OBJECTIVE To study the preparation of seeding type immobilized microorganisms and their degradation characteristics on di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP). METHODS Diatomite, clinoptilolite, silk zeolite, and coal fly ash were chosen as reserved materials and modified. Their adsorption capacity and intensity in the bacteria were determined and the best carrier was picked out. The seeding type immobili...

Microbial ecology is the ecology of microorganisms; that is, the study of the relationship among microorganisms and between microorganisms and their environment. Millions of dollars and countless hours are currently spent by enthusiast scientists, microbiologists and bioinformaticians from all over the world to elucidate the characteristics and biological mechanisms behind the ecology of microo...

The ability of psychrophiles to survive and proliferate at low temperatures implies that they have overcome key barriers inherent to permanently cold environments. These challenges include: reduced enzyme activity; decreased membrane fluidity; altered transport of nutrients and waste products; decreased rates of transcription, translation and cell division; protein cold-denaturation; inappropri...

Cell motility in viscous fluids is ubiquitous and affects many biological processes, including reproduction, infection and the marine life ecosystem. Here we review the biophysical and mechanical principles of locomotion at the small scales relevant to cell swimming, tens of micrometers and below. At this scale, inertia is unimportant and the Reynolds number is small. Our emphasis is on the sim...

Microorganisms migrating into and through soil from sources on the land surface may cause a serious threat to both ground and surface waters. It has been estimated that microorganisms can migrate significant distances in the field. Results from various studies suggested that preferential flow through macropores, worm holes, cracks, and fractures is the main reason for such observations. However...

The purpose of this project was to build an engine that could be used to create various simulations involving programmable microorganisms. The project was written using an object-oriented language called breve. Separate object classes were created for the organisms, chemicals, sensors and emitters. Several different quorum sensing and chemotaxis simulations were created in order to test the sim...

Signal transduction is a topic that pervades the current literature, and well it should, since it encompasses studies from mitogenesis to synaptic transmis­ sion (1,19,124), Recent years have seen pieces of many cell and physiolog­ ical puzzles fall into place, and the pieces repeatedly are cell surface receptors (30, 130), G proteins (12, 13,49,63,82), second messengers (3, 6, 7, 78b, 90), and...

region of the genes, denominated HAIR (HspR associated inverted repeat). For these studies we will construct a null mutant in gen CC0081, whose phenotype will be analyzed with respect to different kinds of environmental stresses. Another objective of this project deals with the characterization of 5 ECF (extracytoplasmic function) sigma factors from Caulobacter: SigF, SigU, SigT, SigE and SigR....