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Full-Text Articles in Molecular Biology
Characterization Of Iron-Sulfur Cluster Biogenesis In Methanogenic Archaea, Thomas Modlin Deere
Characterization Of Iron-Sulfur Cluster Biogenesis In Methanogenic Archaea, Thomas Modlin Deere
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters are among the oldest cofactors on the planet, used by proteins in almost all forms of life on Earth to carry out processes ranging from energy transfer to DNA replication. Among the organisms believed to use these Fe-S proteins more extensively than almost any others are the methanogens, an ancient lineage of archaeal microbes that produce methane as a required product of their metabolism. Methane, the primary component of commercial natural gas, is both a potent greenhouse gas and an important fossil fuel. It can also be renewably produced as a biofuel. Biogenic methane is almost entirely …
Rumen Microbial Ecology And Rumen-Derived Fatty Acids: Determinants Of And Relationship To Dairy Cow Production Performance, Laura Marie Cersosimo
Rumen Microbial Ecology And Rumen-Derived Fatty Acids: Determinants Of And Relationship To Dairy Cow Production Performance, Laura Marie Cersosimo
Graduate College Dissertations and Theses
Rumen microbiota enable dairy cattle to breakdown fiber into useable energy for milk production. Rumen bacteria, protozoa, and fungi ferment feedstuff into volatile fatty acids (VFA), the main energy source, while methanogens utilize fermentation by-products to produce methane. Milk fat contains several bioactive rumen-derived fatty acids (FA), including odd-chain FA (OCFA) and branched-chain FA (BCFA), important for maintenance of human health. The overarching dissertation goal was to determine which factors affect rumen methanogen and protozoal community structures and their metabolism products, while defining relationships between rumen microbiota and animal performance. Results presented contribute to the goals of providing new knowledge …
Oxidative Stress Response In Archaea: Elucidation Of Oxidant Sensing And Tolerance Mechanisms In Methanosarcina Acetivorans, Matthew Edward Jennings
Oxidative Stress Response In Archaea: Elucidation Of Oxidant Sensing And Tolerance Mechanisms In Methanosarcina Acetivorans, Matthew Edward Jennings
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Methanogens are archaea possessing a conserved metabolic pathway which produces methane. Many of the enzymes in the methanogenesis pathway are Fe-S proteins, meaning methanogens are sensitive to conditions which disrupt Fe-S clusters. Molecular oxygen is capable of disrupting Fe-S clusters through oxidation of the iron atoms. Furthermore, reduced iron can facilitate the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), meaning methanogens must possess antioxidant mechanisms. Detection and eradication of ROS is important for all cells, due to the potentially fatal consequences of unchecked oxidation. This dissertation presents two separate projects investigating mechanisms the model methanogen Methanosarcina acetivorans possess for dealing with …