2015 ABRF Metagenomics Research Group

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

2015 ABRF Metagenomics Research Group 2015 ABRF Metagenomics Research Group The Extreme Microbiome Project (XMP) and Development of New Standards for Metagenomics and Microbiome Applications Scott Tighe University of Vermont Overview • About the MGRG • Mission Statement • Membership • Collaborators and Contributors • Current Projects • Development of Microbial Reference Standards • Development of a multi-lytic enzyme mix (with Sigma) • Development and evaluation of metagenomics preservatives • The Extreme Microbiome Study (XMP) • Study Sites • Methods • Bioinformatics • Data About the MGRG • New research group proposed and approved in March 2014 • Started recruiting members at the general meeting 2014 in Albq. • First was Kelley Thomas • Includes an Analytics group, Bioinformatics, and “Earth sciences” • Microbiologists, geneticists, computational biologist, geochemists, oceanographers, ecologists. • Focus on developing reference standards and reagents which are currently lacking in microbiome studies. • Development of standardized techniques and protocols • Working with corporates partners for developing new kits and reagents • Study extreme and unique environments with whole genome shotgun sequencing for metagenomics and metatranscriptomic approaches. Mission Statement The goals of the Metagenomic Research Group is to evaluate, study, and refine methodologies related to any aspect of metagenomics and microbiome studies. This includes study designs, controls, detection methods, and bioinformatics pipelines and software. The overall intent of ABRF MGRG is to assist in the advancement of the science of Metagenomics with the result of generating more accurate results and standard methods. Membership • Scott Tighe (Chair) University of Vermont • Ebrahim Afshinnekoo Weill Cornell Medical College • Nadim Ajami Baylor University • Don Baldwin MicroPath ID Diagnostics • Nathan Bivens University of Missouri • Russ Carmical UTMB - Galveston • Stefan J Green University of Illinois at Chicago • Samantha Joye University of Georgia • Jodie Lee American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) • Shawn Levy HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology • Christopher Mason Weill Cornell Medical College • Ken McGrath Australian Genome Research Facility • Natalia G. Reyero Vinas MIssissippi State University • Matthew L Settles University of Idaho • Kelley Thomas University of New Hampshire • Noah Alexander Weill Cornell • Tim C Hunter (ABRF EB Liaison) University of Vermont Collaborators and Contributors • Diana Krawczyk Greenland Institute of Natural Resources • Jill Mikucki University of Tennessee • Svein-Ole Mikalsen University of Faroe Islands • John M Lizamore Dept of Parks and Wildlife Don Cater Western Australia Government Industry Partners and Contributors • Craig Rowell Illumina Corp Special Projects Coordinator • Aaron Sin Sigma Chemical Bob Gates • Liz Kerrigan American Type Culture Collection Jodie Lee • Carlos Merino DNA Genotek Aaron Del Duca • Nezar Rghei Norgen Biotek Corp. What are the Challenges with Metagenomics and where can the MGRG help ? DNA Extraction Efficiency DNA extraction efficiency is highly variable . Believe it or not, a bacteria or fungus that you can grow, might not release any DNA or RNA and will be missed . No Standard method . Different techniques have varying yields . No standard Enzyme Mix…MACL4 ABRF Nucleic Acids Research Group 2012-2013 Study Evaluating DNA Extraction Methods for Metagenomic Analysis V. Nadella1, J. Holbrook2, R. Carmical3, M. Robinson4, C. Rosato5, H. Auer6, N. Beckloff7, Z. Herbert8, S. Chittur9, A. Perera10 , W. Trimble11, S. Tighe12 1Ohio University, 2Nemours/A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children, 3University of Texas Medical Branch, 4 University of Zurich, Switzerland, 5Oregon State University, 6Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Barcellona, Spain, 7Case Western Reserve University, 8Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 9University at Albany-SUNY, 10 Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 11Argonne National Laboratory, 12University of Vermont. Current Challenges with Metagenomics . Library Amplification . GC bias . Sample loss due to clean up . Amplifying targets genes . 