Grantee Research Project Results
Detection, Quantification, and Biogeography of Microbes in Ecosystems
EPA Grant Number: R823845Title: Detection, Quantification, and Biogeography of Microbes in Ecosystems
Investigators: Andrews, John H.
Institution: University of Wisconsin - Madison
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Project Period: September 28, 1995 through September 27, 1998
Project Amount: $401,130
RFA: Exploratory Research - Environmental Biology (1995) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Biology/Life Sciences , Human Health , Aquatic Ecosystems
Description:
A bioluminescent marker system will be developed for the ubiquitous, yeast-like fungus Aureobasidium pullulans and used together with fluorescent, rRNA-based probes and image analysis to study population biology of this fungus and fungal community assembly on leaf surfaces. A. pullulans will be transformed by standard methods with genes from the jellyfish Aequorea victoria encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP). Following validation, the GFP marker/probe system will be used to address the following two hypotheses: 1) that time of arrival of a phylloplane colonist influences colonization success; and 2) that emigration of cells from leaf surfaces is quantitatively significant, correlates with weather events, and is influenced by microbe position on the phylloplane. The results of these experiments will provide a method for the sensitive, rapid, and accurate detection of the microbes and quantification of microbial colonization processes directly in situ, and will answer basic and important questions related to community assembly processes.Publications and Presentations:
Publications have been submitted on this project: View all 8 publications for this projectJournal Articles:
Journal Articles have been submitted on this project: View all 4 journal articles for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
RFA, Scientific Discipline, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Ecosystem/Assessment/Indicators, Ecosystem Protection, exploratory research environmental biology, Chemical Mixtures - Environmental Exposure & Risk, Environmental Chemistry, Chemistry, Ecological Effects - Environmental Exposure & Risk, Ecological Effects - Human Health, Ecological Indicators, bioindicator, bioluminescent marker, biogeochemical indicators, quantification of microbes, aureobasidium pullulans, jellyfishProgress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.