Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2007NJ144B

Using assimilated C-DNA to fingerprint active microorganisms in methylmercury demethylation by stable-isotope probing

Institute: New Jersey
Year Established: 2007 Start Date: 2007-03-01 End Date: 2008-02-29
Total Federal Funds: $5,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $10,980

Principal Investigators: Riqing Yu, Tamar Barkay

Project Summary: The project will test SIP as a method that might provide a promising and powerful approach in microbial MeHg demethylation studies. The proposed project will examine if the C1 group of CH3Hg is assimilated into nucleic acids of exposed cells and how much of the carbon is assimilated. This is important for the understanding of MeHg demethylation and for correctly calculating demethylation rates. Phylogenetic survey of metabolically active species or groups of bacteria and archaea involving in CH3Hg demethylation will suggest strategies for further enrichment isolation of specific strains, and future studies with such strains will add to knowledge that is relevant to CH3Hg bioremediation.