16s rDNA, ITS, or gyrase B (gyrB) . Primer Non-coverage can bias . ANAF- Aseptic Nucleic Acid Free . Filter Funnels . Bottles . Lack of Preservatives Coverage evaluation of universal bacterial primers using the . Software metagenomic datasets Dan-Ping Mao, Quan Zhou, Chong-Yu Chen and Zhe-Xue Quan BMC Microbiology 2012, 12:66 Reference Standards are rare as Hen’s Teeth • Human Microbiome project control- BEI-ATCC • http://www.beiresources.org/Catalog.aspx?q=HM-276D [or HM-782D] • Mock gDNA communities with even amounts 0.08 ng/μL of Acinetobacter baumannii§ 0.10 ng/μL of Actinomyces odontolyticus§ 0.04 ng/μL of Bacillus cereus§ 0.08 ng/μL of Bacteriodes vulgatus§ 0.04 ng/μL of Clostridium beijerinckii‡ 0.10 ng/μL of Deinococcus radiodurans§ 0.07 ng/μL of Enterococcus faecalis§ 0.09 ng/μL of Escherichia coli£ 0.03 ng/μL of Helicobacter pylori† 0.05 ng/μL of Lactobacillus gasseri‡ 0.06 ng/μL of Listeria monocytogenes§ 0.09 ng/μL of Neisseria meningitidis† 0.16 ng/μL of Propionibacterium acnes§ 0.14 ng/μL of Pseudomonas aeruginosa£ 0.06 ng/μL of Rhodobacter sphaeroides£ 0.05 ng/μL of Staphylococcus aureus§ 0.03 ng/μL of Staphylococcus epidermidis§ 0.04 ng/μL of Streptococcus agalactiae§ 0.06 ng/μL of Streptococcus mutans§ 0.04 ng/μL of Streptococcus pneumoniae§ Microbial Reference Standards • Initially developed by Nucleic Acid Research group • Arrangements between ATCC and ABRF-MGRG • gDNA and Whole cell microbial reference Standard • gDNA with known number of genomic copies –dPCR • Whole Cell with known concentrations of each species • Initially Class I genomes only. Classes II and III will be assembled later • Additional standards will include Eukaryotic Class I: Contains few repetitive sequences except for the ribosomal operons (5-7 kbp); can be reliably sequenced using short reads Class II: Contains many repetitive sequences, such as insertion elements, but none greater than 7 kbp; a PacBio can provide a complete assembly, but short reads will offer fragmented contigs Class III: Contains large repetitive sequences of >7 kb PacBio will offer a higher quality but will not be able to provide a complete genome http://genomebiology.com/2013/14/9/R101 Microbial Reference Standard • Used as a stand alone QC tool or Matrix spike • Determined DNA extract efficiency • Determine library amplification biases • Deterimine Bioinformatics parameters and cross reaction Class I Genomes ABRF MGRG Bacteria List Gram Positive Genome repeats Total genome M/O GC content Growth Methods Group BCL sim_2167 Class 1 55 5110 2564615 Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228 32.8 Standard Firma 1 sim_30 Class 1 91 5260 4170008 Halobacillus halophilus 35676 ATCC 46.8 MBA2216 Firma 1 sim_103 Class 1 65 4153 2501097 Micrococcus luteus NCTC 2665 ATCC 4698 72 Standard Actinob 1 Gram Negative Genome repeats Total genome M/O GC content Growth Methods Group BCL sim_1596 Class 1 77 5463 4639675 Escherichia coli str. K-12 substr. MG1655/atcc 700926 50.8 Standard gamma 1 sim_81 Class 1 35 5825 6845832 Pseudomonas fluorescens F113 (ATCC® 13525) 61.4 Standard Gamma 1 sim_1114 Class 1 28 5821 3850272 Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis ATCC 14393 40.10% MBA2216 1 Pseudomonas E. coli Micrococcus Pseudoalteromonas Halobacillus Staphylococcus Oxford Nanopore Minion Data (MAP) • DNA extracted from each organism and mixed equal nMoles based on Qubit, 1 ug run in duplicate on Version 7.3 flow cells, Standard Shearing as per MAP program • Analysis of "2D" read • 534 reads for 612,038bp. Mean length was 1,146bp. Ranged from 200 to 8,299bp • MetaPhlan produced no matches. Data still too noisy. • BWA-MEM was used to force align to the six species. Ont2d Yogesh lastz • Pseudomonas flourescens: 43 • E. coli: 82 • Halobacillus halophilus: 71 • Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis: 20 • Staphylococcus epidermidis: 3 • Micrococcus luteus: n/a DNA/RNA Extraction –Enzymes and Lasers? • Multi-lytic Enzyme Mix for Digestion of Cell Walls The MRGR is collaborating with Sigma Chemical develop a multi- enzyme product that may include • Achromopeptidase • Mutanolysin MAC4L Polyzyme • Chitinase • Lyticase • Current Extraction Reagents need higher efficiency • ANAF Filter funnels with PC NTE membranes. Metagenomic Preservatives • Have Multiple discussion with Polysciences, DNA Genotek, and NorGen Biosciences. • Testing DMSO and Ethanol currently on Lake Hillier samples. Many others. No Data Yet Extreme Microbiome Project (XMP) • What is the Extreme Microbiome Project? • A microbiome project that studies extreme and novel ecosystems • What sites are being studied • Any site that is deemed extreme and unique • Why have a dedicated Microbiome project • The MGRG efforts will need real world samples to establish standardized protocols. Extremophilic