scholarly journals Metatranscriptomic Analysis of the Response of River Biofilms to Pharmaceutical Products, Using Anonymous DNA Microarrays

2010 ◽  
Vol 76 (16) ◽  
pp. 5432-5439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Etienne Yergeau ◽  
John R. Lawrence ◽  
Marley J. Waiser ◽  
Darren R. Korber ◽  
Charles W. Greer
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Dna Microarrays ◽  
Domestic Wastewater ◽  
Microarray Platform ◽  
Pharmaceutical Products ◽  
Ecosystem Dynamics ◽  
Transcriptional Responses ◽  
Domestic Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Transcriptional Changes

ABSTRACT Pharmaceutical products are released at low concentrations into aquatic environments following domestic wastewater treatment. Such low concentrations have been shown to induce transcriptional responses in microorganisms, which could have consequences on aquatic ecosystem dynamics. In order to test if these transcriptional responses could also be observed in complex river microbial communities, biofilm reactors were inoculated with water from two rivers of differing trophic statuses and subsequently treated with environmentally relevant doses (ng/liter to μg/liter range) of four pharmaceuticals (erythromycin [ER], gemfibrozil [GM], sulfamethazine [SN], and sulfamethoxazole [SL]). To monitor functional gene expression, we constructed a 9,600-feature anonymous DNA microarray platform onto which cDNA from the biofilms was hybridized. Pharmaceutical treatments induced both positive and negative transcriptional responses from biofilm microorganisms. For instance, ER induced the transcription of several stress, transcription, and replication genes, while GM, a lipid regulator, induced transcriptional responses from several genes involved in lipid metabolism. SN caused shifts in genes involved in energy production and conversion, and SL induced responses from a range of cell membrane and outer envelope genes, which in turn could affect biofilm formation. The results presented here demonstrate for the first time that low concentrations of small molecules can induce transcriptional changes in a complex microbial community. The relevance of these results also demonstrates the usefulness of anonymous DNA microarrays for large-scale metatranscriptomic studies of communities from differing aquatic ecosystems.

scholarly journals Progress in Domestic Wastewater Treatment, Resource Recovery and Energy Generation Using Microbial Fuel Cell

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Girum Ayalneh Tiruye
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Microbial Fuel Cells ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Coulombic Efficiency ◽  
Domestic Wastewater ◽  
Energy Generation ◽  
Resource Recovery ◽  
Organic Substrate ◽  
Domestic Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Low Efficiency

Microbial fuel cells (MFC) are emerging as a versatile eco-friendly bioelectrochemical system (BES) that utilizes microorganisms as biocatalysts to simultaneously convert chemical energy in the chemical bond of organic and inorganic substrates into bioelectricity and treat wastewater. The performance of MFC depends on the electroactive microorganisms, popularly known as exoelectrogens, the loading rate of organic substrate, pH, MFC configurations, hydraulic retention time, and temperature. In most cases, the performance of MFC can be evaluated by measuring chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency, Coulombic efficiency and MFC power density output. To date, the most common MFC’s reactor designs are single-chamber MFC, double-chambers MFC, and stacked-MFC configurations. Generally, considerable developments in MFC systems for waste treatment, renewable energy generation and resource recovery have been made in the last two decades, despite critical challenges of capital cost investment, and low efficiency for large scale applications are impeding MFC from commercialization. This mini-review chapter provides a comprehensive assessment of principles and configurations of MFC, treatment of domestic wastewater, energy generation, and resource recovery by MFC and challenges of MFC. I believe the information provided in this chapter will enlighten the current and future prospects of versatile applications of MFC during domestic wastewater treatment.

scholarly journals An integrated approach to identify environmental modulators of genetic risk factors for complex traits

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brunilda Balliu ◽  
Ivan Carcamo -Orive ◽  
Michael J. Gloudemans ◽  
Daniel C. Nachun ◽  
Matthew G. Durrant ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Risk ◽  
Complex Traits ◽  
Metabolic Regulation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Multiple Traits ◽  
Transcriptional Responses ◽  
Environmentally Responsive ◽  
Transcriptional Changes ◽  
Scale Characterization

AbstractComplex traits and diseases can be influenced by both genetics and environment. However, given the large number of environmental stimuli and power challenges for gene-by-environment testing, it remains a critical challenge to identify and prioritize specific disease-relevant environmental exposures. We propose a novel framework for leveraging signals from transcriptional responses to environmental perturbations to identify disease-relevant perturbations that can modulate genetic risk for complex traits and inform the functions of genetic variants associated with complex traits. We perturbed human skeletal muscle, fat, and liver relevant cell lines with 21 perturbations affecting insulin resistance, glucose homeostasis, and metabolic regulation in humans and identified thousands of environmentally responsive genes. By combining these data with GWAS from 31 distinct polygenic traits, we show that heritability of multiple traits is enriched in regions surrounding genes responsive to specific perturbations and, further, that environmentally responsive genes are enriched for associations with specific diseases and phenotypes from the GWAS catalogue. Overall, we demonstrate the advantages of large-scale characterization of transcriptional changes in diversely stimulated and pathologically relevant cells to identify disease-relevant perturbations.

Seasonally hibernating phenotype assessed through transcript screening

2006 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daryl R. Williams ◽  
L. Elaine Epperson ◽  
Weizhong Li ◽  
Margaret A. Hughes ◽  
Ruth Taylor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Cardiac Tissue ◽  
Rna Binding ◽  
Transcriptional Responses ◽  
Spermophilus Lateralis ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
New Genes ◽  
Molecular Events ◽  
Unbiased Gene ◽  
Transcriptional Changes

Hibernation is a seasonally entrained and profound phenotypic transition to conserve energy in winter. It involves significant biochemical reprogramming, although our understanding of the underpinning molecular events is fragmentary and selective. We have conducted a large-scale gene expression screen of the golden-mantled ground squirrel, Spermophilus lateralis, to identify transcriptional responses associated specifically with the summer-winter transition and the torpid-arousal transition in winter. We used 112 cDNA microarrays comprising 12,288 probes that cover at least 5,109 genes. In liver, the profiles of torpid and active states in the winter were almost identical, although we identified 102 cDNAs that were differentially expressed between winter and summer, 90% of which were downregulated in the winter states. By contrast, in cardiac tissue, 59 and 115 cDNAs were elevated in interbout arousal and torpor, respectively, relative to the summer active condition, but only 7 were common to both winter states, and during arousal none was downregulated. In brain, 78 cDNAs were found to change in winter, 44 of which were upregulated. Thus transcriptional changes associated with hibernation are qualitatively modest and, since these changes are generally less than twofold, also quantitatively modest. Unbiased Gene Ontology profiling of the transcripts suggests a winter switch to β-oxidation of lipids in liver and heart, a reduction in metabolism of toxic compounds and the urea cycle in liver, and downregulated electron transport in the brain. We identified just one strongly winter-induced transcript common to all tissues, namely an RNA-binding protein, RBM3. This analysis clearly differentiates responses of the principal tissues, identifies a large number of new genes undergoing regulation, and broadens our understanding of affected cellular processes that, in part, account for the winter-adaptive hibernating phenotype.

scholarly journals Sex-specific transcriptional responses of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) brain selenoproteome to acute sodium selenite supplementation

2013 ◽  
Vol 45 (15) ◽  
pp. 653-666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maia J. Benner ◽  
Matt L. Settles ◽  
Gordon K. Murdoch ◽  
Ronald W. Hardy ◽  
Barrie D. Robison
Keyword(s):  
Danio Rerio ◽  
Sodium Selenite ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Transcriptional Response ◽  
Nutritional Intervention ◽  
Transcriptional Responses ◽  
Qrt Pcr ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Transcriptional Changes ◽  
The Brain

The potential benefits of selenium (Se) supplementation are currently under investigation for prevention of certain cancers and treatment of neurological disorders. However, little is known concerning the response of the brain to increased dietary Se under conditions of Se sufficiency, despite the majority of Se supplementation trials occurring in healthy, Se sufficient subjects. We evaluated the transcriptional response of Se-dependent genes, selenoproteins and the genes necessary for their synthesis (the selenoproteome), in the zebrafish ( Danio rerio) brain to supplementation with nutritionally relevant levels of dietary Se (sodium selenite) during conditions of assumed Se sufficiency. We first used a microarray approach to analyze the response of the brain selenoproteome to dietary Se supplementation for 14 days and then assessed the immediacy and time-scale transcriptional response of the brain selenoproteome to 1, 7, and 14 days of Se supplementation by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The microarray approach did not indicate large-scale influences of Se on the brain transcriptome as a whole or the selenoproteome specifically; only one nonselenoproteome gene (si:ch73-44m9.2) was significantly differentially expressed. Our qRT-PCR results, however, indicate that increases of dietary Se cause small, but significant transcriptional changes within the brain selenoproteome, even after only 1 day of supplementation. These responses were dynamic over a short period of supplementation in a manner highly dependent on sex and the duration of Se supplementation. In nutritional intervention studies, it may be necessary to utilize methods such as qRT-PCR, which allow larger sample sizes, for detecting subtle transcriptional changes in the brain.

scholarly journals Effects of Continuous Pollution by Pharmaceutical Micropollutants on the Fouling of a Membrane Bioreactor Treating Domestic Wastewater

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-56
Author(s):  
Chengcheng Li ◽  
Christelle Guigui ◽  
Corinne Cabassud
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Domestic Wastewater ◽  
Pharmaceutical Products ◽  
Size Exclusion ◽  
Transmembrane Pressure ◽  
Domestic Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Anti Epileptic Drug ◽  
Microbial Products

Membrane bioreactors (MBR) are increasingly used for domestic wastewater treatment and reuse and great concerns have been raised in the last decade about some emerging trace pollutants found in aquatic environment, notably pharmaceutical products. As a consequence, the removal of pharmaceutical micropollutants by MBRs has been extensively investigated but there is still a lack of knowledge on the effects of the current presence of pharmaceutical micropollutants in domestic wastewaters on MBR fouling. Among the different pharmaceuticals, it was decided to focus on carbamazepine (CBZ), an anti-epileptic drug, because of its occurrence in domestic wastewaters and persistence in biological processes including MBRs. The chemical analysis of soluble microbial products (SMPs) in the supernatant showed that a continuous introduction of CBZ into a submerged MBR via the feed (about 90 µg/L CBZ in the feed) led to a significant increase in the concentration of proteins whereas no significant change was found for polysaccharides. Size exclusion high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-SEC) analysis showed that the addition of CBZ induced a significant increase of 10-100 kDa proteins in the supernatant and a slight decrease of 100-1000 kDa proteins. After addition of CBZ a significant increase of transmembrane pressure (TMP) in the MBR was observed, which indicates that the increase of the quantity of 10-100 kDa proteins led to a more severe fouling caused by internal fouling in the biocake that was formed on MBR membrane surface. This study also suggests that 10-100 kDa proteins might play a major role in the TMP jump phenomenon. Moreover it was found that addition of CBZ to the MBR affected the biological activities, as a slight inhibition of the exogenous respiration rate was observed.

Immunogold labeling of CMP-KDO synthetase produced by recombinant E. Coli cells

1987 ◽  
Vol 45 ◽  
pp. 924-925
Author(s):  
F. A. Durum ◽  
R. G. Goldman ◽  
T. J. Bolling ◽  
M. F. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Inclusion Bodies ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Recombinant Dna ◽  
Test System ◽  
Cell Protein ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Cytoplasmic Inclusions ◽  
Isolation And Purification ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Low Concentrations

CMP-KDO synthetase (CKS) is an enzyme which plays a key role in the synthesis of LPS, an outer membrane component unique to gram negative bacteria. CKS activates KDO to CMP-KDO for incorporation into LPS. The enzyme is normally present in low concentrations (0.02% of total cell protein) which makes it difficult to perform large scale isolation and purification. Recently, the gene for CKS from E. coli was cloned and various recombinant DNA constructs overproducing CKS several thousandfold (unpublished data) were derived. Interestingly, no cytoplasmic inclusions of overproduced CKS were observed by EM (Fig. 1) which is in contrast to other reports of large proteinaceous inclusion bodies in various overproducing recombinant strains. The present immunocytochemical study was undertaken to localize CKS in these cells.Immune labeling conditions were first optimized using a previously described cell-free test system. Briefly, this involves soaking small blocks of polymerized bovine serum albumin in purified CKS antigen and subjecting them to various fixation, embedding and immunochemical conditions.

AN APPROACH ON ATTACHED GROWTH PROCESS FOR DOMESTIC WASTEWATER TREATMENT

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alireza Valipour ◽  
Seyed Masoud Taghvaei ◽  
Venkatraman Kalyan Raman ◽  
Gagik Badalians Gholikandi ◽  
Shervin Jamshidi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Growth Process ◽  
Domestic Wastewater ◽  
Attached Growth ◽  
Domestic Wastewater Treatment

Pilot Plant Study on Microaerobic Self-Granulated Sludge Process (Multi-Stage Reversing Flow Bioreactor: MRB)

1991 ◽  
Vol 23 (4-6) ◽  
pp. 973-980 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Takahashi ◽  
S. Kyosai
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Plant ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Anaerobic Bacteria ◽  
Domestic Wastewater ◽  
Public Works ◽  
Symbiotic Interaction ◽  
Sulfate Reducing ◽  
Pellet Formation ◽  
Multi Stage ◽  
Domestic Wastewater Treatment

A Multi-stage Reversing flow Bioreactor (MRB) was developed by the Public Works Research Institute in 1986. It utilizes the symbiotic interaction between anaerobic bacteria (sulfate reducing bacteria) and microaerobic bacteria (Beggiatoa=filamentous sulfur oxidizing bacteria) for self-granulated pellet formation. A MRB Pilot plant for domestic wastewater treatment (design capacity was 225 m3/day) was constructed in 1988. After several modifications of the initial design, stable pellet formation and high performance were achieved. This paper describes the results of the pilot plant operation.

Bottlenecks in the Implementation of On-Site Wastewater Treatment Plants on a Large Scale in The Netherlands

1990 ◽  
Vol 22 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 291-298
Author(s):  
Frits A. Fastenau ◽  
Jaap H. J. M. van der Graaf ◽  
Gerard Martijnse
Keyword(s):  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Housing Stock ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Domestic Wastewater ◽  
Research Programme ◽  
Definition Of

More than 95 % of the total housing stock in the Netherlands is connected to central sewerage systems and in most cases the wastewater is treated biologically. As connection to central sewerage systems has reached its economic limits, interest in on-site treatment of the domestic wastewater of the remaining premises is increasing. A large scale research programme into on-site wastewater treatment up to population equivalents of 200 persons has therefore been initiated by the Dutch Ministry of Housing, Physical Planning and Environment. Intensive field-research work did establish that the technological features of most on-site biological treatment systems were satisfactory. A large scale implementation of these systems is however obstructed in different extents by problems of an organisational, financial and/or juridical nature and management difficulties. At present research is carried out to identify these bottlenecks and to analyse possible solutions. Some preliminary results are given which involve the following ‘bottlenecks':-legislation: absence of co-ordination and absence of a definition of ‘surface water';-absence of subsidies;-ownership: divisions in task-setting of Municipalities and Waterboards; divisions involved with cost-sharing;-inspection; operational control and maintenance; organisation of management;-discharge permits;-pollution levy;-sludge disposal. Final decisions and practical elaboration of policies towards on-site treatment will have to be formulated in a broad discussion with all the authorities and interest groups involved.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document