L-asparagine into L-aspartic acid and ammonia. The purpose of this study was to isolate and identify the L-asparaginase producing Erwinia strains from the potato farms of Jiroft. Materials and methods: Pectolytic Erwinia species isolated from crumbling potato in M9 medium. The desired L-asparaginase producing bacteria were isolated based on the color changes. Biochemical-microbial and the plant pathogenicity tests of these strains were also investigated with potato and geranium. The L-asparaginase production and molecular detection of these Erwinia strains were also investigated. Results: In this study, L-asparaginase producing Erwinia was isolated on the CVP and M9 mediums. The inoculation of Erwinia strains on the potato and geranium plants showed that Er8 and Er11 species have the ability to cause plant pathogenicity. Results showed that the maximum pathogenicity of Er8 and Er11 was observed after 48 and 15 h of inoculation in potato and geranium plants, respectively. 16S rDNA sequencing and phylogenetic analyses exhibited that Er8 and Er11 strains were similar to Erwinia chrysanthemi with 98% homology. Discussion and conclusion: Because of several applications of the Erwinia L-asparaginase in various fields, isolated Erwinia and their L-asparaginase can be suitable for applied utilization.

  17. Verification and improvement of analytical modeling of seismic isolation bearings and isolated structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Forni, M.; La Grotteria, M.; Martelli, A.; Bertola, S.; Bettinali, F.; Dusi, A.; Bergamo, G.; Bonacina, G.

    2002-01-01

    Due to the complexity of dynamic behaviour of seismic isolation (SI) devices, high cost of their tests and non-negligible number of devices having excellent potential for nuclear applications, several countries judged of great interest to extend validation of their numerical models of such devices to the analysis of experimental data obtained by others. Thus, a four-years Coordinated Research Program (CRP) on Intercomparison of Analysis Methods for Isolated Nuclear Structures, proposed by ENEA (1995), was endorsed by the IAEA in 1995. There, Italy was jointly represented by ENEA, ENEL and ISMES, and supplied test results concerning both High Damping Rubber Bearings (HDRBs) and the MISS (Model of Isolated Steel Structure) mock-up, which had been isolated using such bearings. Test data provided by Italy to the other countries were also re-analysed to improve mathematical models. Aim of this final report is to summarise, after a brief description of the devices and structures considered, the most important results and conclusions of the numerical analyses carried out by Italy. For more detailed information, especially as far as the execution of the tests and the implementation of the numerical models are concerned, please refer to the technical reports presented by Italy to the Research Coordination Meetings (RCMs). (author)

  18. Isolation and antibiotic resistance of Ureaplasma spp. isolated from urogenital specimen between 2002 to 2007

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tito Del Gaudio

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available Ureaplasma spp. and Mycoplasma hominis are frequently isolated from urogenital samples. Ureaplasma spp is responsible for cervicovaginitis, salpingitis, urethritis, epididymitis, male and female infertility, spontaneous abortion, and during pregnancy, for the premature rupture of the membranes, because of chorionamnionitis. Our study aimed to establish the pattern of antimicrobial resistance among Ureaplasma spp isolated in the area of Andria,Apulia Region, from January 2002 to December 2007. 240/781 (30.7% of the urogenital samples examined were found Ureaplasma spp.-positive. 152/240 (63.3 % were >104 UFC/ml and 88/240 (36.7 % were <104 UFC/ml. With regard to the resistance rate, we observed significant increase in resistance to ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, erythromycin, clarithromycin, and azithromycin. While we did not observe resistance to doxycycline, strains resistant to tetracycline, josamycin, and pristinamycins, were isolated during last years of investigation. Our data may help improve the management of these infections above all in consideration of the differences among isolates in different geographic regions.

  19. Security Isolation Strategy Mechanism for Lightweight Virtualization Environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liu Qian

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available For cloud service providers, lightweight virtualization is a more economical way of virtualization. While the user is worried about the safety of applications and data of the container, due to the container sharing the underlying interface and the kernel, therefore the security and trusted degree of lightweight virtualization container isolation mechanism is critical for the promotion of lightweight virtualization service. Because the user cannot directly participate in the process of the construction and management of container isolation mechanism, it is difficult for them to establish confidence in the security and trusted degree of container isolation mechanism. Based on the research and analysis of system credible and virtualization isolation mechanism, this paper puts forward a set of lightweight virtualization security isolation strategy mechanism, divides lightweight virtualization container storage address space into several parts, puts forward the definition of lightweight virtualization security isolation, gives the formal description and proof of container security isolation strategy, and combines with related technology to verify the feasibility of lightweight virtualization security isolation strategy mechanism. The mechanism has important guiding significance for cloud services providers to deploy container security isolation.

  20. Utilities/industries joint study on seismic isolation systems for LWR: Part I. Experimental and analytical studies on seismic isolation systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kato, Muneaki; Sato, Shoji; Shimomura, Issei

    1989-01-01

    This paper describes a joint study program on seismic isolation systems for light-water reactors (LWRs) performed by ten electric power companies, three manufacturers, and five construction companies. The fundamental response characteristics of base-isolated structures and base-isolation devices are described. Applications of a base-isolation system to LWR buildings are given. Finally, three-dimensional shaking table experiments are described

  1. Permanent isolation surface barrier development plan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wing, N.R.

    1994-01-01

    The exhumation and treatment of wastes may not always be the preferred alternative in the remediation of a waste site. In-place disposal alternatives, under certain circumstances, may be the most desirable alternatives to use in the protection of human health and the environment. The implementation of an in-place disposal alternative will likely require some type of protective covering that will provide long-term isolation of the wastes from the accessible environment. Even if the wastes are exhumed and treated, a long-term barrier may still be needed to adequately dispose of the treated wastes or any remaining waste residuals. Currently, no open-quotes provenclose quotes long-term barrier is available. The Hanford Site Permanent Isolation Surface Barrier Development Program (BDP) was organized to develop the technology needed to provide a long-term surface barrier capability for the Hanford Site. The permanent isolation barrier technology also could be used at other sites. Permanent isolation barriers use engineered layers of natural materials to create an integrated structure with redundant protective features. Drawings of conceptual permanent isolation surface barriers are shown. The natural construction materials (e.g., fine soil, sand, gravel, riprap, asphalt) have been selected to optimize barrier performance and longevity. The objective of current designs is to use natural materials to develop a maintenance-free permanent isolation surface barrier that isolates wastes for a minimum of 1,000 years by limiting water drainage to near-zero amounts; reducing the likelihood of plant, animal, and human intrusion; controlling the exhalation of noxious gases; and minimizing erosion-related problems

  2. Permanent isolation surface barrier development plan

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wing, N.R.

    1994-01-01

    The exhumation and treatment of wastes may not always be the preferred alternative in the remediation of a waste site. In-place disposal alternatives, under certain circumstances, may be the most desirable alternatives to use in the protection of human health and the environment. The implementation of an in-place disposal alternative will likely require some type of protective covering that will provide long-term isolation of the wastes from the accessible environment. Even if the wastes are exhumed and treated, a long-term barrier may still be needed to adequately dispose of the treated wastes or any remaining waste residuals. Currently, no {open_quotes}proven{close_quotes} long-term barrier is available. The Hanford Site Permanent Isolation Surface Barrier Development Program (BDP) was organized to develop the technology needed to provide a long-term surface barrier capability for the Hanford Site. The permanent isolation barrier technology also could be used at other sites. Permanent isolation barriers use engineered layers of natural materials to create an integrated structure with redundant protective features. Drawings of conceptual permanent isolation surface barriers are shown. The natural construction materials (e.g., fine soil, sand, gravel, riprap, asphalt) have been selected to optimize barrier performance and longevity. The objective of current designs is to use natural materials to develop a maintenance-free permanent isolation surface barrier that isolates wastes for a minimum of 1,000 years by limiting water drainage to near-zero amounts; reducing the likelihood of plant, animal, and human intrusion; controlling the exhalation of noxious gases; and minimizing erosion-related problems.

  3. Dirofilaria immitis JYD-34 isolate: whole genome analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Catherine Bourguinat

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Macrocyclic lactone (ML anthelmintics are used for chemoprophylaxis for heartworm infection in dogs and cats. Cases of dogs becoming infected with heartworms, despite apparent compliance to recommended chemoprophylaxis with approved preventives, has led to such cases being considered as suspected lack of efficacy (LOE. Recently, microfilariae collected from a small number of LOE isolates were used as a source of infection of new host dogs and confirmed to have reduced susceptibility to ML in controlled efficacy studies using L3 challenge in dogs. A specific Dirofilaria immitis laboratory isolate named JYD-34 has also been confirmed to have less than 100% susceptibility to ML-based preventives. For preventive claims against heartworm disease, evidence of 100% efficacy is required by FDA-CVM. It was therefore of interest to determine whether JYD-34 has a genetic profile similar to other documented LOE and confirmed reduced susceptibility isolates or has a genetic profile similar to known ML-susceptible isolates. Methods In this study, the 90Mbp whole genome of the JYD-34 strain was sequenced. This genome was compared using bioinformatics tools to pooled whole genomes of four well-characterized susceptible D. immitis populations, one susceptible Missouri laboratory isolate, as well as the pooled whole genomes of four LOE D. immitis populations. Fixation indexes (FST, which allow the genetic structure of each population (isolate to be compared at the level of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP across the genome, have been calculated. Forty-one previously reported SNP, that appeared to differentiate between susceptible and LOE and confirmed reduced susceptibility isolates, were also investigated in the JYD-34 isolate. Results The FST analysis, and the analysis of the 41 SNP that appeared to differentiate reduced susceptibility from fully susceptible isolates, confirmed that the JYD-34 isolate has a genome similar to previously

  4. The study and analysis of point-to-point vibration isolation and its utility to seismic base isolator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mehboob, M.; Qureshi, A.S.