samples are perfect to worst case • What makes the project different • Whole genome shotgun sequencing PE 2x250 Illumina and Some PacBio and Oxford Nanopore. Both RNA and DNA will be included Future Sites in Antarctica include the hyper-oxide saline rich Blood Falls and Hyper-saline lakes. Expeditions of Mandy Joye (MGRG member) and Jill Mikucki (University of Tenn/Middlebury College) Blood Falls of the Taylor Valley Hyper-saline lakes of Antarctica Antarctica Results of XMP XMP Bioinformatics tools • BLAST (http://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Blast.cgi) • MetaPhlAn (https://bitbucket.org/biobakery/metaphlan2) • Kraken (https://ccb.jhu.edu/software/kraken/) • PhyloSift (https://phylosift.wordpress.com/) • GOTTCHA
Recommended publications
  • Management Plan For
    Measure 8 (2013) Annex Management Plan for Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) No.138 Linnaeus Terrace, Asgard Range, Victoria Land Introduction Linnaeus Terrace is an elevated bench of weathered Beacon Sandstone located at the western end of the Asgard Range, 1.5km north of Oliver Peak, at 161° 05.0' E 77° 35.8' S,. The terrace is ~ 1.5 km in length by ~1 km in width at an elevation of about 1600m. Linnaeus Terrace is one of the richest known localities for the cryptoendolithic communities that colonize the Beacon Sandstone. The sandstones also exhibit rare physical and biological weathering structures, as well as trace fossils. The excellent examples of cryptoendolithic communities are of outstanding scientific value, and are the subject of some of the most detailed Antarctic cryptoendolithic descriptions. The site is vulnerable to disturbance by trampling and sampling, and is sensitive to the importation of non-native plant, animal or microbial species and requires long-term special protection. Linnaeus Terrace was originally designated as Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) No. 19 through Recommendation XIII-8 (1985) after a proposal by the United States of America. The SSSI expiry date was extended by Resolution 7 (1995), and the Management Plan was adopted in Annex V format through Measure 1 (1996). The site was renamed and renumbered as ASPA No 138 by Decision 1 (2002). The Management Plan was updated through Measure 10 (2008) to include additional provisions to reduce the risk of non-native species introductions into the Area. The Area is situated in Environment S – McMurdo – South Victoria Land Geologic based on the Environmental Domains Analysis for Antarctica and in Region 9 – South Victoria Land based on the Antarctic Conservation Biogeographic Regions.
    [Show full text]
  • Algal Toxic Compounds and Their Aeroterrestrial, Airborne and Other Extremophilic Producers with Attention to Soil and Plant Contamination: a Review
    toxins Review Algal Toxic Compounds and Their Aeroterrestrial, Airborne and other Extremophilic Producers with Attention to Soil and Plant Contamination: A Review Georg G¨аrtner 1, Maya Stoyneva-G¨аrtner 2 and Blagoy Uzunov 2,* 1 Institut für Botanik der Universität Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; [email protected] 2 Department of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, 8 blvd. Dragan Tsankov, 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria; mstoyneva@uni-sofia.bg * Correspondence: buzunov@uni-sofia.bg Abstract: The review summarizes the available knowledge on toxins and their producers from rather disparate algal assemblages of aeroterrestrial, airborne and other versatile extreme environments (hot springs, deserts, ice, snow, caves, etc.) and on phycotoxins as contaminants of emergent concern in soil and plants. There is a growing body of evidence that algal toxins and their producers occur in all general types of extreme habitats, and cyanobacteria/cyanoprokaryotes dominate in most of them. Altogether, 55 toxigenic algal genera (47 cyanoprokaryotes) were enlisted, and our analysis showed that besides the “standard” toxins, routinely known from different waterbodies (microcystins, nodularins, anatoxins, saxitoxins, cylindrospermopsins, BMAA, etc.), they can produce some specific toxic compounds. Whether the toxic biomolecules are related with the harsh conditions on which algae have to thrive and what is their functional role may be answered by future studies. Therefore, we outline the gaps in knowledge and provide ideas for further research, considering, from one side, Citation: G¨аrtner, G.; the health risk from phycotoxins on the background of the global warming and eutrophication and, ¨а Stoyneva-G rtner, M.; Uzunov, B.
