Monday, April 8, 2013

Reception at ASM 2013

All Manual of Environmental Microbiology 4th edition authors and editors are cordially invited to network on Monday, May 20, 5:30 to 6:30 pm over drinks and hors d'oeurves. See you at Peak's Lounge at the top of the Hyatt Regency Denver!

Christine Charlip
Director, ASM Press

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Working Outline of MEM4

Here are the working section titles and section editors, and if available, chapter titles and authors (NOTE: subject to change):
General Methodology  
  1. Culture-Based and Physiological Detection: Yoichi Kamagata
    • General Introduction: Yoichi Kamagata
    • Improved Solid (Media) Cultivation: Peter H. Janssen, Belinda C. Ferrari
    • Dilution-to-Extinction Cultivation: Stephen J. Giovannoni, Jan-Cheon Cho
    • Anerobic Cultivation: Kohei Nakamura, Yoichi Kamagata
    • Detection of Specific Bacteria Based on Chromogenic Media: Mohammed Manafi
    • In Situ Cultivation: Slava Epstein, Yoshiteru Aoi
  2. Microscopic Methods: Cleber Ouverney
    • Introduction: Cleber Ouverney
    • NANO-SIMS: Peter Weber, Jennifer Pett-Ridge
    • Gold-FISH: Thilo Eickhost
    • Autoradiography with FISH to Study Microbial Ecophysiology in Situ: Cleber Ouverney
  3. Target-Specific Detection: Doug Call
    • Antibody-Based Biosensors and Immune-Microarray Technology: Cheryl Baird, Susan Varnum, Timothy Straub, Doug Call
    • PCR, qPCR, Digital PCR, and Isothermal Amplification: Rachel Bartholomew
    • Microarray and Bead-Coupled Detectors: Darrell Chandler
    • Field Application of Detection Techologies: H. Nakaido
  4. The Microbiotas of Environments: Next-Generation Techniques: Stefan Green
    • Next-Generation Sequencing Technologies: M.L. Metzker
    • Metagenome and High-Throughput Sequencing for Microbial Detection: James Versalovic
    • Linking Metagenome Data with Bioinformatics: Phillip Hugenholtz
    • Large-Scale Feature Prediction and Feature Annotation and Comparison in Metagenomes: E. Glass, F. Meyer
    • Evolving Standards in Metagenomics: D. Field, J. Gilbert, F. Meyer, N. Kyrpides
  5. Statistical Tools and Analysis for Environmental Studies: J. Vaun McArthur
    • Statistical Thinking: J. Vaun McArthur
    • Statistical Analysis: R. Cary Tuckfield
    • Ecological Modeling:
    • Modeling the Fate and Transport of Human Pathogens:
  6. QA/QC in Environmental Microbiology: Yildiz T. Chambers
    • Introduction: Kevin Connell
    • Bacteria: Ellen Braun-Howland
    • Viruses: Rick Danielson
    • Protozoa: Greg Sturbaum, George DiGiovanni
    • Molecular Assays: Greg Sturbaum, George DiGiovanni
    • Study Design: Robin K. Oshiro, Yildiz Chambers
  7. Sampling Methods: John Scott Meschke
    • Air Sampling: Gedi Mainelis
    • Water Sampling: Vince Hill
    • Surface Sampling: Laura Rose, Matthew Arduino
    • Soils Sampling: John Brooks
    • Wastewater and Biosolids Sampling: John Scott Meschke
Environmental Public Health Microbiology                           
  1. Water: Gary Toranzos
    • Waterborne Transmission of Infectious Agents: Sam Dorevitch (tentative)
    • Microorganisms in Freshwaters: Julie Kinzelman (tentative)
    • Microorganisms in Marine Waters: John Griffith (tentative)
    • Detection of Pathogens in Sludges, etc.: Judy Blackbeard (tentative)
    • Pathogens in Shellfish: Angelo de Paola (tentative)
    • Control of Microorganisms in Source Waters: Christobel Ferguson (tentative)
    • Assessing the Efficiency of Wastewater Treatment: Wesley Pipes (tentative)
    • Toxic Photosynthetic Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes: Wesley Pipes (tentative)
  2. Air: Mark Buttner
    • Introduction to Aerobiology: Paula Krauter
    • Sampling for Airborne Microorganisms: Sergey A. Grinshpun, Mark P. Buttner, Klaus Willeke
    • Analysis of Bioaerosol Samples: Patricia Cruz, Mark P. Buttner
    • Fate and Transport of Microorganisms in Air: Gary S. Brown, Alan Jeff Mohr
    • Airborne Fungi and Mycotoxins: Chin S. Yang, Eckardt Johanning, DeWei Li, Peter S. Thorne, Caroline Duchaine
    • Legionellae and Legionnaires' Disease: Claressa Lucas, Barry S. Fields