    2001-01-01

    This paper presents systematic approach to regarding the piece wise vibration isolation generally termed as point-to-point vibration isolation system, and its broad spectrum-utilities to an economic seismic base isolation. Transfer of curves for coulomb damped i.e. softening damper flexible mountings are presented and the utility has been proved equally good for both rigidly and elastically coupled damping. It is clearly shown that the very closest solutions are easily obtainable for both slipping and sticking nature of phases of the motion. This eliminates the conventional and conceptual approximations based on the linearization of the damping. This new concept will not endanger-super-structure if mounted on such isolation systems. (author)

  5. Prevalence and Biotyping of Pasteurella Haemolytica Isolates from ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    P. haemolytica isolated from Sahel sheep and goat in Maiduguri was characterized phenotypically. A total of 92 P. haemolytica isolates were obtained from the nasopharyngeal swabs while a total of 15 isolates came from pneumonic lung samples. The results showed that 37(20.22%) P. haemolytica isolates were obtained ...

  6. Isolation barriers between petunia axillaris and Petunia integrifolia (Solanaceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dell'olivo, Alexandre; Hoballah, Maria Elena; Gübitz, Thomas; Kuhlemeier, Cris

    2011-07-01

    The isolation barriers restricting gene flow between populations or species are of crucial interest for understanding how biological species arise and how they are maintained. Few studies have examined the entire range of possible isolation barriers from geographic isolation to next generation hybrid viability. Here, we present a detailed analysis of isolation barriers between two flowering plant species of the genus Petunia (Solanaceae). Petunia integrifolia and P. axillaris feature divergent pollination syndromes but can produce fertile hybrids when crossed in the laboratory. Both Petunia species are primarily isolated in space but appear not to hybridize in sympatry. Our experiments demonstrate that pollinator isolation is very high but not strong enough to explain the absence of hybrids in nature. However, pollinator isolation in conjunction with male gametic isolation (i.e., pollen-pistil interaction) can explain the lack of natural hybridization, while postzygotic isolation barriers are low or nonexistent. Our study supports the notion that reproductive isolation in flowering plants is mainly caused by pre- rather than postzygotic isolation mechanisms. © 2011 The Author(s). Evolution© 2011 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

  7. 21 CFR 870.2600 - Signal isolation system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... system. (a) Identification. A signal isolation system is a device that electrically isolates the patient... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Signal isolation system. 870.2600 Section 870.2600 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED...

  8. The genotypic characterization of Cronobacter spp. isolated in China.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jinghua Cui

    Full Text Available Cronobacter spp. (Enterobacter sakazakii is an important pathogen contaminating powdered infant formula (PIF. To describe the genotypic diversity of Cronobacter isolated in China, we identified the isolates using fusA allele sequencing, and subtyped all of the isolates using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE, multi-locus sequence typing (MLST, and multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA. A total of 105 isolates were identified, which included C. sakazakii (58 isolates, C. malonaticus (30 isolates, C. dublinensis (11 isolates, C. turicensis (5 isolates, and C. muytjensii (1 isolate. These isolates were showed to have 85 PFGE-patterns, 71 sequence types (STs, and 55 MLVA-patterns. Comparisons among the three molecular subtyping methods revealed that the PFGE method was the most distinguishable tool in identifying clusters of Cronobacter spp. through DNA fingerprinting, and MLST method came second. However, ESTR-1, ESTR-2, ESTR-3, and ESTR-4 were not effective loci for subtyping Cronobacter spp. such that the MLVA method requires further improvement.

  9. Effect of Trichoderma isolates on tomato seedling growth response ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Trichoderma species are commonly used as biological control agents against phytopathogenic fungi and some isolates are able to improve plant growth. In this study, the effects of three Trichoderma isolates including Trichoderma harzianum isolate T969, T. harzianum isolate T447 and Trichoderma sp. isolate T in tomato ...

  10. Isolation, identification and characterization of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens BZ-6, a bacterial isolate for enhancing oil recovery from oily sludge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Wuxing; Wang, Xiaobing; Wu, Longhua; Chen, Mengfang; Tu, Chen; Luo, Yongming; Christie, Peter

    2012-06-01

    Over 100 biosurfactant-producing microorganisms were isolated from oily sludge and petroleum-contaminated soil from Shengli oil field in north China. Sixteen of the bacterial isolates produced biosurfactants and reduced the surface tension of the growth medium from 71 to treat oily sludge and the recovery efficiencies of oil from oily sludge were determined. The oil recovery efficiencies of different isolates ranged from 39% to 88%. Bacterial isolate BZ-6 was found to be the most efficient strain and the three phases (oil, water and sediment) were separated automatically after the sludge was treated with the culture medium of BZ-6. Based on morphological, physiological characteristics and molecular identification, isolate BZ-6 was identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. The biosurfactant produced by isolate BZ-6 was purified and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. There were four ion peaks representing four different fengycin A homologues. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  11. K. OXYTOCA BACTERIOPHAGES ISOLATION METHODS IMPROVEMENT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. R. Sadrtdinova

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The article presents the results of a study related to increasing the efficiency of phage isolation of bacteria of the species K. oxytoca, by developing the optimal composition of the medium used in the work. In scientific research, in almost all methods associated with the isolation of bacteriophages, meat-peptone broth and meat-peptone agar are used as the nutrient basis. The peculiarities of growth and cultivation of microorganisms create certain difficulties for the isolation of phages active against bacteria of the species K. oxytoca. The selection of components and the creation of an environment that would ensure the optimal growth of both the bacterial culture and the reproduction of the virus makes it possible to facilitate the isolation of bacteriophages. The number of bacterial strains used in the work was 7. All strains of cultures were obtained from the Museum of the Department of Microbiology, Virology, Epizootology and Veterinary and Sanitary Expertise of the Federal State Budget Educational Institution of Higher Education “Ulyanovsk State Agrarian University named after P.A. Stolypin”. The studies included 2 main stages. The first stage consisted in isolation of bacteriophages by the method of isolation from the external environment by the method of Adelson L.I., Lyashenko E.A. The material for the studies were samples: soil, sewage sample, fecal samples (2. Only 4 samples. According to the chosen method, the sowing of the putative phagolysate was carried out on meat-peptone agar (1.5% and the agar for isolating bacteriophages (Aph (1.5%. A positive result was the presence on the environment of negative colonies, clearly visible on the matt background of deep growth of bacteria. A negative result is a continuous growth (“lawn” of bacterial culture. As a control, the culture of the microorganism studied was used for the media. In the course of the conducted studies for the first stage, 2 bacteriophages were isolated, active

  12. Social Isolation, Depression, and Psychological Distress Among Older Adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Harry Owen; Taylor, Robert Joseph; Nguyen, Ann W; Chatters, Linda

    2018-02-01

    To investigate the impact of objective and subjective social isolation from extended family members and friends on depressive symptoms and psychological distress among a national sample of older adults. Data for older adults (55 years and above) from the National Survey of American Life ( N = 1,439) were used to assess level of objective social isolation and subjective social isolation and to test regression models examining their impact on depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression [CES-D] Scale) and psychological distress (Kessler 6 [K6] Scale). The majority of respondents were not socially isolated from family or friends; 5% were objectively isolated from family and friends, and less than 1% were subjectively isolated from family and friends. Regression analyses using both social isolation measures indicated that objective social isolation was unrelated to depressive symptoms and psychological distress. However, subjective social isolation from both family and friends and from friends only was associated with more depressive symptoms, and subjective social isolation from friends only was associated with higher levels of psychological distress. Assessments of social isolation among older populations should account for both subjective and objective dimensions, as well as both family and friend social networks. Social isolation from friends is an important, but understudied, issue that has significant consequences for older adult mental health.

  13. Test on large-scale seismic isolation elements, 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mazda, T.; Moteki, M.; Ishida, K.; Shiojiri, H.; Fujita, T.