    [Show full text]
  • Boletín Antártico Chileno, Edición Especial
    EL CONTINENTE DONDE EMPIEZA EL FUTURO Índice DIRECTOR Y REPRESENTANTE LEGAL Presentación José Retamales Espinoza 5 Prólogo 7 EDITOR Reiner Canales La relación entre Sudamérica y la Antártica 11 (E-mail: [email protected]) El pasado de la Antártica… ¿una incógnita develada? 13 COMITÉ EDITORIAL Marcelo Leppe Cartes Edgardo Vega Separación de la fauna marina antártica y sudamericana desde una aproximación molecular 21 Marcelo González Elie Poulin, Claudio González-Wevar, Mathias Hüne, Angie Díaz Marcelo Leppe Conexiones geológicas entre Sudamérica y Antártica 27 Francisco Hervé Allamand DIRECCIÓN DE ARTE Pablo Ruiz Teneb Adaptaciones al Medio Antártico y Biorrecursos 33 El interés por esudiar la biodiversidad microbiológica en la Antártica 35 DISEÑO / DIAGRAMACIÓN Jenny M. Blamey Oscar Giordano / Menssage Producciones El capital celular y molecular para vivir a temperaturas bajo cero en aguas antárticas 39 Víctor Bugueño / Menssage Producciones Marcelo González Aravena Las esrategias de las plantas antárticas para sobrevivir en ambientes extremos y su rol como biorrecursos 45 PORTADA Marco A. Molina-Montenegro, Ian S. Acuña-Rodríguez, Jorge Gallardo-Cerda, Rasme Hereme y Crisian Torres-Díaz EL CONTINENTE Arnaldo Gómez / Menssage Producciones DONDE EMPIEZA EL FUTURO Biodiversidad 53 A más de medio siglo IMPRESIÓN de la fundación del Menssage Producciones Las aves marinas de la península Antártica 55 Instituto Antártico Chileno Santiago de Chile Javier A. Arata El desafío de esudiar y comprender la biodiversidad de los mamíferos marinos antárticos 59 Elías Barticevic Cornejo y FOTOGRAFÍA Anelio Aguayo Lobo Óscar Barrientos Bradasic (Eds.) La desconocida vida y diversidad de los invertebrados terresres antárticos 67 Agradecemos a los autores citados en los créditos Daniel González Acuña fotográficos por su aporte en imágenes al regisro Autores Caracterísicas de la fauna que habita los fondos coseros profundos de la Antártica 75 hisórico de la ciencia antártica nacional.
    [Show full text]
  • MICROBIAL LIFE in BLOOD FALLS: an ANCIENT ANTARCTIC ECOSYSTEM. J.A. Mikucki1 and J.C.Priscu1 1 Montana State University, Dept. O
    Second Conference on Early Mars (2004) 8023.pdf MICROBIAL LIFE IN BLOOD FALLS: AN ANCIENT ANTARCTIC ECOSYSTEM. J.A. Mikucki1 and J.C.Priscu1 1 Montana State University, Dept. of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Bozeman, MT, USA. email: [email protected] Blood Falls is a unique subglacial discharge at the terminus of Taylor Glacier in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica. Ice penetrating radar data and geochemical analyses of Taylor’s subglacial outflow strongly implicate the presence of ancient entrapped marine waters below the glacier [1]. These waters are thought to originate from the Pliocene Epoch (~5Mya) when the dry valleys were fjord-like. Blood Falls (Figure 1), an iron-rich salt cone, accumulates where subglacial flow meets the ice surface at the snout of Taylor Glacier. The episodic release of subglacial water provides a sample of potentially ancient seawater and of the subglacial ecosystem lying beneath Taylor Glacier. Biogeochemical measurements, culture-based techniques, and molecular analysis (based on 16S rDNA sequences), have been used to characterize microbes and chemistry associated with outflow waters. In the absence of direct samples from below Taylor Glacier, these data allow us to infer the composition of this microbial subglacial niche. Iron-reducing Figure 1. Blood Falls, Taylor Glacier, Antarctica. January, 2004. isolates, clone libraries dominated by 16S rDNA sequences with high identity to Thiomicrospira sp., and increased 14C-bicarbonate incorporation in samples amended with reduced sulfur provides evidence for lifestyles that derive energy from iron and sulfur compounds. Based on the prevalence of cold environments in our solar system, the search for extant extraterrestrial life will focus largely on icy habitats.