    • Airborne Viruses: Syed A. Satter, M. Khalid Ijaz
    • Aerobiology of Agricultural Pathoges: Estelle Levetin
  3. Soil: Ed Topp
    • Fate of Enteric Bacteria in Soils: Population Biology, Genetic Stability, and Exchange
    • Fate of Pathogenic Microorganisms in Soils
    • Natural Solid Reservoirs and Hosts for Human Pathogens; Distinguishing Soil-Adapted from Allochthonous Bacterial Populations
  4. Microbial Source Tracking: Valerie J(ody) Harwood
    • MST: An Evolving Science: V.J. Harwood, Chick Hagedorn, Michael Sadowsky
    • Validating MST Methods: Don Stoeckel, John Griffith
    • Overview of Existing MST Methods Targeting Human Sources: Orin Shanks, Kate Field, Anicet Blanch, Jennifer Weidhaas, Jorge Santo Domingo
    • Field Study Planning and Implementation: Julie Kinzelman, Warish Ahmed
  5. Microbial Risk Assessment: Nicholas Ashbolt
    • Problem Formulation and the Risk Management Context: Nicholas Ashbolt (tentative)
    • Exposure Characterization: Schoen & Ashbolt (tentative)
    • Dose-Response Characterization: Haas (tentative)
    • Risk Characterization, Interpretation, and Uncertainties: Rose (tentative)
Microbial Ecology                            
  1. Theory: Larry Forney
    • Genome Evolution (Phylogenomics): Tal Dagan
    • Evolutionary Ecology of Microbial Populations: Jay Lennon
    • Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning in Bacterial Communities: Thomas Bell
    • Theoretical Community Ecology: Zhansham (Sam) Ma
  2. Aquatic Environments: Bob Findlay
    • The Microbial Ecology of Benthic Environments: Bob Findlay, Tom Battin
    • Planktonic--Lakes, Oceans: J. Fuhrman
    • Acquatic Biofilms: Development, Cultivation, Sampling, Analyses, and Applications: G. Wolfaardt, John Lawrence
  3. Soils, Phytosphere and Subsurface: G. Kowalchuk
    • Phyllosphere: Julia Verholt
    • Rhizosphere: Noel Frierer
    • Soil Microbial Diversity and Function with Respect to Biogeography: Rob Griffiths
    • Microbial Succession, Colonization, and Activity in the Phytosphere: G. Kowalchuk
  4. Extreme Environments: Brian Hedlund
    • Life at High Temperature: Brian Hedlund
    • Arctic/Antarctic Systems: Alisaon Murray, Henry Sun (tentative)
    • Extremely Acidic Systems: Barrie Johnson
    • Life in High-Salinity Environments: Aharon Oren
    • Deep Subsurface: Mark Schrenck
    • Ultraclean Rooms for Planetary Protection: Kasthuri Venkateswaran
    • Extreme Aridity/Exobiology: Chris McKay
  5. Animal-Gut Microbiomes: J.R. Marchesi
    • Invertebrate-Gut Associations: Daniele Daffonchio
    • Human: Hauke Smidt, Paul W. O'Toole, J.R. Marchesi
    • Animal Guts: Mark Morrison, Christ McSweeney, Richard Ellis, Liljana Petrovska
Bioremediation, Biotransformation, and Biofuels                             
  1. Biodegradation:
    • Aromatic organics: Aerobic Biodegredation:
    • Halogenated Organics: Anaerobic Biodegradation: Max Haggblom
    • Microbial Electrochemical Technologies: Producing Electricity and Valuable Chemicals from Biodegredation of Waste Organic Matters: Tae-Ho Lee, Akihiro Okamoto, Sokhee Jung, Ryuhei Nakamura, Jung Rae Kim, Kazuya Watanabe, Kazuhito Hashimoto
    • Biofuels from Algae:
    • Appliation of Emerging Technologies in Biodegredation (Metagenomics, Proteomics, Stable Isotope Probing):
    • Natural Polymers: Lignin, Cellulose, Keratin, Chitosan:
    • Synthetic Polymers and Industrial Wastes: Dyes, Detergents, Plastics
    • Pharmaceuticals: Biodegradation in Aquatic Systems 
  2. Biotransformation: Chris Rensing
    • Metal Transformation: Mercury: Tamar Barkay
    • Metal Transformations Linked to Resistance Processes: Barry Rosen
    • Breathing Metals and Use as Terminal Electron Acceptor: Tom DiChristina
    • Metals for Energy Production: Derek Lovely
    • Metals and Geochemical Cycling: Tim McDermott
    • Metal Transformation at the Organic/Inorganic Interface: Jon Chorover
    • Iron and Microbial Life--From the Beginning to the Present Day: Timothy Magnuson
    • Restoration fo Metal(loid) Contaminated Soil: Timberley M. Roane
                               