    1991-01-01

    Seismic isolation test program of Central Research Inst. of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI) to apply seismic isolation to Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) plant was started in 1987. In this test program, demonstration test of seismic isolation elements was considered as one of the most important research items. Facilities for testing seismic isolation elements were built in Abiko Research Laboratory of CRIEPI. Various tests of large-scale seismic isolation elements were conducted up to this day. Many important test data to develop design technical guidelines was obtained. (author)

  14. Measuring protected-area isolation and correlations of isolation with land-use intensity and protection status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seiferling, Ian S; Proulx, Raphaël; Peres-Neto, Pedro R; Fahrig, Lenore; Messier, Christian

    2012-08-01

    Protected areas cover over 12% of the terrestrial surface of Earth, and yet many fail to protect species and ecological processes as originally envisioned. Results of recent studies suggest that a critical reason for this failure is an increasing contrast between the protected lands and the surrounding matrix of often highly altered land cover. We measured the isolation of 114 protected areas distributed worldwide by comparing vegetation-cover heterogeneity inside protected areas with heterogeneity outside the protected areas. We quantified heterogeneity as the contagion of greenness on the basis of NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) values, for which a higher value of contagion indicates less heterogeneous land cover. We then measured isolation as the difference between mean contagion inside the protected area and mean contagion in 3 buffer areas of increasing distance from the protected-area border. The isolation of protected areas was significantly positive in 110 of the 114 areas, indicating that vegetation cover was consistently more heterogeneous 10-20 km outside protected areas than inside their borders. Unlike previous researchers, we found that protected areas in which low levels of human activity are allowed were more isolated than areas in which high levels are allowed. Our method is a novel way to assess the isolation of protected areas in different environmental contexts and regions. ©2011 Society for Conservation Biology.

  15. The requirement for freshly isolated human colorectal cancer (CRC) cells in isolating CRC stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, F; Bellister, S; Lu, J; Ye, X; Boulbes, D R; Tozzi, F; Sceusi, E; Kopetz, S; Tian, F; Xia, L; Zhou, Y; Bhattacharya, R; Ellis, L M

    2015-02-03

    Isolation of colorectal cancer (CRC) cell populations enriched for cancer stem cells (CSCs) may facilitate target identification. There is no consensus regarding the best methods for isolating CRC stem cells (CRC-SCs). We determined the suitability of various cellular models and various stem cell markers for the isolation of CRC-SCs. Established human CRC cell lines, established CRC cell lines passaged through mice, patient-derived xenograft (PDX)-derived cells, early passage/newly established cell lines, and cells directly from clinical specimens were studied. Cells were FAC-sorted for the CRC-SC markers CD44, CD133, and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). Sphere formation and in vivo tumorigenicity studies were used to validate CRC-SC enrichment. None of the markers studied in established cell lines, grown either in vitro or in vivo, consistently enriched for CRC-SCs. In the three other cellular models, CD44 and CD133 did not reliably enrich for stemness. In contrast, freshly isolated PDX-derived cells or early passage/newly established CRC cell lines with high ALDH activity formed spheres in vitro and enhanced tumorigenicity in vivo, whereas cells with low ALDH activity did not. PDX-derived cells, early passages/newly established CRC cell lines and cells from clinical specimen with high ALDH activity can be used to identify CRC-SC-enriched populations. Established CRC cell lines should not be used to isolate CSCs.

  16. The waste isolation safety assessment programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brandstetter, A.; Harwell, M.A.

    1980-01-01

    Associated with commercial nuclear power production in the USA is the generation of potentially hazardous radioactive wastes. The Department of Energy (DOE), through the National Waste Terminal Storage (NWTS) Programme, is seeking to develop nuclear waste isolation systems in geologic formations that will preclude contact with the biosphere of waste radionuclides in concentrations which are sufficient to cause deleterious impact on humans or their environments. Comprehensive analyses of specific isolation systems are needed to assess the expectations of meeting that objective. The Waste Isolation Safety Assessment Programme (WISAP) has been established at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (operated by Battelle Memorial Institute) for developing the capability of making those analyses. Among the analyses required for isolation system evaluation is the detailed assessment of the post-closure performance of nuclear waste repositories in geologic formations. This assessment is essential, since it is concerned with aspects of the nuclear power programme which previously have not been addressed. Specifically, the nature of the isolation systems (e.g. involving breach scenarios and transport through the geosphere), and the time-scales necessary for isolation, dictate the development, demonstration and application of novel assessment capabilities. The assessment methodology needs to be thorough, flexible, objective, and scientifically defensible. Further, the data utilized must be accurate, documented, reproducible, and based on sound scientific principles. (author)

  17. Study on design method for seismically isolated FBR plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hirata, Kazuta; Yabana, Shuichi; Ohtori, Yasuki; Ishida, Katsuhiko; Sawada, Yoshihiro; Shiojiri; Hiroo; Mazda, Taiji

    1998-01-01

    CRIEPI conducted 'Demonstration test on FBR seismic isolation system' from 1987 to 1996 under contract with Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Japan. In the demonstration test, base isolation technologies are prepared and demonstrated to apply to FBR and the design guidelines are proposed. In this report overall contents of the design guidelines entitled Design guidelines for seismically base isolated FBR plants' are included. The design guidelines, as a rule, are limited to apply to FBR plants where entire reactor building is isolated in the horizontal direction using laminated rubber bearings as isolators. The design guidelines and its concepts, however, will be useful for the development of similar guidelines for other isolation systems using different type of isolation methods and other nuclear facilities. The design guidelines consist of three parts and appendices. The first part is 'Policy for Safety Design of Base Isolated FBR Plants' specifying the principles and the requirements in the planning and the design for the safety of base isolated FBR plants. The second part is Policy for Seismic Design of Base Isolated FBR' describing the principles and the requirements in the seismic design and the evaluation of safety for base isolated FBR plants. The third part is 'Design Methods for Seismic Isolated FBR Plants' detailing the methods, procedures and parameters to be used in the design and the evaluation of safety fro base isolated FBR plants. In appendices examples of design procedures for base isolated reactor building and laminated rubber bearings as well as various test data on laminated rubber bearings, etc. are shown. (author)

  18. Isolated Amoebic Abscess of Spleen

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kaushik M

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Amoebic liver abscess is the most common extraintestinal manifestation of amoebiasis. Extrahepatic amoebic abscesses have occasionally been described in the lung, brain, and skin and presumably result from hematogenous spread. Isolated amoebic abscess of spleen has been reported scarcely in literature. We report here a case of isolated amoebic abscess of spleen.

  19. Loneliness and Social Isolation among Eldely People

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Engin Püllüm

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Social isolation is defined as the process of people losing their contacts with other social resources or their willingness to participate. Social isolation is a grave and widespread problem among seniors in society causing many harmful health conditions. Social isolation may be prevented by defining risk factors in seniors and leading them to suitable resources. The elderly should be encouraged to share their experiences and continue to produce for as long as possible, so that they are prevented from feeling isolated from society and the continuity of their economic productivity is ensured.

  20. Social Isolation in Later Life: Extending the Conversation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weldrick, Rachel; Grenier, Amanda

    2018-03-01

    As Canada's population continues to age, social isolation among older people is a growing concern and national-level priority. Although much is known about individual-level risks and negative health outcomes associated with social isolation in later life, the impact of life course trajectories and the more collective experiences are seldom considered. Current definitions and program responses tend to rely on individualized approaches to social isolation. Here, we argue that the conversation be extended to consider the social and cultural aspects of social isolation among older people. Specifically, we suggest that definitions and approaches consider three particular dimensions: temporal factors, spatial factors, and the relationship between social isolation and exclusion. Doing so, we argue, would result in a more inclusive approach to social isolation in late life, and the development of capacity to address social isolation among a wide range of older people, particularly the needs of vulnerable or marginalized groups.

  1. Microbial Community Composition and Ultrastructure of Granules from a Full-Scale Anammox Reactor

    KAUST Repository

    Gonzalez-Gil, Graciela; Sougrat, Rachid; Behzad, Ali Reza; Lens, Piet Nl L; Saikaly, Pascal

    2014-01-01

    . Hydrogenotrophic methananogens, which scavenge the key fermentation product H2, were the most abundant archaea detected. Cells resembling the polygon-shaped denitrifying methanotroph Candidatus Methylomirabilis oxyfera were observed by electron microscopy

  2. MULTILOCUS SEQUENCE TYPING OF BRUCELLA ISOLATES FROM THAILAND.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chawjiraphan, Wireeya; Sonthayanon, Piengchan; Chanket, Phanita; Benjathummarak, Surachet; Kerdsin, Anusak; Kalambhaheti, Thareerat

    2016-11-01

    Although brucellosis outbreaks in Thailand are rare, they cause abortions and infertility in animals, resulting in significant economic loss. Because Brucella spp display > 90% DNA homology, multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was employed to categorize local Brucella isolates into sequence types (STs) and to determine their genetic relatedness. Brucella samples were isolated from vaginal secretion of cows and goats, and from blood cultures of infected individuals. Brucella species were determined by multiplex PCR of eight loci, in addition to MLST based on partial DNA sequences of nine house-keeping genes. MLST analysis of 36 isolates revealed 78 distinct novel allele types and 34 novel STs, while two isolates possessed the known ST8. Sequence alignments identified polymorphic sites in each allele, ranging from 2-6%, while overall genetic diversity was 3.6%. MLST analysis of the 36 Brucella isolates classified them into three species, namely, B. melitensis, B. abortus and B. suis, in agreement with multiplex PCR results. Genetic relatedness among ST members of B. melitensis and B. abortus determined by eBURST program revealed ST2 as founder of B. abortus isolates and ST8 the founder of B. melitensis isolates. ST 36, 41 and 50 of Thai Brucella isolates were identified as single locus variants of clonal cluster (CC) 8, while the majority of STs were diverse. The genetic diversity and relatedness identified using MLST revealed hitherto unexpected diversity among Thai Brucella isolates. Genetic classification of isolates could reveal the route of brucellosis transmission among humans and farm animals and also reveal their relationship with other isolates in the region and other parts of the world.

