Meta-omics of Microbial Communities Involved in Bioremediation
This research seeks to advance our fundamental understanding of microbial communities that are capable of bioremediating environmental contaminants. We will apply systems biology approaches to study biodegradation abilities and interactions within microbial communities that remediate two water contaminants, trichloroethene (TCE) and 1,4-dioxane (dioxane), both of which are common problems at Superfund sites.
Despite broadly dissimilar biodegradation mechanisms, the bioremediation processes for TCE and dioxane both rely upon the activities of mixed microbial communities for achieving effective remediation goals. Consequently, there is a need for comprehensive and effective approaches to assess, predict, and optimize the performance of these complex microbial communities. Key functional degraders involved in these bioremediation processes, such as Dehalococcoides spp. for TCE dechlorination and Pseudonocardia spp. for dioxane degradation, have been studied in pure cultures, and mechanistic understanding of the degradation pathways have been elucidated. Although useful, such a reductionist understanding of key degrading microorganisms is not directly applicable to microbially diverse environmental samples. The lack of a comprehensive understanding of the effects of microbial community structure and its physiological characteristics on the capabilities of key degrading microorganisms is a barrier to progress in the field. In addition, there is a need to develop quantitative predictive tools for bioremediation assessment and process control.
Therefore, this project will focus on a holistic understanding of the population dynamics, metabolisms and functional interactions that shape the bioremediation of Superfund contaminants. This research will pioneer meta-omics approaches to elucidate microbial community structure-function relationships within complex systems, leading to improved abilities to design and optimize bioremediation processes, which, in turn, will decrease the cost and time required for remediation and reduce the exposure associated with groundwater contamination.
In this research, we will examine communities using a variety of high-throughput molecular biology tools, such as metagenomic analysis of isotopically enriched DNA (combination of stable isotope probing and next generation sequencing technology) or application of microarray hybridization using custom-designed microarrays.
Funded by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS - Superfund Research Program)
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Metabolic Degradation of 1,4-dioxane by Pseudonocardia Dioxanivorans Strain CB1190: Genomic and Post-genomic Studies
Oxygenase-Catalyzed Biodegradation
of Emerging Water Contaminants: 1,4-Dioxane and N-Nitrosodimethylamine
Quantifying Gene Expression to Predict and Optimize Reductive Dechlorination by Dehalococcoides spp.
Application of Microarrays to Identify Biomarkers of Reductive Dehalogenating-Microbial Communities
Using Molecular and Isotopic Tools to Characterize the Biodegradation of Chlorinated Ethenes and Ethanes
Characterizing the fate and biotransformation of fluorochemicals in aqueous film forming forms (AFFF)
Corrinoid coenzyme requirement for effective TCE bioremediation using Dehalococcoides
Meta-omics of Microbial Communities Involved in Bioremediation
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