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

*Revised schedule for MEM4*


                                         SCHEDULE FOR MEM4  revised March 2013

Publication date: March 2015


Volume Editors (VEs) and Section Editors (SEs) in place:              30 April 2012

Authors chosen by:                                                                             1 June 2012

Page limits and schedule to authors by:                                            8 June 2012

Editors meeting at ASM 2012                                                         16 June 2012

TOC final:                                                                                          1 April 2013

Deadline for authors to send chapter outlines to SEs:                      29 April 2013

SEs touch base with authors about deadline for submission of

            manuscripts:                                                                           6 May 2013

VEs hold conference calls with SEs to assess status of chapters:    May/June 2013

 Online system begins accepting manuscript submissions                1 September 2012

Conference call among Editor in Chief, VEs, and ASM Press:        early July 2013

 
Deadline for submission of manuscripts to online system for review:        29 July 2013

 
Turnaround time for revision and return of final manuscripts to SEs

(once author receives reviews from SE):                              2-4 weeks*

SEs send their reviews to authors:                                                     by 26 August 2013

Authors get their revised mss. back to SEs by:                                 30 September 2013

 
LAST of the final accepted manuscripts to ASM:                           4 November 2013

 
*Can be extended for chapters where major revisions are needed.

Significant benchmark dates are highlighted.



Notes on the production schedule:

·       These are the general time frames for tasks after manuscripts are accepted.

·       Tasks are coordinated by Production Editor (PE) John Bell, who will be working on multiple books in addition to MEM4.

·       Chapters will be processed on a continuous basis; some chapters will be in proof while others are being copyedited or aren’t even final.

·       Chapters will not be typeset in numerical order.

Chapter outline: Iron and Microbial Life—from the Beginning to the Present Day


Proposed title: Iron and Microbial Life—from the Beginning to the Present Day

 
Chapter no.:                 _____________

 
Author:                            TS Magnuson

 
1.     Introduction

1.1.  An earth history of microbial life with metals

1.2.  Overall biogeochemical significance

1.3.  Importance of Fe transformation on early and present earth

1.4.  Evolution of mechanisms of microbial iron respiration

1.5.  Link to present day processes

2.     The present state of knowledge

2.1.1.     Geobacter and Shewanella

2.2.  Other microbial systems

2.2.1.     Desulfovibrio, thermophilic, extremophilic microbes studied thus far

2.3.  Methods for cultivation and study of Fe transforming microbes

2.3.1.     Use of proper substrates-solid vs. soluble Fe

2.3.2.     Biofilm physiology studies

2.4.  Genomics of Fe-transformation

2.4.1.     Methods used in genomic and proteomic studies

2.4.2.     Common genome features among Fe transforming microbes

2.5.  Biochemistry and physiology of Fe transformation

2.5.1.     Methods applied in the study of biochemistry/physiology

2.5.2.     The biofilm matrix—a redox active interface between cells and the mineral substrate

2.5.3.     Redox proteins involved in Fe transformation

2.5.4.     Other potential mechanisms

2.5.4.1.          Shuttles and redox partner bacteria

2.5.5.     Common themes among Fe transforming bacteria

2.6.  Areas of controversy

2.6.1.     Nanowires, membrane vesicles, and the biofilm matrix

2.6.2.     Gram positive and archaeal systems

3.     The happy consequences of microbial Fe transformation

3.1.  Transformation and bioremediation of toxic metals

3.2.  Cr and U transformation mechanisms

3.3.  Mechanisms and relatedness to Fe transformation activity

4.     The great beyond—Future directions for research

4.1.  Exploration of extremophilic microbial Fe transformation systems

4.2.  Bioremediation

4.3.  A common theme for microbial Fe transformation?

5.     Acknowledgments

6.     References

 