  3. A case of familial isolated hemihyperplasia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bacino Carlos A

    2004-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Hemihyperplasia (hemihypertrophy is defined as asymmetric body overgrowth of one or more body parts. Hemihyperplasia can be isolated or be part of well-defined syndromes such as in the case of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS. Isolated hemihyperplasia is usually sporadic, but a number of familial occurrences have been described. Case presentation We describe a Tunisian family in which three maternal cousins and their maternal grandfather present with isolated hemihyperplasia. Conclusions The etiology of isolated hemihyperplasia is unknown although in BWS, genomic imprinting has been shown to play a role in the asymmetric overgrowth. Given the similarity between these two conditions, it is possible that both may share a common pathogenesis. We also discuss the possible genetic mechanisms leading to the production of hemihyperplasia in this family.

  4. Polyketides isolated from Penicillium herquei

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marinho, Andrey Moacir do Rosario; Marinho, Patricia Santana Barbosa; Rodrigues Filho, Edson; Ferreira, Izabel Cristina Piloto

    2011-01-01

    In this work we are reporting the isolation of polyketides citreoserine (1), emodin (2), janthinone (3), dihydrocitrinone (4) and citrinin H-1 (5). The compounds were isolated by chromatographic procedures and identified by spectral methods of NMR 1D and 2D and MS. The compounds 1, 2 and 3 were tested against promastigotes of Leishmania brasiliensis. (author)

  5. Neurophysiological correlates of word processing deficits in isolated reading and isolated spelling disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakos, Sarolta; Landerl, Karin; Bartling, Jürgen; Schulte-Körne, Gerd; Moll, Kristina

    2018-03-01

    In consistent orthographies, isolated reading disorders (iRD) and isolated spelling disorders (iSD) are nearly as common as combined reading-spelling disorders (cRSD). However, the exact nature of the underlying word processing deficits in isolated versus combined literacy deficits are not well understood yet. We applied a phonological lexical decision task (including words, pseudohomophones, legal and illegal pseudowords) during ERP recording to investigate the neurophysiological correlates of lexical and sublexical word-processing in children with iRD, iSD and cRSD compared to typically developing (TD) 9-year-olds. TD children showed enhanced early sensitivity (N170) for word material and for the violation of orthographic rules compared to the other groups. Lexical orthographic effects (higher LPC amplitude for words than for pseudohomophones) were the same in the TD and iRD groups, although processing took longer in children with iRD. In the iSD and cRSD groups, lexical orthographic effects were evident and stable over time only for correctly spelled words. Orthographic representations were intact in iRD children, but word processing took longer compared to TD. Children with spelling disorders had partly missing orthographic representations. Our study is the first to specify the underlying neurophysiology of word processing deficits associated with isolated literacy deficits. Copyright © 2017 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Isolation and Characterization of Thermophilic Bacteria from Jordanian Hot Springs: Bacillus licheniformis and Thermomonas hydrothermalis Isolates as Potential Producers of Thermostable Enzymes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohammad, Balsam T; Al Daghistani, Hala I; Jaouani, Atef; Abdel-Latif, Saleh; Kennes, Christian

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was the isolation and characterization of thermophilic bacteria from hot springs in Jordan. Ten isolates were characterized by morphological, microscopic, biochemical, molecular, and physiological characteristics. Sequencing of the 16S rDNA of the isolates followed by BLAST search revealed that nine strains could be identified as Bacillus licheniformis and one isolate as Thermomonas hydrothermalis . This is the first report on the isolation of Thermomonas species from Jordanian hot springs. The isolates showed an ability to produce some thermostable enzymes such as amylase, protease, cellulose, gelatins, and lecithin. Moreover, the UPGMA dendrogram of the enzymatic characteristics of the ten isolates was constructed; results indicated a high phenotypic diversity, which encourages future studies to explore further industrial and environmental applications.

  7. Isolation and Characterization of Thermophilic Bacteria from Jordanian Hot Springs: Bacillus licheniformis and Thermomonas hydrothermalis Isolates as Potential Producers of Thermostable Enzymes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Balsam T. Mohammad

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was the isolation and characterization of thermophilic bacteria from hot springs in Jordan. Ten isolates were characterized by morphological, microscopic, biochemical, molecular, and physiological characteristics. Sequencing of the 16S rDNA of the isolates followed by BLAST search revealed that nine strains could be identified as Bacillus licheniformis and one isolate as Thermomonas hydrothermalis. This is the first report on the isolation of Thermomonas species from Jordanian hot springs. The isolates showed an ability to produce some thermostable enzymes such as amylase, protease, cellulose, gelatins, and lecithin. Moreover, the UPGMA dendrogram of the enzymatic characteristics of the ten isolates was constructed; results indicated a high phenotypic diversity, which encourages future studies to explore further industrial and environmental applications.

  8. Social isolation, drunkenness, and cigarette use among adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niño, Michael D; Cai, Tianji; Ignatow, Gabe

    2016-02-01

    This study compares isolated to sociable youth to investigate the relations between different network types of social isolation and alcohol and cigarette use. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health we developed a network measure that includes various types of social isolation. Types of social isolation were operationalized as socially avoidant, actively isolated, and socially disinterested, with sociable youth as the reference category. Random effects ordinal logit models were fit to estimate the association between different types of social isolation and drunkenness and cigarette use. Different types of social isolation had varying effects on drunkenness and cigarette use. On the one hand, socially disinterested youth were at an increased risk for drunkenness and cigarette use. On the other hand, socially avoidant youth had lower odds of drunkenness and no significant differences in cigarette use when compared to sociable youth. Actively isolated youth showed no differences in drunkenness and cigarette use. The role played by marginalized social positions in youth substance use is an important yet overlooked problem. This study can contribute to better targeted and more effective health behavior prevention efforts for vulnerable adolescents. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. High Proportions of Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter spp. Isolates in a District in Western India: A Four-Year Antibiotic Susceptibility Study of Clinical Isolates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ingvild Odsbu

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the study was to determine the proportions of multidrug-resistant (MDR Acinetobacter spp. isolates from the district of Nashik in Western India during the period from 2011–2014. Antibacterial susceptibility testing of isolates from inpatients and outpatients was performed using Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method to determine inhibitory zone diameters. Proportions of non-susceptible isolates were calculated from the antibacterial susceptibility data. MDR was defined as an isolate being non-susceptible to at least one antibacterial agent in at least three antibacterial categories. The change in proportions of MDR isolates; extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL-producing isolates; and non-susceptible isolates to specific antibacterial categories over calendar time was investigated by logistic regression. The proportions of MDR and ESBL-producing isolates ranged from 89.4% to 95.9% and from 87.9% to 94.0%; respectively. The proportions of non-susceptible isolates to aminoglycosides; carbapenems; antipseudomonal penicillins/β-lactamase inhibitors; cephalosporins; folate pathway inhibitors; or penicillins/β-lactamase inhibitors exceeded 77.5%. Proportions of fluoroquinolone and tetracycline non-susceptible isolates ranged from 65.3% to 83.3% and from 71.3% to 75.9%; respectively. No changes in trends were observed over time; except for a decreasing trend in fluoroquinolone non-susceptible isolates (OR = 0.75 (95% CI, 0.62–0.91. Significantly higher proportions of non-susceptible; MDR and ESBL-producing isolates were found among isolates from the respiratory system compared to isolates from all other specimen types (p < 0.05. High proportions of MDR Acinetobacter spp. isolates were observed in the period from 2011–2014. Antimicrobial stewardship programmes are needed to prevent the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance.

  10. Fault Detection and Isolation for Spacecraft

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Hans-Christian Becker; Wisniewski, Rafal

    2002-01-01

    This article realizes nonlinear Fault Detection and Isolation for actuators, given there is no measurement of the states in the actuators. The Fault Detection and Isolation of the actuators is instead based on angular velocity measurement of the spacecraft and knowledge about the dynamics...... of the satellite. The algorithms presented in this paper are based on a geometric approach to achieve nonlinear Fault Detection and Isolation. The proposed algorithms are tested in a simulation study and the pros and cons of the algorithms are discussed....

