Chapter 27.ppt

Chapter 27 Environmental Microbiology Microbes live in the most widely varied habitats on Earth due to metabolic diversity dynamic associations occur between microbes and ecosystem Extremophiles Most are Archaea Produce specialized enzymes (extremozymes) that allow them to tolerate extreme conditions Microbes live in an intensely competitive environment High biodiversity Competitive exclusion Live in symbiotic relationships Ruminants Mycorhizae Soil Microbiology Billions of organisms in soil Over 80 % are bacteria Millions in each gram of soil Most are in the top few centimeters of soil Biomining Many antibiotics come from Actinomycetes Streptomycin, tetracycline Bacterial populations estimated by plate count Biogeochemical cycles for carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and phosphorus are vital for life Elements oxidized and reduced by microbes to meet their metabolic need Recycles elements into the environment Production Consumption Decomposition The Carbon Cycle All organisms contain large amounts of carbon Autotrophs fix CO2 into organics 1st step of carbon cycle Heterotrophs consume autotrophs 2nd step of carbon cycle Carbon reenters the environment as CO2 due to respiration; decomposition by microbes; burning fossil fuels Global warming The Nitrogen Cycle Nitrogen is needed for synthesis of proteins and nucleic acids Deamination amino groups are removed and converted to ammonia Ammonification release of ammonia Nitrification oxidation of ammonium into nitrate nitrate can be fully oxidized and used as an electron acceptor Denitrification leads to loss of nitrogen back to the atmosphere as nitrogen gas Pseudomonas species are the most important soil denitrifying bacteria Occurs in waterlogged soils where little oxygen is available Nitrogen Cycle Nitrogen makes up ~ 80% of the Earth’s atmosphere Exists as nitrogen gas (N2) Must be fixed into usable form Specific microbes important in this conversion Nitrogen fixation requires nitrogenase Dea