Biomedical subjects

Marc Strous

Publications and source records attributed to Marc Strous.

27 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2004

Implementation of the Anammox process for improved nitrogen removal.

Stringent standards for nitrogen discharge necessitate the implementation of new systems for the sustainable removal of ammonium from wastewater. One of such systems is based on the process of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox), which is a new powerful tool especially for strong nitrogenous wastewaters. In this study, the Anammox process performance was tested with synthetic wastewater in a completely stirred tank reactor (CSTR). The reactor was operated for 511 days and fed with increasing amounts of ammonium and nitrite. In this period, an increase of ammonium and nitrite utilization rates were observed as a result of the increase of nitrogen loads in the influent. After 272 days, about 60% of the biomass was removed from the reactor and the system was restarted. Throughout 511 days 90% of the ammonium and more than 99% of the nitrite were converted mainly to dinitrogen (N2) and nitrate. The microbial community in the reactor was characterized with Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (FISH). The study showed that the population in the reactor was dominated by the deep-branching planctomycete Candidatus "Brocadia anammoxidans" strain Dokhaven 2.

Bacteria, Anaerobic↗

PubMed2004

Stable carbon isotopic fractionations associated with inorganic carbon fixation by anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria.

Isotopic analyses of Candidatus "Brocadia anammoxidans," a chemolithoautotrophic bacterium that anaerobically oxidizes ammonium (anammox), show that it strongly fractionates against (13)C; i.e., lipids are depleted by up to 47 per thousand versus CO(2). Similar results were obtained for the anammox bacterium Candidatus "Scalindua sorokinii," which thrives in the anoxic water column of the Black Sea, suggesting that different anammox bacteria use identical carbon fixation pathways, which may be either the Calvin cycle or the acetyl coenzyme A pathway.

Anaerobiosis↗

PubMed2004

Anaerobic oxidation of methane and ammonium.

Anaerobic oxidation of methane and ammonium are two different processes catalyzed by completely unrelated microorganisms. Still, the two processes do have many interesting aspects in common. First, both of them were once deemed biochemically impossible and nonexistent in nature, but have now been identified as major factors in global carbon and nitrogen cycling. Second, the microorganisms responsible for both processes cannot be grown in pure culture yet; their detection and identification were based on molecular ecology, tracer studies, use of lipid biomarkers, and enrichment cultures. Third, these microorganisms grow extremely slowly (doubling time from weeks to months). Fourth, both processes have a good potential for application in biotechnology. Because both anaerobic methane and ammonium oxidation have been separately and excellently reviewed elsewhere, we focus on aspects of interest in the context of current developments in microbiology and explore the added value of reviewing these two processes in one place.

Archaea↗

PubMed2003

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation by anammox bacteria in the Black Sea.

The availability of fixed inorganic nitrogen (nitrate, nitrite and ammonium) limits primary productivity in many oceanic regions. The conversion of nitrate to N2 by heterotrophic bacteria (denitrification) is believed to be the only important sink for fixed inorganic nitrogen in the ocean. Here we provide evidence for bacteria that anaerobically oxidize ammonium with nitrite to N2 in the world's largest anoxic basin, the Black Sea. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences shows that these bacteria are related to members of the order Planctomycetales performing the anammox (anaerobic ammonium oxidation) process in ammonium-removing bioreactors. Nutrient profiles, fluorescently labelled RNA probes, 15N tracer experiments and the distribution of specific 'ladderane' membrane lipids indicate that ammonium diffusing upwards from the anoxic deep water is consumed by anammox bacteria below the oxic zone. This is the first time that anammox bacteria have been identified and directly linked to the removal of fixed inorganic nitrogen in the environment. The widespread occurrence of ammonium consumption in suboxic marine settings indicates that anammox might be important in the oceanic nitrogen cycle.

Anaerobiosis↗

PubMed2003

New concepts of microbial treatment processes for the nitrogen removal in wastewater.

Many countries strive to reduce the emissions of nitrogen compounds (ammonia, nitrate, NOx) to the surface waters and the atmosphere. Since mainstream domestic wastewater treatment systems are usually already overloaded with ammonia, a dedicated nitrogen removal from concentrated secondary or industrial wastewaters is often more cost-effective than the disposal of such wastes to domestic wastewater treatment. The cost-effectiveness of separate treatment has increased dramatically in the past few years, since several processes for the biological removal of ammonia from concentrated waste streams have become available. Here, we review those processes that make use of new concepts in microbiology: partial nitrification, nitrifier denitrification and anaerobic ammonia oxidation (the anammox process). These processes target the removal of ammonia from gases, and ammonium-bicarbonate from concentrated wastewaters (i.e. sludge liquor and landfill leachate). The review addresses the microbiology, its consequences for their application, the current status regarding application, and the future developments.

Industrial Microbiology↗

PubMed2003

Candidatus "Scalindua brodae", sp. nov., Candidatus "Scalindua wagneri", sp. nov., two new species of anaerobic ammonium oxidizing bacteria.