  11. Pre-Acting Control for Shock and Impact Isolation Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D.V. Balandin

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Pre-acting control in shock/impact isolation systems is studied. With pre-acting control, the isolation system begins to respond to an impact before this impact has been applied to the base. The limiting performance of the isolator with pre-acting control is investigated for a single-degree-of-freedom system subject to an instantaneous impact. The isolation performance index is defined as the maximum of the absolute value of the displacement of the object to be isolated relative to the base, provided that the magnitude of the control force transmitted to the object does not exceed a prescribed value. It is shown that there is a substantial advantage in the use of pre-acting isolators over isolators without pre-action. Particular attention is given to a pre-acting isolator based on a passive elastic element (a spring separating the object to be protected from the base. An example illustrates the calculation of the design parameters of such an isolator.

  12. Isolation, Characterization and Identification of Environmental Bacterial Isolates with Screening for Antagonism Against Three Bacterial Targets

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-04-01

    ISOLATES WITH SCREENING FOR ANTAGONISM AGAINST THREE BACTERIAL TARGETS 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S...Identification of environmental isolates followed the flowchart from “Bergey’s Manual of Determinative Bacteriology” (Holt et al. 1994), which

  13. Genetic characteristics of Japanese clinical Listeria monocytogenes isolates.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Satoko Miya

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes causes foodborne illnesses through consumption of ready-to-eat foods. Although 135-201annual listeriosis cases have been estimated in Japan, the details regarding the clinical isolates such as infection source, virulence level, and other genetic characteristics, are not known. In order to uncover the trends of listeriosis in Japan and use the knowledge for prevention measures to be taken, the genetic characteristics of the past human clinical isolates needs to be elucidated. For this purpose, multilocus tandem-repeat sequence analysis (MLTSA and multi-virulence-locus sequence typing (MVLST were used in this study. The clinical isolates showed a variety of genetically distant genotypes, indicating they were from sporadic cases. However, the MVLST profiles of 7 clinical isolates were identical to those of epidemic clone (EC I isolates, which have caused several serious outbreaks in other countries, suggesting the possibility that they have strong virulence potential and originated from a single outbreak. Moreover, 6 Japanese food isolates shared their genotypes with ECI isolates, indicating that there may be risks for listeriosis outbreak in Japan. This is the first investigational study on genetic characteristics of Japanese listeriosis isolates. The listeriosis cases happened in the past are presumably sporadic, but it is still possible that some isolates with strong virulence potential have caused listeriosis outbreaks, and future listeriosis risks also exist.

  14. Isolation of Geobacter species from diverse sedimentary environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coaxes, J.D.; Phillips, E.J.P.; Lonergan, D.J.; Jenter, H.; Lovley, D.R.

    1996-01-01

    In an attempt to better understand the microorganisms responsible for Fe(III) reduction in sedimentary environments, Fe(III)-reducing microorganisms were enriched for and isolated from freshwater aquatic sediments, a pristine deep aquifer, and a petroleum-contaminated shallow aquifer. Enrichments were initiated with acetate or toluene as the electron donor and Fe(III) as the electron acceptor. Isolations were made with acetate or benzoate. Five new strains which could obtain energy for growth by dissimilatory Fe(III) reduction were isolated. All five isolates are gram- negative strict anaerobes which grow with acetate as the electron donor and Fe(III) as the electron acceptor. Analysis of the 16S rRNA sequence of the isolated organisms demonstrated that they all belonged to the genus Geobacter in the delta subdivision of the Proteobacteria. Unlike the type strain, Geobacter metallireducens, three of the five isolates could use H2 as an electron donor fur Fe(III) reduction. The deep subsurface isolate is the first Fe(III) reducer shown to completely oxidize lactate to carbon dioxide, while one of the freshwater sediment isolates is only the second Fe(III) reducer known that can oxidize toluene. The isolation of these organisms demonstrates that Geobacter species are widely distributed in a diversity of sedimentary environments in which Fe(III) reduction is an important process.

  15. Genomic diversity of Escherichia isolates from diverse habitats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seungdae Oh

    Full Text Available Our understanding of the Escherichia genus is heavily biased toward pathogenic or commensal isolates from human or animal hosts. Recent studies have recovered Escherichia isolates that persist, and even grow, outside these hosts. Although the environmental isolates are typically phylogenetically distinct, they are highly related to and phenotypically indistinguishable from their human counterparts, including for the coliform test. To gain insights into the genomic diversity of Escherichia isolates from diverse habitats, including freshwater, soil, animal, and human sources, we carried out comparative DNA-DNA hybridizations using a multi-genome E. coli DNA microarray. The microarray was validated based on hybridizations with selected strains whose genome sequences were available and used to assess the frequency of microarray false positive and negative signals. Our results showed that human fecal isolates share two sets of genes (n>90 that are rarely found among environmental isolates, including genes presumably important for evading host immune mechanisms (e.g., a multi-drug transporter for acids and antimicrobials and adhering to epithelial cells (e.g., hemolysin E and fimbrial-like adhesin protein. These results imply that environmental isolates are characterized by decreased ability to colonize host cells relative to human isolates. Our study also provides gene markers that can distinguish human isolates from those of warm-blooded animal and environmental origins, and thus can be used to more reliably assess fecal contamination in natural ecosystems.

  16. Molecular and Phenotypic Characterization of Staphylococcus epidermidis Isolates from Healthy Conjunctiva and a Comparative Analysis with Isolates from Ocular Infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis A Flores-Páez

    Full Text Available Staphylococcus epidermidis is a common commensal of healthy conjunctiva and it can cause endophthalmitis, however its presence in conjunctivitis, keratitis and blepharitis is unknown. Molecular genotyping of S. epidermidis from healthy conjunctiva could provide information about the origin of the strains that infect the eye. In this paper two collections of S. epidermidis were used: one from ocular infection (n = 62, and another from healthy conjunctiva (n = 45. All isolates were genotyped by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE, multilocus sequence typing (MLST, staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec, detection of the genes icaA, icaD, IS256 and polymorphism type of agr locus. The phenotypic data included biofilm production and antibiotic resistance. The results displayed 61 PFGE types from 107 isolates and they were highly discriminatory. MLST analysis generated a total of 25 STs, of which 11 STs were distributed among the ocular infection isolates and lineage ST2 was the most frequent (48.4%, while 14 STs were present in the healthy conjunctiva isolates and lineage ST5 was the most abundant (24.4%. By means of a principal coordinates analysis (PCoA and a discriminant analysis (DA it was found that ocular infection isolates had as discriminant markers agr III or agr II, SCCmec V or SCCmec I, mecA gene, resistance to tobramycin, positive biofilm, and IS256+. In contrast to the healthy conjunctiva isolates, the discriminating markers were agr I, and resistance to chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, gatifloxacin and oxacillin. The discriminant biomarkers of ocular infection were examined in healthy conjunctiva isolates, and it was found that 3 healthy conjunctiva isolates [two with ST2 and another with ST9] (3/45, 6.66% had similar genotypic and phenotypic characteristics to ocular infection isolates, therefore a small population from healthy conjunctiva could cause an ocular infection. These data suggest that the healthy conjunctiva

  17. Design experience on seismically isolated buildings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Giuliani, G.C.

    1991-01-01

    This paper describes the practical problems associated with the structural design of seismically isolated buildings now under construction in Ancona, Italy. These structures are the first seismically isolated buildings in Italy. The Ancona region is in zone 2 of the Italian Seismic Code. It has a design acceleration of 0.07 g which corresponds to a ground surface acceleration of 0.25 g. The last significant earthquake was recorded on June 14, 1972, having a single shock-type wave with a peak acceleration of 0.53 g. Taking into account the aforesaid earthquake, the structural design of these new buildings was performed according to an acceleration spectrum which was different from the zone 2 seismic code and which provided protection for stronger ground motions. To minimize the cost of the structure, the buildings used ribbed plate decks, thus reducing the amount of material and the mass of the structures to be isolated. The design requirements, dynamic analysis performed, structural design, and practical engineering employed are reported in this paper. A comparison between the costs of a conventionally designed and a base-isolated structure is also reported. It shows a net savings of 7% for the base-isolated structure. The tests undertaken for certifying the mechanical properties of the isolators for both static and dynamic loads are also described, as is the full-scale dynamic test which is scheduled for next year (1990) for one of the completed buildings. (orig.)

  18. Loneliness, Social Isolation, and Cardiovascular Health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Ning; Li, Huige

    2018-03-20

    Social and demographic changes have led to an increased prevalence of loneliness and social isolation in modern society. Recent Advances: Population-based studies have demonstrated that both objective social isolation and the perception of social isolation (loneliness) are correlated with a higher risk of mortality and that both are clearly risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Lonely individuals have increased peripheral vascular resistance and elevated blood pressure. Socially isolated animals develop more atherosclerosis than those housed in groups. Molecular mechanisms responsible for the increased cardiovascular risk are poorly understood. In recent reports, loneliness and social stress were associated with activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis and the sympathetic nervous system. Repeated and chronic social stress leads to glucocorticoid resistance, enhanced myelopoiesis, upregulated proinflammatory gene expression, and oxidative stress. However, the causal role of these mechanisms in the development of loneliness-associated CVD remains unclear. Elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of how CVD is induced by loneliness and social isolation requires additional studies. Understanding of the pathomechanisms is essential for the development of therapeutic strategies to prevent the detrimental effects of social stress on health. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 28, 837-851.