    [Show full text]
  • Deep Groundwater and Potential Subsurface Habitats Beneath an Antarctic Dry Valley
    University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Microbiology Publications and Other Works Microbiology 4-28-2015 Deep groundwater and potential subsurface habitats beneath an Antarctic dry valley Jill A. Mikucki University of Tennessee, Knoxville, [email protected] E. Auken Aarhus University S. Tulaczyk University of California, Santa Cruz, [email protected] R. A. Virginia Dartmouth College C. Schamper Sorbonne Universités See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_micrpubs Part of the Microbiology Commons Recommended Citation Mikucki, J. A., Auken, E., Tulaczyk, S., Virginia, R. A., Schamper, C., Sørensen, K. I., ... & Foley, N. (2015). Deep groundwater and potential subsurface habitats beneath an Antarctic dry valley. Nature communications, 6. Doi: 10.1038/ncomms7831 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Microbiology at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Microbiology Publications and Other Works by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Authors Jill A. Mikucki, E. Auken, S. Tulaczyk, R. A. Virginia, C. Schamper, K. I. Sørensen, P. T. Doran, H. Dugan, and N. Foley This article is available at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange: https://trace.tennessee.edu/ utk_micrpubs/79 ARTICLE Received 21 May 2014 | Accepted 2 Mar 2015 | Published 28 Apr 2015 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7831 OPEN Deep groundwater and potential subsurface habitats beneath an Antarctic dry valley J.A. Mikucki1, E. Auken2, S. Tulaczyk3, R.A. Virginia4, C. Schamper5, K.I. Sørensen2, P.T.
    [Show full text]
  • Planktonic Microbial Community Composition Across Steep Physical
    Geobiology (2006), 4, 53–67 PlanktonicBlackwellMicrobialORIGINAL Publishingdiversity ARTICLE in Ltdpermanently ice-covered Lake Bonney microbial community composition across steep physical/chemical gradients in permanently ice-covered Lake Bonney, Antarctica R. E. GLATZ,1 P. W. LEPP,2 B. B. WARD3 AND C. A. FRANCIS1 1Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA 2Department of Biology, Minot State University, Minot, ND 58707, USA 3Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA ABSTRACT Lake Bonney is a chemically stratified, permanently ice-covered Antarctic lake that is unusual because anoma- lous nutrient concentrations in the east lobe suggest that denitrification occurs in the deep suboxic waters of the west lobe but not the east lobe, resulting in high concentrations of nitrate and nitrite below the east lobe chemocline. Environmental factors that usually control denitrification rates (e.g. organic carbon, nitrate, oxygen) do not appear to explain the nitrate distribution in the east lobe, suggesting that other factors (e.g. trace metals, salts, microbial community structure, etc.) may be involved. In order to explore the potential importance of microbial community composition, samples collected from multiple depths in both lobes were compared on the basis of 16S rRNA gene diversity. 16S rRNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) clone libraries generated from five depths were subjected to restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), rarefaction, statistical and phyloge- netic analyses. Bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA gene sequences were determined for clones corresponding to unique RFLP patterns. The bacterial community below the chemocline (at 25 m) in the east lobe was the least diverse of the five depths analysed and was compositionally distinct from the communities of the overlying waters.
