Pseudomonas butanovora, Mycobacterium vaccae, and Nocardioides sp. CF8 utilize distinctly different butane monooxygenases (BMOs) to initiate degradation of recalcitrant chlorinated ethenes (CEs) that pollute aquifers and soils. BMO-dependent degradation of CEs such as trichloroethylene (TCE) can lead to cellular toxicities. The type and severity of TCE transformation-dependent damage can have...
Cereal and commercial grass-seed straws are abundant plant biomass materials that are currently being considered for application in industrial processes aimed at the production of biofuels, biomaterials, and biochemicals. The carbohydrate fraction of these straws is of particular interest in this context due to its chemical functionality and relative ease...
The regulation of monooxygenase enzymes has been demonstrated in bacteria that grow on methane and long chain-length alkanes (>C10). Less is known about monooxygenase regulation in short chain alkane oxidizing bacteria that grow on intermediate chain-length alkanes C2-C10. This dissertation focuses on the regulation of butane monooxygenase (BMO) expression and...
The chemolithoautotrophic nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) participate in the
biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen by catalyzing and conserving energy from the
oxidation of nitrite (NO₂-) to nitrate (NO₃-) via a nitrite oxidoreductase (NXR). The
main objective of this work was to comparatively annotate and analyze the genome
sequences of Nitrobacter winogradskyi...
Research suggests that long-term participation in professional development is critical in helping teachers meet the increasing demands of reform efforts and changing practice (Gallucci, 2003; Darling-Hammond, 1995; Little, 1993). Understanding the influence that participation in a community of teachers as a community of practice may have on teachers’ professional growth...
Aquatic fecal contamination from non-point sources impairs environmental health and serves as a vehicle for transmission of waterborne disease, resulting in economic losses worldwide. Accurate methods of diagnosing fecal pollution and its source are needed to prevent human exposure, remediate pollution, and reduce economic impacts. In order to obtain this...
Graphium sp., a eukaryotic alkanotroph, is able to oxidize small-molecular weight gaseous n-alkanes, diethyl ether and the branched ether, methyl tert butyl ether
(MTBE). However, information regarding the biochemistry of fungal-mediated alkane and ether metabolism is limited, and questions regarding the identity of alkane oxidation catalysts and the genetic underpinnings...
Regression calibration inference seeks to estimate regression models with measurement error in explanatory variables by replacing the mismeasured variable by its conditional expectation, given a surrogate variable, in an estimation procedure that would have been used if the true variable were available. This study examines the effect of the uncertainty...
The majority of our modern understanding of bacterial pathogenesis is based on the strategy that involves screening bacterial genomes for the presence of the genes encoding pathogenic factors, and analysis of these genes via forward and reverse genetics. Chlamydiae represent a unique group of pathogenic bacteria in which it is...
Chlamydiae are obligate intracellular bacteria that infect a variety of
eukaryotic hosts and affect normal host processes. Within host cells, their
developmental cycle takes place inside non-acidified vacuoles termed inclusions. An
inclusion membrane composed primarily of secreted chlamydial synthesized proteins
called Incs encloses the inclusion. At this location, Incs have...