  19. Are Isolated Indigenous Populations Headed toward Extinction?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert S Walker

    Full Text Available At least 50 indigenous groups spread across lowland South America remain isolated and have only intermittent and mostly hostile interactions with the outside world. Except in emergency situations, the current policy of governments in Brazil, Colombia, and Peru towards isolated tribes is a "leave them alone" strategy, in which isolated groups are left uncontacted. However, these no-contact policies are based on the assumption that isolated populations are healthy and capable of persisting in the face of mounting external threats, and that they can maintain population viability in the long-term. Here, we test this assumption by tracking the sizes and movements of cleared horticultural areas made by 8 isolated groups over the last 10-14 years. We used deforestation data derived from remote sensing Landsat satellite sensors to identify clearings, and those were then validated and assessed with high-resolution imagery. We found only a single example of a relatively large and growing population (c. 50 cleared ha and 400 people, whereas all of the other 7 groups exhibited much smaller villages and gardens with no sizable growth through time. These results indicated that the smaller groups are critically endangered, and it prompts an urgent re-thinking of policies toward isolated populations, including plans for well-organized contacts that may help save lives and rescue isolated indigenous populations from imminent extinction.

  20. Are Isolated Indigenous Populations Headed toward Extinction?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Robert S; Kesler, Dylan C; Hill, Kim R

    2016-01-01

    At least 50 indigenous groups spread across lowland South America remain isolated and have only intermittent and mostly hostile interactions with the outside world. Except in emergency situations, the current policy of governments in Brazil, Colombia, and Peru towards isolated tribes is a "leave them alone" strategy, in which isolated groups are left uncontacted. However, these no-contact policies are based on the assumption that isolated populations are healthy and capable of persisting in the face of mounting external threats, and that they can maintain population viability in the long-term. Here, we test this assumption by tracking the sizes and movements of cleared horticultural areas made by 8 isolated groups over the last 10-14 years. We used deforestation data derived from remote sensing Landsat satellite sensors to identify clearings, and those were then validated and assessed with high-resolution imagery. We found only a single example of a relatively large and growing population (c. 50 cleared ha and 400 people), whereas all of the other 7 groups exhibited much smaller villages and gardens with no sizable growth through time. These results indicated that the smaller groups are critically endangered, and it prompts an urgent re-thinking of policies toward isolated populations, including plans for well-organized contacts that may help save lives and rescue isolated indigenous populations from imminent extinction.

  1. Isolated microalbuminuria indicates a poor medical prognosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scheven, Lieneke; Van der Velde, Marije; Lambers Heerspink, Hiddo J; De Jong, Paul E; Gansevoort, Ron T

    2013-07-01

    Microalbuminuria is often regarded as a sign of end-organ damage due to diabetes and/or hypertension, and as such to be associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular events. It has been questioned whether isolated microalbuminuria, that is microalbuminuria in the absence of a cardiovascular disease (CVD) history, hypertension and diabetes has clinical relevance. Included were 8356 subjects who participated in the first four screening rounds of the PREVEND study, a prospective, community-based, observational cohort study. Isolated microalbuminuria was defined as microalbuminuria (30-300 mg/24 h), in the absence of a CVD history, hypertension (blood pressuredefinition of isolated microalbuminuria, in which 2250 person-years of follow-up were available. In subjects with isolated microalbuminuria, the incidence rates of cardiovascular events and mortality, hypertension and diabetes were 15.3, 28.9 and 8.9 per 1000 person-year follow-up, respectively. Subjects with isolated microalbuminuria had an increased risk for cardiovascular events and mortality [crude HR 2.23 (1.63-3.07); Phypertension [OR 1.95 (1.47-2.59); Phypertension and/or diabetes. This increased risk remained significant after adjustment for age and gender. The relative risk held by isolated microalbuminuria was similar to the relative risk held by microalbuminuria in subjects that did have a CVD history, hypertension and/or diabetes. Isolated microalbuminuria indicates a poor prognosis and warrants medical attention.

  2. RNA-Seq analysis of isolate- and growth phase-specific differences in the global transcriptomes of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli prototype isolates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hazen, Tracy H.; Daugherty, Sean C.; Shetty, Amol; Mahurkar, Anup A.; White, Owen; Kaper, James B.; Rasko, David A.

    2015-01-01

    Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) are a leading cause of diarrheal illness among infants in developing countries. E. coli isolates classified as typical EPEC are identified by the presence of the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE) and the bundle-forming pilus (BFP), and absence of the Shiga-toxin genes, while the atypical EPEC also encode LEE but do not encode BFP or Shiga-toxin. Comparative genomic analyses have demonstrated that EPEC isolates belong to diverse evolutionary lineages and possess lineage- and isolate-specific genomic content. To investigate whether this genomic diversity results in significant differences in global gene expression, we used an RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) approach to characterize the global transcriptomes of the prototype typical EPEC isolates E2348/69, B171, C581-05, and the prototype atypical EPEC isolate E110019. The global transcriptomes were characterized during laboratory growth in two different media and three different growth phases, as well as during adherence of the EPEC isolates to human cells using in vitro tissue culture assays. Comparison of the global transcriptomes during these conditions was used to identify isolate- and growth phase-specific differences in EPEC gene expression. These analyses resulted in the identification of genes that encode proteins involved in survival and metabolism that were coordinately expressed with virulence factors. These findings demonstrate there are isolate- and growth phase-specific differences in the global transcriptomes of EPEC prototype isolates, and highlight the utility of comparative transcriptomics for identifying additional factors that are directly or indirectly involved in EPEC pathogenesis. PMID:26124752

  3. Association between antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli isolates from food animals and blood stream isolates from humans in Europe: an ecological study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vieira, Antonio R; Collignon, Peter; Aarestrup, Frank M; McEwen, Scott A; Hendriksen, Rene S; Hald, Tine; Wegener, Henrik C

    2011-12-01

    In addition to medical antimicrobial usage, the use of antimicrobials in food animals contributes to the occurrence of resistance among some bacterial species isolated from infections in humans. Recently, several studies have indicated that a large proportion of Escherichia coli causing infections in humans, especially those resistant to antimicrobials, have an animal origin. We analyzed the correlation between the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in E. coli isolates from blood stream infections in humans and in E. coli isolates from poultry, pigs, and cattle between 2005 and 2008 for 11 countries, using available surveillance data. We also assessed the correlation between human antimicrobial usage and the occurrence of resistance in E. coli isolates from blood stream infections. Strong and significant correlations between prevalences of resistance to ampicillin (r=0.94), aminoglycosides (r=0.72), third-generation cephalosporins (r=0.76), and fluoroquinolones (r=0.68) were observed for human and poultry E. coli isolates. Similar significant correlations were observed for ampicillin (r=0.91), aminoglycosides (r=0.73), and fluoroquinolone resistance (r=0.74) in pig and human isolates. In cattle isolates, only ampicillin resistance (r=0.72) was significantly correlated to human isolates. When usage of antimicrobials in humans was analyzed with antimicrobial resistance among human isolates, only correlations between fluoroquinolones (r=0.90) and third-generation cephalosporins (r=0.75) were significant. Resistance in E. coli isolates from food animals (especially poultry and pigs) was highly correlated with resistance in isolates from humans. This supports the hypothesis that a large proportion of resistant E. coli isolates causing blood stream infections in people may be derived from food sources.

  4. Isolation of compounds from Sceletium tortuosum and the detection of antimalarial activity of the isolates and extracts

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Setshedi, I

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available carbons signals in the aromatic region between 108.9 ppm and 148.8 ppm. Figure 3.1: 600 MHz 1H nMr spectrum and structure of mesembrine A second isolated compound was suspected to be pinitol. this was based on the characteristics presented on tlc... and for social and spiritual purposes by San hunter-gatherers and Khoi pastoralists (Gericke and Viljoen, 2008). objectIVeS the study focused on the phytochemical isolation of compounds and biological screening of isolated constituents together with crude...

  5. The complete genome sequence of a south Indian isolate of Rice tungro spherical virus reveals evidence of genetic recombination between distinct isolates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sailaja, B; Anjum, Najreen; Patil, Yogesh K; Agarwal, Surekha; Malathi, P; Krishnaveni, D; Balachandran, S M; Viraktamath, B C; Mangrauthia, Satendra K

    2013-12-01

    In this study, complete genome of a south Indian isolate of Rice tungro spherical virus (RTSV) from Andhra Pradesh (AP) was sequenced, and the predicted amino acid sequence was analysed. The RTSV RNA genome consists of 12,171 nt without the poly(A) tail, encoding a putative typical polyprotein of 3,470 amino acids. Furthermore, cleavage sites and sequence motifs of the polyprotein were predicted. Multiple alignment with other RTSV isolates showed a nucleotide sequence identity of 95% to east Indian isolates and 90% to Philippines isolates. A phylogenetic tree based on complete genome sequence showed that Indian isolates clustered together, while Vt6 and PhilA isolates of Philippines formed two separate clusters. Twelve recombination events were detected in RNA genome of RTSV using the Recombination Detection Program version 3. Recombination analysis suggested significant role of 5' end and central region of genome in virus evolution. Further, AP and Odisha isolates appeared as important RTSV isolates involved in diversification of this virus in India through recombination phenomenon. The new addition of complete genome of first south Indian isolate provided an opportunity to establish the molecular evolution of RTSV through recombination analysis and phylogenetic relationship.