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) is both a promising process in wastewater treatment and a long overlooked microbial physiology that can contribute significantly to biological nitrogen cycling in the world's oceans. Anammox is mediated by a monophyletic group of bacteria that branches deeply in the Planctomycetales. Here we describe a new genus and species of anaerobic ammonium oxidizing planctomycetes, discovered in a wastewater treatment plant (wwtp) treating landfill leachate in Pitsea, UK. The biomass from this wwtp showed high anammox activity (5.0 +/- 0.5 nmol/mg protein/min) and produced hydrazine from hydroxylamine, one of the unique features of anammox bacteria. Eight new planctomycete 16S rRNA gene sequences were present in the 16S rRNA gene clone library generated from the biomass. Four of these were affiliated to known anammox 16S rRNA gene sequences, but branched much closer to the root of the planctomycete line of descent. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with oligonucleotide probes specific for these new sequences showed that two species (belonging to the same genus) together made up > 99% of the planctomycete population which constituted 20% of the total microbial community. The identification of these organisms as typical anammox bacteria was confirmed with electron microscopy and lipid analysis. The new species, provisionally named Candidatus "Scalindua brodae" and "Scalindua wagneri" considerably extend the biodiversity of the anammox lineage on the 16S rRNA gene level, but otherwise resemble known anammox bacteria. Simultaneously, another new species of the same genus, Candidatus "Scalindua sorokinii", was detected in the water column of the Black Sea, making this genus the most widespread of all anammox bacteria described so far.

Anaerobiosis↗

PubMed2002

Linearly concatenated cyclobutane lipids form a dense bacterial membrane.

Lipid membranes are essential to the functioning of cells, enabling the existence of concentration gradients of ions and metabolites. Microbial membrane lipids can contain three-, five-, six- and even seven-membered aliphatic rings, but four-membered aliphatic cyclobutane rings have never been observed. Here we report the discovery of cyclobutane rings in the dominant membrane lipids of two anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (anammox) bacteria. These lipids contain up to five linearly fused cyclobutane moieties with cis ring junctions. Such 'ladderane' molecules are unprecedented in nature but are known as promising building blocks in optoelectronics. The ladderane lipids occur in the membrane of the anammoxosome, the dedicated intracytoplasmic compartment where anammox catabolism takes place. They give rise to an exceptionally dense membrane, a tight barrier against diffusion. We propose that such a membrane is required to maintain concentration gradients during the exceptionally slow anammox metabolism and to protect the remainder of the cell from the toxic anammox intermediates. Our results further illustrate that microbial membrane lipid structures are far more diverse than previously recognized.

Bacteria, Anaerobic↗

PubMed2002

The anammox case-a new experimental manifesto for microbiological eco-physiology.

The anaerobic ammonium oxidation process is a new process for ammonia removal from wastewater. It is also a new microbial physiology that was previously believed to be impossible. The identification of Candidatus Brocadia anammoxidans and its relatives as the responsible bacteria was only possible with the development of a new experimental approach. That approach is the focus of this paper. The approach is a modernisation of the Winogradsky/Beyerinck strategy of selective enrichment and is based on the introduction of the molecular toolbox and modern bioreactor engineering to microbial ecology. It consists of five steps: (1) postulation of an ecological niche based on thermodynamic considerations and macro-ecological field data; (2) engineering of this niche into a laboratory bioreactor for enrichment culture; (3) black-box physiological characterisation of the enrichment culture as a whole; (4) phylogenetic characterisation of the enriched community using molecular tools; (5) physical separation of the dominant members of the enrichment culture using gradient centrifugation and the identification of the species of interest in accordance with Koch's postulates; (6) verification of the in situ importance of these species in the actual ecosystems. The power of this approach is illustrated with a case study: the identification of the planctomycetes responsible for anaerobic ammonium oxidation. We argue that this was impossible using molecular ecology or conventional 'cultivation based techniques' alone. We suggest that the approach might also be used for the microbiological study of many interesting microbes such as anaerobic methane oxidisers.

Bacteria, Anaerobic↗

PubMed2002

Anaerobic ammonia oxidation in the presence of nitrogen oxides (NO(x)) by two different lithotrophs.

The anaerobic ammonia-oxidizing activity of the planctomycete Candidatus "Brocadia anammoxidans" was not inhibited by NO concentrations up to 600 ppm and NO2 concentrations up to 100 ppm. B. anammoxidans was able to convert (detoxify) NO, which might explain the high NO tolerance of this organism. In the presence of NO2, the specific ammonia oxidation activity of B. anammoxidans increased, and Nitrosomonas-like microorganisms recovered an NO2-dependent anaerobic ammonia oxidation activity. Addition of NO2 to a mixed population of B. anammoxidans and Nitrosomonas induced simultaneous specific anaerobic ammonia oxidation activities of up to 5.5 mmol of NH4+ g of protein(-1) h(-1) by B. anammoxidans and up to 1.5 mmol of NH4+ g of protein(-1) h(-1) by Nitrosomonas. The stoichiometry of the converted N compounds (NO2-/NH3 ratio) and the microbial community structure were strongly influenced by NO2. The combined activity of B. anammoxidans and Nitrosomonas-like ammonia oxidizers might be of relevance in natural environments and for technical applications.

Ammonia↗