Systems Biology Approach to Bioremediation with Extracellular Electron Transfer
Derek R. Lovley, Radhakrishnan Mahadevan, and Kelly P. Nevin
from: Microbial Biodegradation: Genomics and Molecular Biology (Edited by: Eduardo Díaz). Caister Academic Press, U.K. (2008)
Abstract
Geobacter species are often the predominant organisms when extracellular electron transfer is an important bioremediation process in subsurface environments. Therefore, a systems biology approach to understanding and optimizing bioremediation with Geobacter species has been initiated with the ultimate goal of developing in silico models that can predict the growth and metabolism of Geobacter species under a diversity of subsurface conditions. To date, these studies have included sequencing the genomes of multiple Geobacter species and detailed functional genomic/physiological studies on one species, Geobacter sulfurreducens. Genome-based models of several Geobacter species that are able to predict physiological responses under different environmental conditions are now available. Quantitative analysis of gene transcript levels during in situ uranium bioremediation has demonstrated that it is possible to track in situ rates of metabolism and the in situ metabolic state of Geobacter in the subsurface. Initial attempts to link in silico Geobacter models with existing subsurface hydrological and geochemical models are underway. It is expected that this systems approach to bioremediation with Geobacterwill provide the opportunity to evaluate multipleGeobacter-catalyzed bioremediation strategies in silico prior to field implementation, thus providing substantial savings when initiating large-scale in situ bioremediation projects for groundwater polluted with uranium and/or organic contaminants read more ...