 

Chapter outline: Breathing Metals: Molecular Mechanism of Microbial Metal Respiration

Proposed title: Breathing Metals: Molecular Mechanism of Microbial Metal Respiration

Chapter no.:   ____________

Author:           Thomas DiChristina


A. Direct enzymatic pathway

 
1. Genetic and biochemical studies of Shewanella oneidensis genes and proteins

required for direct enzymatic metal reduction

2. Evidence of cytochrome localization on S. oneidensis outer membrane

3. Predicted structure and proposed mechanism of external electron transfer via

outer membrane metal-reducing, porin-cytochrome complex

4. Functions of porin-cytochrome complex in other bacterial species

5. Gaps in knowledge and future research directions

 
B. Electron-shuttling pathway

 

1. Discovery of electron shuttling compounds

2. Endogenous and exogenous electron shuttling compounds

3. Soluble and solid electron shuttling compounds

4. Electron shuttling mechanism and rate limiting step in microbial metal respiration

5. Gaps in knowledge and future research directions


C. Metal solubilization pathway

 

1. Introduction to metal-ligand chemistry

2. Chemical basis of metal solubilization by organic ligands

3. Metal solubilization by siderophores produced by aerobic microorganisms

4. Metal solubilization by organic ligands produced by S. oneidensis under

anaerobic, metal-reducing conditions

5. Gaps in knowledge and future research directions


D. Nanowire pathway

 

1. Overall strategy for electron transfer via nanowires produced by S. oneidensis

2. Nanowire structure and proposed mechanism of electron transfer via nanowires

3. Nanowire networks between bacteria

4. Nanotechnological applications of nanowires

5. Gaps in knowledge and future research directions

Monday, February 4, 2013

Chapter outline: Life at High Temperature


Proposed title:  Life at High Temperature    Chapter no.: _______

Author(s):       Brian P. Hedlund

                        Greg Fullmer Associate Professor of Life Sciences

School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas

                        89154 Las Vegas, NV, USA

                        Phone:  702-895-0809

Fax: 702-895-3956       

                        E-mail: brian.hedlund@unlv.edu

 

                        Jeremy A. Dodsworth

School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas

                        89154 Las Vegas, NV, USA

                        Phone:  702-895-0809

Fax: 702-895-3956       

                        E-mail: jeremy.dodsworth@unlv.edu

 

                        Chuanlun Zhang

Department of Marine Sciences, University of Georgia

166 Marine Sciences Building

Athens, GA 30602-3636

                        Phone:  (706) 542-3034

                        FAX Number: (706) 542-5888

                        archaea.zhang@gmail.com

 

Proposed topics

1) Diversity of high temperature environments.

- Continental (liquid water and vapor-condensation systems; volcanically active areas, tectonically driven systems, influence of climate and hydrologic setting, deep subsurface).

- Marine (on-axis, off-axis systems). - Other systems (briefly: coal piles, compost, industrial cooling and heating, subsurface).

2) Definitions, upper temperature limits of domains, and polyextremophiles.

- Hyperthermophiles and thermophiles - distinguishing growth from survival. - Upper temperature limits of domains.

- Polyextremophiles and their habitats - thermoacidophiles, thermophilic piezophiles.

3) Diversity of extremely and moderately thermophilic microorganisms: Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya.

      - Phylogenetic diversity - transition to specific thermophilic lineages around 80°C.

      - Physiological diversity.

4) Modes of adaptation of microorganisms to life at high temperature.

      - Nucleic acids (positive supercoiling, GC content in nontranscribed RNAs)

- Lipids (membrane-spanning lipids, cyclization, ether  and ester linkages)

      - Proteins

      - Adaptations to instability of small molecules

      - Cytoplasm (compatible solutes)

5) Effect of high temperature on microbial community diversity and structure.

      - Increase in temperature leads to loss of diversity, simplification of communities.