  6. The Effectiveness of Seismic Isolation System for Nuclear Equipment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Min-Kyu; Choun, Young-Sun; Seo, Jeong-Moon

    2005-04-01

    In this study, the Emergency Diesel Generator and Off-site Transformer were selected for isolation. For the selection of the most suitable base isolation system, the literature review and the numerical analysis were performed. For the decision of the parameter of isolation system, the sensitivity analysis was performed. Finally the conceptual design of each equipment was performed. In case of EDG, the Coil Spring and Viscous Damper system was selected for isolation system and 45% isolation effect was determined. For the OST, the FPS was selected and 69% isolation effect was determined

  7. The Effectiveness of Seismic Isolation System for Nuclear Equipment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Min-Kyu; Choun, Young-Sun; Seo, Jeong-Moon

    2005-04-15

    In this study, the Emergency Diesel Generator and Off-site Transformer were selected for isolation. For the selection of the most suitable base isolation system, the literature review and the numerical analysis were performed. For the decision of the parameter of isolation system, the sensitivity analysis was performed. Finally the conceptual design of each equipment was performed. In case of EDG, the Coil Spring and Viscous Damper system was selected for isolation system and 45% isolation effect was determined. For the OST, the FPS was selected and 69% isolation effect was determined.

  8. [Isolation of C. pyloridis from children].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spirina, T S; Bokser, G V; Safonova, T B; Taranenko, L A; Levitskaia, S V

    1989-01-01

    The authors analyze the findings of gastroduodenal biopsies in 25 children aged 6 to 15 years suffering from mucosal inflammations and functional abnormalities of the upper portions of the digestive tract. Chocolate agar with various bases, one of which has been suggested by the authors, has been used for the isolation of C. pyloridis. Five cultures have been isolated. Microscopic examinations and biochemical identification of the isolates have lead the authors to a conclusion that campylobacter infections of the upper digestive tract may be diagnosed with certainty only after a comprehensive bacteriologic examination.

  9. Strategies to Optimize Microbially-Mediated Mitigation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Landfill Cover Soils

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jeremy Semrau; Sung-Woo Lee; Jeongdae Im; Sukhwan Yoon; Michael Barcelona

    2010-09-30

    The overall objective of this project, 'Strategies to Optimize Microbially-Mediated Mitigation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Landfill Cover Soils' was to develop effective, efficient, and economic methodologies by which microbial production of nitrous oxide can be minimized while also maximizing microbial consumption of methane in landfill cover soils. A combination of laboratory and field site experiments found that the addition of nitrogen and phenylacetylene stimulated in situ methane oxidation while minimizing nitrous oxide production. Molecular analyses also indicated that methane-oxidizing bacteria may play a significant role in not only removing methane, but in nitrous oxide production as well, although the contribution of ammonia-oxidizing archaea to nitrous oxide production can not be excluded at this time. Future efforts to control both methane and nitrous oxide emissions from landfills as well as from other environments (e.g., agricultural soils) should consider these issues. Finally, a methanotrophic biofiltration system was designed and modeled for the promotion of methanotrophic activity in local methane 'hotspots' such as landfills. Model results as well as economic analyses of these biofilters indicate that the use of methanotrophic biofilters for controlling methane emissions is technically feasible, and provided either the costs of biofilter construction and operation are reduced or the value of CO{sub 2} credits is increased, can also be economically attractive.

  10. Real-time monitoring of methane oxidation in a simulated landfill cover soil and MiSeq pyrosequencing analysis of the related bacterial community structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xing, Zhilin; Zhao, Tiantao; Gao, Yanhui; He, Zhi; Zhang, Lijie; Peng, Xuya; Song, Liyan

    2017-10-01

    Real-time CH 4 oxidation in a landfill cover soil was studied using automated gas sampling that determined biogas (CH 4 and CO 2 ) and O 2 concentrations at various depths in a simulated landfill cover soil (SLCS) column reactor. The real-time monitoring system obtained more than 10,000 biogas (CH 4 and CO 2 ) and O 2 data points covering 32 steady states of CH 4 oxidation with 32 different CH 4 fluxes (0.2-125mol·m -2 ·d -1 ). The kinetics of CH 4 oxidation at different depths (0-20cm, 20-40cm, and 40-60cm) of SLCS were well fit by a CH 4 -O 2 dual-substrate model based on 32 values (averaged, n=5-15) of equilibrated CH 4 concentrations. The quality of the fit (R 2 ranged from 0.90 to 0.96) was higher than those reported in previous studies, which suggests that real time monitoring is beneficial for CH 4 oxidation simulations. MiSeq pyrosequencing indicated that CH 4 flux events changed the bacterial community structure (e.g., increased the abundance of Bacteroidetes and Methanotrophs) and resulted in a relative increase in the amount of type I methanotrophs (Methylobacter and Methylococcales) and a decrease in the amount of type II methanotrophs (Methylocystis). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Input-output rearrangement of isolated converters

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Mickey Pierre; Kovacevic, Milovan; Mønster, Jakob Døllner

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents a new way of rearranging the input and output of isolated converters. The new arrangement posses several advantages, as increased voltage range, higher power handling capabilities, reduced voltage stress and improved efficiency, for applications where galvanic isolation...

  12. Potential Remobilization of Toxic Anions during Reduction of Arsenated and Chromated Schwertmannite by the Dissimilatory Fe(III)-Reducing Bacterium Acidiphilium cryptum JF-5

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Regenspurg, Simona; Goessner, Anita; Peiffer, Stefan; Kuesel, Kirsten

    2002-01-01

    Schwertmannite, an iron(III)-oxyhydroxysulfate formed in acidic mining-impacted stream or lake waters often contaminated with toxic elements like arsenate or chromate, is able to incorporate high amounts of these oxyanions. Detoxification of the water might be achieved if precipitated arsenated or chromated schwertmannite is fixed in the sediment. However, under reduced conditions, reductive dissolution of iron oxides mediated by the activity of Fe(III)-reducing bacteria might mobilize arsenate and chromate again. In this study, the reduction of synthesized arsenated or chromated schwertmannite by the acidophilic Fe(III)-reducer Acidiphilium cryptum JF-5, isolated from an acidic mining-impacted sediment, was investigated. In TSB medium at pH 2.7 with glucose as electron donor, A. cryptum JF-5 reduced about 10% of the total Fe(III) present in pure synthetic schwertmannite but only 5% of Fe(III) present in arsenated schwertmannite. In contrast to sulfate that was released during the reductive dissolution of pure schwertmannite, arsenate was not released during the reduction of arsenated schwertmannite probably due to the high surface complexation constant of arsenate and Fe(III). In medium containing chromated schwertmannite, no Fe(II) was formed, and no glucose was consumed indicating that chromate might have been toxic to cells of A. cryptum JF-5. Both As(V) or Cr(VI) could not be utilized as electron acceptor by A. cryptum JF-5. A comparison between autoclaved (121 o C for 20 min) and non-autoclaved schwertmannite samples demonstrated that nearly 100%of the bound sulfate was released during heating, and FTIR spectra indicated a transformation of schwertmannite to goethite. This structural change was not observed with autoclaved arsenated or chromated schwertmannite. These results suggest that the mobility of arsenate and chromate is not enhanced by the activity of acidophilic Fe(III)-reducing bacteria in mining-impacted sediments. In contrast, the presence of

  13. Pathology of excessive production of growth hormone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scheithauer, B W; Kovacs, K; Randall, R V; Horvath, E; Laws, E R

    1986-08-01

    Since its clinical description in the last century, much progress has been made in our understanding of acromegaly. From an initial description of pituitary enlargement as just another manifestation of generalized visceromegaly, the pituitary abnormality has come to be recognized, in most instances, as the underlying aetiological factor. Gigantism and acromegaly are manifestations of disordered pituitary physiology, but the lesion responsible may be hypothalamic, adenohypophyseal or ectopic in location. The best known pathological hypothalamic basis for acromegaly is represented by a neuronal malformation or 'gangliocytoma'. It usually takes the form of an intrasellar gangliocytoma or, more rarely, a hypothalamic hamartoma. The neuronal elaboration of GHRH may play a role in the development of a growth hormone adenoma; the pituitary process may pass through an intermediate stage of somatotropic hyperplasia. When acromegaly has its basis in a pituitary abnormality, the lesion is almost exclusively an adenoma; the non-tumorous adenohypophysis shows no evidence of coexistent hyperplasia. Surprisingly, such tumours are more often engaged in the formation of multiple hormones rather than GH alone. They frequently produce not only GH and prolactin, the products characteristics of cells of the acidophil line, but also glycoprotein hormones, usually TSH. The spectrum of adenomas also varies in its degree of differentiation from a histogenetically primitive lesion, the acidophil stem cell adenoma, to well-differentiated tumours of varying cellular composition and hormone content. Each adenoma type has its clinicopathological, histochemical, immunocytological and ultrastructural characteristics. The isolation and characterization of GHRH has permitted the identification of neuroendocrine tumours, most of foregut origin, elaborating this releasing hormone. Such functional tumours induce hyperplasia of pituitary somatotrophs and may, on occasion, result in the formation of

