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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Energetic Limitations Of Thermophilic Methanogens And Thiosulfate Reducers In The Subsurface Biosphere At Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents, Lucy C. Stewart
Energetic Limitations Of Thermophilic Methanogens And Thiosulfate Reducers In The Subsurface Biosphere At Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents, Lucy C. Stewart
Doctoral Dissertations
This dissertation examined the substrate and energetic limitations of hydrogenotrophic thermophiles from deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Thermophilic and hyperthermophilic organisms in diffuse hydrothermal venting are thought to represent a hot subsurface biosphere associated with deep-sea hydrothermal vents, where primary production is dominated by hydrogenotrophy rather than sulfide oxidation as at the vent/seawater interface of hydrothermal sulfide chimneys. Methanogens and sulfur-reducers are known to compete for hydrogen in mesophilic, freshwater systems, and likely do so in deep-sea hydrothermal vent environments as well. However, the exact size and biomass of the subsurface biosphere is difficult to determine through direct sampling. Firstly, the distribution …
Engineering Novel Detection And Treatment Strategies For Bacterial Therapy Of Cancer, Jan T. Panteli
Engineering Novel Detection And Treatment Strategies For Bacterial Therapy Of Cancer, Jan T. Panteli
Doctoral Dissertations
Finding and treating cancer is difficult due to limited sensitivity and specificity of current detection and treatment strategies. Many chemotherapeutic drugs are small molecules that are limited by diffusion, making it difficult to reach cancer sites requiring high doses that lead to systemic toxicity and off-target effects. Tomographic detection techniques, like PET, MRI and CT, are good at identifying macroscopic lesions in the body but are limited in their ability to detect microscopic lesions. Biomarker detection strategies are extremely sensitive and able to identify ng/ml concentrations of protein, but are poor at discriminating between healthy and disease state levels due …
Mechanisms For Extracellular Electron Exchange By Geobacter Species, Jessica A. Smith
Mechanisms For Extracellular Electron Exchange By Geobacter Species, Jessica A. Smith
Doctoral Dissertations
Understanding the mechanisms for microbial extracellular electron exchange are of interest because these processes play an important role in the biogeochemical cycles of both modern and ancient environments, development of bioenergy strategies, as well as for bioremediation applications. Only a handful of microorganisms are capable of extracellular electron exchange, one of the most thoroughly studied being the Geobacter species. Geobacter species are often the predominant Fe(III) reducing microorganisms in many soils and sediments, can exchange electrons directly via interspecies electron transfer, and can both donate or accept electrons with a wide variety of extracellular substrates including the electrode of a …