A5050112634- Biofuel production and bioconversion
- Microbial Metabolic Engineering and Bioproduction
- Enzyme Production and Characterization
- Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Probiotics and Fermented Foods
- Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology
- Enzyme Catalysis and Immobilization
- Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Production
- Microbial bioremediation and biosurfactants
- Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens research
- Metal Extraction and Bioleaching
- Pharmacological Effects of Natural Compounds
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Landfill Environmental Impact Studies
- Mass Spectrometry Techniques and Applications
- Microbial Metabolism and Applications
- Microbial Fuel Cells and Bioremediation
- Catalysis for Biomass Conversion
- Wastewater Treatment and Nitrogen Removal
- Atmospheric and Environmental Gas Dynamics
- Microbial metabolism and enzyme function
- Enterobacteriaceae and Cronobacter Research
- Fermentation and Sensory Analysis
- Studies on Chitinases and Chitosanases
University of Calgary
2018-2021
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
2015-2017
University of Manitoba
2011-2015
The microbial production of ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass is a multi-component process that involves hydrolysis, carbohydrate transport and utilization, finally, the ethanol. Strains genus Thermoanaerobacter have been studied for decades due to their innate abilities produce comparatively high yields hemicellulose constituent sugars. However, inability hydrolyze cellulose, limits usefulness in biofuel production. As such, co-culturing spp. with cellulolytic organisms plausible...
Clostridium termitidis strain CT1112 is an anaerobic, gram positive, mesophilic, cellulolytic bacillus isolated from the gut of wood-feeding termite, Nasutitermes lujae. It produces biofuels such as hydrogen and ethanol cellulose, cellobiose, xylan, xylose, glucose, other sugars, therefore could be used for biofuel production biomass through consolidated bioprocessing. The first step in by microorganisms hydrolysis complex carbohydrates present biomass. This achieved presence a repertoire...
Abstract Clostridium thermocellum could potentially be used as a microbial biocatalyst to produce renewable fuels directly from lignocellulosic biomass due its ability rapidly solubilize plant cell walls. While the organism readily ferments sugars derived cellulose, pentose xylan are not metabolized. Here, we show that non-fermentable pentoses inhibit growth and end-product formation during fermentation of cellulose-derived sugars. Metabolomic experiments confirmed xylose is transported...
Efficient deconstruction and bioconversion of solids at high mass loadings is necessary to produce industrially relevant titers biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass. To date, only a few studies have investigated the effect on microorganisms interest for consolidated bioprocessing. Here, effects that various switchgrass Clostridium thermocellum solubilization are investigated. was grown 10 days 10, 25, or 50 g/L Avicel equivalent glucan loadings. completely consumed all loadings, but total...
Thermoanaerobacter spp. have long been considered suitable Clostridium thermocellum coculture partners for improving lignocellulosic biofuel production through consolidated bioprocessing. However, studies using "omic"-based profiling to better understand carbon utilization and producing pathways limited only a few strains thus far. To characterize electron flux in the recently isolated, xylanolytic strain, thermohydrosulfuricus WC1, label-free quantitative proteomic analyses were combined...
Growing interest in cellulolytic clostridia with potential for consolidated biofuels production is mitigated by low conversion of raw substrates to desired end products. Strategies improve are likely benefit from emerging techniques define molecular systems biology these organisms. Clostridium stercorarium DSM8532T an anaerobic thermophile demonstrated high ethanol on cellulose and hemicellulose. Although several lignocellulolytic enzymes this organism have been well-characterized, details...
Compounds such as furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) are generated through the dehydration of xylose glucose, respectively, during dilute-acid pretreatment lignocellulosic biomass also potent microbial growth fermentation inhibitors. The enzymatic reduction these furan aldehydes to their corresponding, less toxic, alcohols is an engineering approach that has been successfully implemented in both Saccharomyces cerevisiae ethanologenic Escherichia coli, but not yet investigated...
Abstract Copper-containing membrane monooxygenases (CuMMOs) are encoded by xmoCAB(D) gene clusters and catalyze the oxidation of methane, ammonia, or some short-chain alkanes alkenes. In a metagenome constructed from an oilsands tailings pond we detected xmoCABD cluster with <59% derived protein sequence identity to genes known bacteria. Stable isotope probing experiments combined specific xmoA qPCR assay demonstrated that bacteria possessing these were incapable methane assimilation,...
In this study, 12 strains of Thermoanaerobacter were isolated from a single decaying wood compost sample and subjected to genetic phenotypic profiling. The 16S rRNA encoding gene sequences suggested that the isolates most similar either pseudethanolicus or thermohydrosulfuricus. Examination lesser conserved chaperonin-60 (cpn60) universal target showed some shared highest sequence identity with T. thermohydrosulfuricus; however, others wiegelii sp. Rt8.G4 (formerly brockii Rt8.G4). BOX-PCR...
A novel member of the phylum Verrucomicrobia was isolated from an oilsands tailings pond in Alberta, Canada. Cells isolate NVTT are Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, non-pigmented, non-motile cocci to diplococci 0.5-1.0 µm diameter. The bacterium is neutrophilic (optimum pH 6.0-8.0) but alkalitolerant, capable growth between 5.5 and 11.0. temperature range for 15-40 °C 25-37 °C). Carbon energy sources include sugars organic acids. Nitrogen nitrate, urea, l-glycine, l-alanine, l-proline...
Base Mine Lake (BML) is the first full-scale demonstration end pit lake for oil sands mining industry in Canada. We examined aerobic methanotrophic bacteria over all seasons 5 years this dimictic lake. Methanotrophs comprised up to 58% of bacterial reads 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing analyses (median 2.8%), and 2.7 × 104 cells mL-1 water 0.5 103) based on qPCR pmoA genes. Methanotrophic activity populations were highest during fall turnover remained high through winter ice-covered period...