      - Quantitative relationships between high temperature and microbial diversity.

      - Loss of diversity translates into loss of ecosystem functions.

6) Effect of temperature on ecosystem functioning and biogeochemical cycles.

      - Photosynthetic/chemosynthetic transition.

      - Carbon cycle. Distinguishing features of the high temperature cycle.

      - Nitrogen cycle. Distinguishing features of the high temperature cycle.

7) Recent developments and future directions.

      - Impact of genomics approaches (e.g. “dark matter” lineages)

      - Need for more in situ measurements (from biomarkers to activities)

      - Need for more dynamic studies (from snapshots to movies)

  

Chapter Highlights

The following concepts will be conveyed in this chapter:

1. The high temperature biome is extensive and diverse. It is inhabited by a physiologically and phylogenetically diverse group of microorganisms. Above ~80°C the microbial community is composed entirely of thermophilic phylum- and class-level lineages.

2. A variety of molecular adaptations to high temperature exist, including adaptations to protect macromolecules (nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins), to decrease molecular motion in the cytoplasm, and to address the instability of small molecules at high temperature.

3. High temperature leads to a loss of diversity, which leads to loss of ecosystem function, including a key transition from photosynthetic communities to chemosynthetic communities. Temperature impacts all biogeochemical cycles in ways that are currently poorly understood.

4. Current and future advancements include the discovery of the function of major, uncultivated lineages, so-called “biological dark matter,” and an increased focus on the effect of high temperature on ecosystem function.

Chapter outline: Microbial life in extreme low-biomass environments–a genetic approach


Proposed title:  Microbial life in extreme low-biomass environments – a genetic approach

Chapter no.: _________

 

Author(s):                      Venkateswaran, K., M.T. La Duc, P. Vaishampayan, and J.A. Spry

                                         Jet Propulsion Lab, California Institute of Technology

                                         M/S: 89-2; Biotechnology and Planetary Protection

                                         4800, Oakgrove Dr., Pasadena, CA 91109

Correspondence:         kjvenkat@jpl.nasa.gov; Tel: (818) 393-1481; Fax: (818) 393-4176

 

Proposed topics


1.      ATP as a biomarker of viable microorganisms in clean-room facilities.



4.      Differential recovery of phylogenetically disparate microbes from spacecraft-qualified metal surfaces.

B.     Cultivable and problematic microbes of spacecraft and associated surfaces

5.      Microbial characterization of the Mars Odyssey spacecraft and its encapsulation facility.


7.      Recurrent isolation of extremotolerant bacteria from the clean room where Phoenix spacecraft components were assembled.

8.      Extreme spore UV resistance of Bacillus pumilus isolates obtained from an ultraclean spacecraft assembly facility.

9.      Recurrent isolation of hydrogen peroxide-resistant spores of Bacillus pumilus from a spacecraft assembly facility.


10.   Survival of spacecraft-associated microorganisms under simulated martian UV irradiation.



13.   Rapid inactivation of seven Bacillus spp. under simulated Mars UV irradiation.

14.   Paradoxical DNA repair and peroxide resistance gene conservation in Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032.


15.   Molecular microbial community structure of the Regenerative Enclosed Life Support Module Simulator air system.

16.   Impact of assembly, testing, and launch operations on the airborne bacterial diversity within a spacecraft assembly facility clean-room.



19.   Diversity of anaerobic microbes in spacecraft assembly clean rooms.

20.   Archaeal diversity analysis of spacecraft assembly clean rooms.

21.   Comprehensive Census of Bacteria in Clean Rooms by Using DNA Microarray and Cloning Methods.

22.   Comparison of Innovative Molecular Approaches and Standard Spore Assays for Assessment of Surface Cleanliness.

23.   High-density 16S microarray and clone library-based microbial community composition of the Phoenix spacecraft assembly clean room.

24.   Pyrosequencing-derived bacterial, archaeal, and fungal diversity of spacecraft hardware destined for Mars.


 

Chapter Highlights

The following concepts will be conveyed in this chapter:

       I.          Effectiveness of sample collection methods and efficacy of sample processing in measuring molecular microbial community of low biomass surfaces

     II.          Are molecular methods comprehensive enough to measure microbial diversity?

    III.          Are clean surfaces selectively enriching subset of microbial population?