Honu. Green sea turtle. Hawai'i. Photo©CLCase

 

Subsurface Bacteria Project
Christine L. Case


My home page BIOL 230 Skyline Biology

 

 

Savannah River bacteria

Hanford bacteria

References

Student project ideas

 The subsurface microbial community constitutes a large fraction of the Earth's biomass, yet only a small fraction of it has been characterized. The microbiology above 50m depth has been examined in various environments by many groups, but similar students of deeper strata have been few and far between despite the interesting findings they have generated.

The U.S. Department of Energy established the Deep Microbiology Program in 1986 to promote basic research on the microbiology of terrestrial subsurface environments. Over the next decade, microorganisms were successfully cultured and studies from many sites across the United States and scientists began to realize that these isolates might be a unique and valuable resource. The cultures are preserved in the Subsurface Microbial Culture Collection (SMCC)

Skyline College students have been characterizing isolates from the SMCC.

 

Savannah River Borehole 24 (Aiken, South Carolina)
Culture # Stratum Depth Gram rxn Morphology Lipase Metabolism* Oxidase Catalase
B258 Congaree Aquifer 299' + coccus + F + +
B450 PeeDee Aquifer 592' - rod + O - +
B451 PeeDee Aquifer 592' + coccus + N - +
B528 Black Creek 668' - rod + F + +
B623 Middendorf Aquifer 802' - rod + F + + Pseudomonas
B666 Middendorf Aquifer 851' - rod + N - - Comamonas
+F=fermentative; O=oxidative; N=neither oxidative nor fermentative

 

Hanford Borehole YB-02 (Richland, Washington
Culture # Stratum Depth Gram rnx Morphology Lipase Metabolism Oxidase Catalase
G884 Lacustrine sediments 598.1' + coccus +
G886 Lacustrine sediments 600.6' + coccus Staphylococcus aureus
G929 Fluvial sand 643.9' - coccus [Grew on 7.5% NaCl, mannitol -, coagulase-]
G946 Fluvial sand 643.9' - coccus -
G085 Fluvial sand 648.3' - rod + O - +
G990 Fluvial sand 643.9' - rod [anaerobe}
G994 Fluvial sand 648.3' + rod
+F=fermentative; O=oxidative; N=neither oxidative nor fermentative

 

 

References

 

 

 

 

 Fliermans, C. B. and D. L. Balkwill. "Microbial life in deep terrestrial subsurfaces." BioScience 39 (6):370-377, 1989.

Fredrickson, J. K., D. L. Balkwill, G. R. Drake, M. F. Romine, D. B. Ringelberg, and D. C. White. "Aromatic-Degrading Sphingomonas isolates from the deep subsurface." Applied and Environmental Microbiology 61:1917-1922, May 1995.

Fredrickson, J. K. and T. C. Onstott. "Microbes deep inside the Earth." Scientific American Oct. 1996.

Krumholz, L. R. "Microbial Ecosystemsin the Earth's Subsurface." ASM News 64(4):197-202, 1998.

Phelps, T. J., E. G. Raione, D. C. White, and C. B. Fliermans. Microbial activities in deep subsurface environments. Geomicrobiology Journal 7:79-91, 1989.

Earth in Space

Subsurface Microbial Culture Collection

 

 

Student Project Ideas

Look for degradative abilities in one or more isolate. E.g., can any degrade specific hydrocarbon pollutants including pesticides and benzene, toluene, and xylene.

Will hydrolytic enzymes work at ambient or cold temperatures for industrial processes. E.g., lipase for laundry detergents.

Look for antimicrobics made by subsurface bacteria.