Aquatic Microbial Ecology: Biochemical and Molecular Approaches

ISBN-13: 9781461279914 / Angielski / Miękka / 2011 / 190 str.

J. Rgen Overbeck; Ryszard J. Chrost

Opis

Aquatic microbial ecology, a growing interdisciplinary field, has become increasingly compartmentalized in recent years. The aim of this volume is to propose a framework for biochemical and molecular approaches, which are employed ever more widely in studies of aquatic microbial communities and ecosystem functioning. The book presents state of the art applications of modern molecular research techniques to a range of topics in ectoenzymes microbial carbon metabolism bacterial population dynamics RNA chemotaxonomy of microbial communities plasmids and adaptation to environmental conditions. Written for limnologists, marine biologists, and all researchers interested in environmental microbiology and molecular aspects of ecology, this volume will provide a stimulating introduction to this emerging field.

Spis treści

1 Introduction: Aims, Problems, and Solutions in Aquatic Microbial Ecology.- 1.1 The aims of microbial ecology.- 1.2 Novel solutions to “old” problems.- References.- 2 Origin, Composition and Microbial Utilization of Dissolved Organic Matter.- 2.1 Introduction.- 2.2 Origin and fate of dissolved organic matter.- 2.3 Concentration and characteristics of dissolved organic matter.- 2.4 Dissolved organic matter released by phytoplankton.- 2.5 Glycolic acid: a model compound of algal release.- 2.6 Dissolved free amino acids.- 2.7 Dissolved free carbohydrates.- 2.8 Polyphenols.- 2.9 Conclusions.- References.- 3 Microbial Ectoenzymes in Aquatic Environments.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 Definition of an ectoenzyme.- 3.3 Association of ectoenzymes with microbial cells.- 3.4 Ectoenzyme secretion.- 3.5 Molecular control of ectoenzyme synthesis.- 3.6 Environmental control of ectoenzyme synthesis and activity in aquatic ecosystems.- 3.7 Methods for assaying ectoenzymes.- 3.8 Significance of ectoenzymes in aquatic environments.- References.- 4 Aspects of Aquatic Microbial Carbon Metabolism: Regulation of Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase.- 4.1 Introduction.- 4.2 Basic strategies of biochemical adaptation to the environment.- 4.3 Anaplerotic reactions.- 4.4 Complexity of CO2 dark uptake.- 4.5 Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase.- 4.6 Assays, preparation and kinetic properties of phoshoenolpyruvate carboxylase.- 4.7 Regulation of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase by effectors.- 4.8 Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase.- 4.9 Concluding remarks: biochemical approaches at the ecosystem level.- References.- 5 Approaches to Bacterial Population Dynamics.- 5.1 Introduction.- 5.2 Numerical taxonomic approaches.- 5.3 Immunological approaches.- 5.4 Molecular approaches.- 5.5 Isoenzymes and genetic diversity.- 5.6 Future prospects.- References.- 6 RNA Chemotaxonomy of Bacterial Isolates and Natural Microbial Communities.- 6.1 Ecological relevance of bacterial taxonomy.- 6.2 Systematics of bacteria based on nucleic acids analysis.- 6.3 The concept of RNA chemotaxonomy.- 6.4 Methodology for the analysis of pure cultures by RNA profiles.- 6.5 General results of RNA profiles from pure cultures.- 6.6 Identification of bacterial isolates by RNA chemotaxonomy.- 6.7 Analysis of mixed bacterial cultures.- 6.8 Analysis of natural bacterial communities.- 6.9 Conclusions and future developments.- References.- 7 Plasmids and Their Role in Natural Aquatic Bacterial Communities.- 7.1 Introduction.- 7.2 Ecogenetics: a new concept of microbial ecology.- 7.3 Plasmids in natural bacterial communities of some aquatic habitats.- 7.4 Open questions.- 7.5 Molecular techniques.- 7.6 Future ecogenetics.- References.