    [Show full text]
  • Deep Groundwater and Potential Subsurface Habitats Beneath an Antarctic Dry Valley
    ARTICLE Received 21 May 2014 | Accepted 2 Mar 2015 | Published 28 Apr 2015 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7831 OPEN Deep groundwater and potential subsurface habitats beneath an Antarctic dry valley J.A. Mikucki1, E. Auken2, S. Tulaczyk3, R.A. Virginia4, C. Schamper5, K.I. Sørensen2, P.T. Doran6, H. Dugan7 & N. Foley3 The occurrence of groundwater in Antarctica, particularly in the ice-free regions and along the coastal margins is poorly understood. Here we use an airborne transient electromagnetic (AEM) sensor to produce extensive imagery of resistivity beneath Taylor Valley. Regional- scale zones of low subsurface resistivity were detected that are inconsistent with the high resistivity of glacier ice or dry permafrost in this region. We interpret these results as an indication that liquid, with sufficiently high solute content, exists at temperatures well below freezing and considered within the range suitable for microbial life. These inferred brines are widespread within permafrost and extend below glaciers and lakes. One system emanates from below Taylor Glacier into Lake Bonney and a second system connects the ocean with the eastern 18 km of the valley. A connection between these two basins was not detected to the depth limitation of the AEM survey (B350 m). 1 Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA. 2 Department of Geosciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus 8000, Denmark. 3 Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA. 4 Environmental Studies Program, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, USA. 5 Sorbonne Universite´s, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, EPHE, UMR 7619 Metis, 4 place Jussieu, Paris 75252, France.
    [Show full text]
  • Microbial Diversity, Activity, and Ecology of a Hypersaline High Arctic Spring System
    Microbial Diversity, Activity, and Ecology of a Hypersaline High Arctic Spring System Chih-Ying Lay Department of Natural Resource Sciences McGill University, Montreal August, 2013 A thesis submitted to McGill University in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of PhD. ©2013 Although we have no rational grounds for believing in an objective reality, we also have no choice but to act as if it is true. - David Hume 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First of all, I would like to thank Dr. Lyle G. Whyte, my supervisor, who let me study in his lab and supported me with his resources to complete my PhD research. From his supervision, I acquired a lot of knowledge of experiment design, planning field trips, interpreting research results, and building academic networks. His enthusiasm on unique microbiology topics and desires of using newly-developed technologies always encouraged me to face all the trendiest topics in the frontline of environmental microbiology. He let me to attend the unforgettable field trip to the Canadian High Arctic to perform field works. Without his help, I will not finish this thesis. I also would like to thank all the support from Dr. Charles Greer, Dr. Brian Driscoll, Dr. Donald Niven, and Dr. Sébastien Faucher. They always kindly gave me many useful and professional advices to overcome research problems. I would like to thank Dr. Thomas Niederberger, Dr. Nadia Mykytczuk and Dr. Étienne Yergeau. When I had in situ questions or problems for my research, they always offered me the most immediate helps. My lab mates, Guillaume Lamarche-Gagnon, Sara Sheibani, Roland Wilhelm, Kris Radtke, Jen Allan, Jackie Goordial, Diana Popa, Sara Klemm, Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • A Technology for Retrieving Specific DNA Sequences from Complex Mixtures Kelley Gwin Nunez Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College
    Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 2015 Selective Enrichment Through Capture (SEC): A Technology for Retrieving Specific DNA Sequences from Complex Mixtures Kelley Gwin Nunez Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations Recommended Citation Nunez, Kelley Gwin, "Selective Enrichment Through Capture (SEC): A Technology for Retrieving Specific DNA eS quences from Complex Mixtures" (2015). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 514. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/514 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized graduate school editor of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please [email protected]. SELECTIVE ENRICHMENT THROUGH CAPTURE (SEC): A TECHNOLOGY FOR RETREIVING SPECIFIC DNA SEQUENCES FROM COMPLEX MIXTURES A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctorate of Philosophy in The Department of Biological Sciences by Kelley G. Núñez B.S., Louisiana State University, 2009 December 2015 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would first like to thank my advisor, Dr. John R. Battista who has guided me in becoming a well-rounded scientist. You have been an excellent mentor and have always been available for discussions. I have learned an enormous amount over the last five years about what it takes to be a scientist and I am extremely grateful for your patience, guidance, and freedom to pursue a wide variety of projects.