  14. Isolated vertigo and possibility of brain ischemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mosarrezai, Arash; Toghae, Mansoureh; Majed, Masoud; Aloosh, Mehdi

    2012-08-01

    In cases of isolated vertigo, physicians are unable to definitely distinguish between central or peripheral vertigo by history and physical examination. Some central causes of isolated vertigo such as cerebellar stroke can be life-threatening and require intervention. Brain infarction can be detected shortly after the onset of clinical symptoms by using diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI). We have conducted this study to perform DWI on isolated vertigo patients with a higher probability of brain infarction. We enrolled 55 consecutive patients with isolated vertigo who had at least one cardiovascular risk factor. A questionnaire that consisted of cardiovascular risk factors was completed and DWI performed for each patient. We analyzed the association of cardiovascular risk factors with infarction as identified by DWI. Using DWI, 5 (9.1%) patients had an acute ischemic stroke. Among cardiovascular risk factors, analysis showed a significant relationship between diabetes mellitus (DM) and infarction. Isolated vertigo may occur due to the occlusion of a small artery in the area of brain circulated by the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. According to our results, DWI may be used in diabetic patients with isolated vertigo to locate a probable infarction.

  15. Seismic isolation - efficient procedure for seismic response assessement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zamfir, M. A.; Androne, M.

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this analysis is to reduce the dynamic response of a structure. The seismic isolation solution must take into consideration the specific site ground motion. In this paper will be presented results obtained by applying the seismic isolation method. Based on the obtained results, important conclusions can be outlined: the seismic isolation device has the ability to reduce seismic acceleration of the seismic isolated structure to values that no longer present a danger to people and environment; the seismic isolation solution is limiting devices deformations to safety values for ensuring structural integrity and stability of the entire system; the effective seismic energy dissipation and with no side effects both for the seismic isolated building and for the devices used, and the return to the initial position before earthquake occurence are obtained with acceptable permanent displacement. (authors)

  16. Isolated systems with wind power. Main report

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lundsager, P.; Bindner, Henrik W.; Clausen, Niels-Erik

    2001-01-01

    The overall objective of this research project is to study the development of methods and guidelines rather than "universal solutions" for the use of wind energy in isolated communities. The main specific objective of the project is to develop and present amore unified and generally applicable...... approach for assessing the technical and economical feasibility of isolated power supply systems with wind energy. As a part of the project the following tasks were carried out: Review of literature, fieldmeasurements in Egypt, development of an inventory of small isolated systems, overview of end...... for Isolated Systems with Wind Power, applicable for international organisations such as donoragencies and development banks....

  17. Isolated trochlear nerve palsy with midbrain hemorrhage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raghavendra S

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Midbrain hemorrhage causing isolated fourth nerve palsy is extremely rare. Idiopathic, traumatic and congenital abnormalities are the most common causes of fourth nerve palsy. We report acute isolated fourth nerve palsy in an 18-year-old lady due to a midbrain hemorrhage probably due to a midbrain cavernoma. The case highlights the need for neuroimaging in selected cases of isolated trochlear nerve palsy.

  18. The development of base-isolated APWR plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tanaka, T.; Nitta, T.

    2001-01-01

    The full text follows: The seismic design of nuclear power stations plays a critical role in the assurance of plant safety in Japan, and standardization of design is difficult to achieve because every site is subject to different seismic conditions. However, the introduction of seismic -isolation devices is one way to rationally achieve safety assurance and promote design standardization. Base-isolated APWR (advanced pressurized water reactor) plants were developed by applying seismic -isolation devices to APWR plants. The introduction of seismic -isolation devices, which are installed between the ground and buildings, largely decreases the effect of seismic force on buildings. Therefore, the limitation of building shape and eccentricity, which are undertaken in order to prevent the floating of buildings, could be eliminated. This permits the flexibility of building layouts, which result in a reduction of building volume. At the same time, the thickness of the buildings walls that are specific to nuclear power stations, can also be decreased except radiation shield. As for the base-isolated APWR equipment design, the rational design of support structures for equipment and pipings is possible, because the floor response acceleration is greatly reduced. For the cost reduction, it has been confirmed that the base-isolated APWR plants are more economical than traditional APWR plants even after the additionally required expenses for seismic-isolation devices are taken into account. This is primarily because of the rational design of the buildings and equipment which is possible as described above. Another advantage is that building standardization can be promoted because the seismic-isolation devices are able to control the seismic force transmitted to the buildings. This is accomplished by arranging the characteristics of the isolation devices according to the seismic conditions of each site. The introduction of these devices to nuclear power stations is nearly ready

  19. Diversity of Salmonella isolates from central Florida surface waters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McEgan, Rachel; Chandler, Jeffrey C; Goodridge, Lawrence D; Danyluk, Michelle D

    2014-11-01

    Identification of Salmonella serotypes is important for understanding the environmental diversity of the genus Salmonella. This study evaluates the diversity of Salmonella isolates recovered from 165 of 202 Central Florida surface water samples and investigates whether the serotype of the environmental Salmonella isolates can be predicted by a previously published multiplex PCR assay (S. Kim, J. G. Frye, J. Hu, P. J. Fedorka-Cray, R. Gautom, and D. S. Boyle, J. Clin. Microbiol. 44:3608-3615, 2006, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/JCM.00701-06). Multiplex PCR was performed on 562 Salmonella isolates (as many as 36 isolates per water sample) to predict serotypes. Kauffmann-White serogrouping was used to confirm multiplex PCR pattern groupings before isolates were serotyped, analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and assayed for antimicrobial susceptibility. In 41.2% of the Salmonella-positive water samples, all Salmonella isolates had identical multiplex PCR patterns; in the remaining 58.8%, two or more multiplex PCR patterns were identified. Within each sample, isolates with matching multiplex PCR patterns had matching serogroups. The multiplex patterns of 495 isolates (88.1%) did not match any previously reported pattern. The remaining 68 isolates matched reported patterns but did not match the serotypes for those patterns. The use of the multiplex PCR allowed the number of isolates requiring further analysis to be reduced to 223. Thirty-three Salmonella enterica serotypes were identified; the most frequent included serotypes Muenchen, Rubislaw, Anatum, Gaminara, and IV_50:z4,z23:-. A majority (141/223) of Salmonella isolates clustered into one genotypic group. Salmonella isolates in Central Florida surface waters are serotypically, genotypically, and phenotypically (in terms of antimicrobial susceptibility) diverse. While isolates could be grouped as different or potentially the same using multiplex PCR, the multiplex PCR pattern did not predict the Salmonella

  20. Effect of biomass concentration on methane oxidation activity using mature compost and graphite granules as substrata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, S; O'Dwyer, T; Freguia, S; Pikaar, I; Clarke, W P

    2016-10-01

    Reported methane oxidation activity (MOA) varies widely for common landfill cover materials. Variation is expected due to differences in surface area, the composition of the substratum and culturing conditions. MOA per methanotrophic cell has been calculated in the study of natural systems such as lake sediments to examine the inherent conditions for methanotrophic activity. In this study, biomass normalised MOA (i.e., MOA per methanotophic cell) was measured on stabilised compost, a commonly used cover in landfills, and on graphite granules, an inert substratum widely used in microbial electrosynthesis studies. After initially enriching methanotrophs on both substrata, biomass normalised MOA was quantified under excess oxygen and limiting methane conditions in 160ml serum vials on both substrata and blends of the substrata. Biomass concentration was measured using the bicinchoninic acid assay for microbial protein. The biomass normalised MOA was consistent across all compost-to-graphite granules blends, but varied with time, reflecting the growth phase of the microorganisms. The biomass normalised MOA ranged from 0.069±0.006μmol CH4/mg dry biomass/h during active growth, to 0.024±0.001μmol CH4/mg dry biomass/h for established biofilms regardless of the substrata employed, indicating the substrata were equally effective in terms of inherent composition. The correlation of MOA with biomass is consistent with studies on methanotrophic activity in natural systems, but biomass normalised MOA varies by over 5 orders of magnitude between studies. This is partially due to different methods being used to quantify biomass, such as pmoA gene quantification and the culture dependent Most Probable Number method, but also indicates that long term exposure of materials to a supply of methane in an aerobic environment, as can occur in natural systems, leads to the enrichment and adaptation of types suitable for those conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights