In the Mediterranean Sea, the perennial Neptune grass (Posidonia oceanica) forms meadows that cover about 15,000 square miles of rocks and sand and is a key part of the marine ecosystem. About 30 percent of the bacteria found in Neptune grass is composed of Marinomonas strains, which include M. posidonica, considered to be the most…
Why sequence genome closure of lignocellulosic degrader Verrucomicrobium sp. strain TAV2?
Wood-feeding termites have microbial communities in their guts that are capable of converting cellulose and hemicellulose into sugars, hydrogen and methane. They can break down as much as a billion tons of raw plant biomass annually, and are of interest to bioenergy researchers hoping to harness these abilities for commercial biofuel production. To better understand…
Why sequence carbon monoxide oxidizing thermophiles?
Many microbes that use carbon monoxide as an energy source are found in high temperature environments such as geothermal areas. Researchers think that these carboxydotrophs may be involved in reducing potentially toxic carbon monoxide hotspots by combine with water to form hydrogen, carbon dioxide and acetate, which are in turn used for thermophilic energy conservation…
Why sequence rhizobia of clover, pea/bean and lupin microsymbionts?
The soil bacteria that interact with the root nodules of legumes such as beans or peas are known as rhizobia. These symbiotic bacteria contribute two-thirds of the nitrogen that is used in agricultural production. As oil prices rise, so does the cost of nitrogen fertilizers, which significantly impacts both global farming economies and bioenergy research,…
Why sequence Zymomonas mobilis transcriptomes and resequencing Z. mobilis industrial strain ZM4?
Zymomonas mobilis is currently considered as the bacterial alternative to yeast in bioethanol production and is employed in industrial fermentations in the United States, Canada and other parts of the world. The DOE JGI is currently sequencing five different strains of Z. mobilis and also multiple plasmids of industrial ZM4. This project calls for resequencing…
Why sequence Nitrosomas cryotolerans and Nitrosospira birensis for comparative phylogenomics of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria?
The process by which ammonia or ammonium is reduced to nitrate or nitrite is known as nitrification. The nitrogen cycle is considered to be one of the most impacted by humans, with factors such as industrially produced fertilizers and nitrogen-fixing crops adding more nitrogen to the terrestrial system than natural sources. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) help…
Why sequence thermotogales strain mesG1.Ag.4.1?
Several years ago, the DOE JGI sequenced the genomes of seven members of the Thermotogales family, in part to find bacterial enzymes that are capable of breaking down biomass and are stable at high temperatures. Thus far, characterized members of the Thermotogales family have fallen into one of two categories: anaerobic thermophiles or hyperthermophiles. Researchers…
Why sequence haloalkaliphilic chemolithoautotrophic Thioalkalivibrio bacteria?
Thiocyanate is a compound that is formed as a waste byproduct of indeustrial processes that lead to the production of precious metals or in processing fossil fuels. Currently, removing thiocyanate from industrial waste streams involves the use of sulfur-oxidizing Thiobacillus bacteria, which results in highly alkaline thiocyanate detoxification streams that need further neutralization before they…
Why sequence Acetobacter aceti ATCC 23746?
Acetobacter are most commonly known as the bacteria responsible for the production of vinegar. They are frequently found in grain-based fermentations such as wine and beer production, and can reduce product yields by increasing the acidity of the batch. Because these Gram-negative bacteria are strictly aerobic, they are often limited in ethanol plants to areas…
Why sequence marine Roseobacter RCA cluster bacterial strain LE17?
The oceans cover more than two-thirds of the planet’s surface, and absorb a significant portion of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Keeping the carbon trapped in the oceans depends on two main factors: the rate of particle production and the rate of particle dissolution. One of the challenges in understanding the role the marine…