    [Show full text]
  • View and Research Objectives
    University of Alberta Carotenoid diversity in novel Hymenobacter strains isolated from Victoria Upper Glacier, Antarctica, and implications for the evolution of microbial carotenoid biosynthesis by Jonathan Lee Klassen A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Cell Biotechnology Department of Biological Sciences ©Jonathan Lee Klassen Fall 2009 Edmonton, Alberta Permission is hereby granted to the University of Alberta Libraries to reproduce single copies of this thesis and to lend or sell such copies for private, scholarly or scientific research purposes only. Where the thesis is converted to, or otherwise made available in digital form, the University of Alberta will advise potential users of the thesis of these terms. The author reserves all other publication and other rights in association with the copyright in the thesis and, except as herein before provided, neither the thesis nor any substantial portion thereof may be printed or otherwise reproduced in any material form whatsoever without the author's prior written permission. Examining Committee Dr. Julia Foght, Department of Biological Science Dr. Phillip Fedorak, Department of Biological Sciences Dr. Brenda Leskiw, Department of Biological Sciences Dr. David Bressler, Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Science Dr. Jeffrey Lawrence, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh Abstract Many diverse microbes have been detected in or isolated from glaciers, including novel taxa exhibiting previously unrecognized physiological properties with significant biotechnological potential. Of 29 unique phylotypes isolated from Victoria Upper Glacier, Antarctica (VUG), 12 were related to the poorly studied bacterial genus Hymenobacter including several only distantly related to previously described taxa.
    [Show full text]
  • Bacterial Diversity Associated with Blood Falls, a Subglacial Outflow from the Taylor Glacier, Antarcticaᰔ Jill A
    Applied and Environmental Microbiology -- About the Cover (August 2007, 73, (15)) Page 1 of 1 Institution: MONTANA STATE UNIV AT BOZEMAN Sign In as Member About the Cover Cover photograph (Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.): Subglacial outflow from the Taylor Glacier in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. Iron and salt precipitates form where subglacial brine flows from the Taylor Glacier, lending a bright red color to the glacier snout, which is commonly referred to as Blood Falls. The episodic release of subglacial brine at Blood Falls provides a sample of what is believed to be ancient seawater originating from the Pliocene Epoch, which is now trapped below the glacier. The microbial diversity associated with Blood Falls reflects this marine origin. Photo by Benjamin Urmston. (See related article in June 2007: volume 73, issue 12, page 4029.) [Table of Contents] J. Bacteriol. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. Eukaryot. Cell All ASM Journals Copyright © 2007 by the American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved. http://aem.asm.org/content/vol73/issue15/cover.shtml 02-Aug-07 APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, June 2007, p. 4029–4039 Vol. 73, No. 12 0099-2240/07/$08.00ϩ0 doi:10.1128/AEM.01396-06 Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved. Bacterial Diversity Associated with Blood Falls, a Subglacial Outflow from the Taylor Glacier, Antarcticaᰔ Jill A. Mikucki* and John C. Priscu Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana 59717 Received 16 June 2006/Accepted 13 April 2007 Blood Falls is the surface manifestation of brine released from below the Taylor Glacier, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica.
    [Show full text]
  • Management Plan for Antarctic Specially Protected Area No 172
    Measure 6 (2018) Management Plan for Antarctic Specially Protected Area No 172 Lower Taylor Glacier and Blood Falls, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Victoria Land Introduction Blood Falls is an iron-rich saline discharge located at the terminus of the Taylor Glacier, Taylor Valley, McMurdo Dry Valleys. The source of the discharge is believed to be a subglacial extensive brine aquifer located beneath the measureable length (~5 km) of the ablation zone of the Taylor Glacier, estimated to be located between one to six kilometres above Blood Falls. Approximate area and coordinates: sub-surface area 436km2 (centered at 161°40.230'E, 77°50.220'S); sub-aerial area 0.11km2 (centered at the Blood Falls discharge at 162°15.809'E, 77°43.365'). The primary reasons for designation of the Area are its unique physical properties, and the unusual microbial ecology and geochemistry. The Area is an important site for exobiological studies and provides a unique opportunity to sample the subglacial environment without direct contact. The influence of Blood Falls on adjacent Lake Bonney is also of significant scientific interest. Furthermore, the ablation zone of the Taylor Glacier is an important site for paleoclimatic and glaciological research. The lower Taylor Glacier subglacial brine reservoir and Blood Falls are globally unique and a site of outstanding scientific importance. Designation of the Area allows for scientific access to ice deep within Taylor Glacier, provided measures are in place to ensure this does not compromise the Blood Falls reservoir and hydrological system. Under the Environmental Domains Analysis for Antarctica (Resolution 3 (2008)) the Area lies within Environment S – McMurdo – South Victoria Land geologic.
    [Show full text]