BioProject

This project is highly relevant to the DOE Missions of global carbon cycling and sequestration, biogeochemistry, and bioprospecting for novel genetic inventory. More...

This project is highly relevant to the DOE Missions of global carbon cycling and sequestration, biogeochemistry, and bioprospecting for novel genetic inventory. C1 cycling by bacteria is important in the environment for a number of reasons. Methanotrophs control methane emmisions into the atmosphere, one of the most potent greenhouse gases. In addition, many methanotrophs are potential agents in bioremediation of such hazardous pollutants as halogenated methanes, trichloroethylene (TCE) and methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE). Finally, C1 cycling is an important component in both local and global carbon cycling, and as such represents one function in global carbon cycling that must be understood to accurately predict global changes in response to a variety of environmental perturbations. Methylotrophic bacteria are of interest to the following DOE-supported Biological and Environmental Research programs: the Climate Change Research Program, as key players in maintaining the levels of major greenhouse gases such as methane and CO2 in the atmosphere; the Natural and Accelerated Bioremediation Research Program, as agents in bioremediation of such hazardous pollutants as trichloroethylene and other halogenated methanes; the Environmental Management Science Program, as major players in global cycling of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur; the Ocean Science Program, as major players in methane consumption in oceans; and the Genomics: GTL Program as carriers of specific enzyme and regulatory systems allowing unique biochemical transformation capacities important to DOE missions, such as inexpensive and efficient environmental clean-up and biodegradable plastic production potential. Genome analysis of these strategically selected set of methanotrophic strains, displaying a broad range of novel and unsuspected metabolic, structural and ecological characteristics, will provide exceptional impetus to our understanding of the diversity of methanotrophic microbes that thrive on our planet, and of their adaptive strategies for optimal exploitation of environmental resources. Less...