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The sequence of the entire hao gene cluster that exists as a single copy in the genome of Nitrosococcus oceani and compare it to the hao gene clusters of Nitrosospira multiforms and Nitrosomonas europaea is presented. The analyses of gene cluster organization and phylogenetic analyses of the protein sequences encoded by genes in the hao gene cluster are described.

The properties of a site-specific mutant form of PchF were studied to examine the roles of Arg474 in p-cresol methylhydroxylase (PCMH). The result indicates that these mutant proteins retain all of the basic properties of the corresponding wild-type forms of PchF.

Many studies have identified the potential of rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems to simultaneously augment potable water supply and reduce delivery of uncontrolled stormwater flows to downstream drainage networks. Potentially, such systems could also play a role in the controlled delivery of water to urban streams in ways which mimic baseflows. The performance of RWH systems to achieve these three objectives could be enhanced using Real-Time Control (RTC) technology to receive rainfall forecasts and initiate pre-storm release in real time, although few studies have explored such potential. We used continuous simulation to model the ability of a range of allotment-scale RWH systems to simultaneously deliver: (i) water supply; (ii) stormwater retention; and (iii) baseflow restoration. We compared the performance of RWH systems with RTC technology to conventional RWH systems and also systems designed with a passive baseflow release, rather than the active (RTC) configuration. We found that RWH systems employing RTC technology were generally superior in simultaneously achieving water supply, stormwater retention and baseflow restoration benefits compared with the other types of system tested. The active operation provided by RTC allows the system to perform optimally across a wider range of climatic conditions, but needs to be carefully designed. We conclude that the active release mechanism employing RTC technology exhibits great promise; its ability to provide centralised control and failure detection also opens the possibility of delivering a more reliable rainwater harvesting system, which can be readily adapted to varying climate over both the short and long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the bacterial communities in a pool of water under a flowing rock fracture at a depth of 1470 m in the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, SD. High-throughput sequencing of 16S rDNA indicated that Acidobacteria, Chlorobi, Nitrospirae, Planctomycetes, and Gammaproteobacteria (especially Acidiferribacter) were abundant in pool sediments; while Nitrospirae, Plactomycetes, and Proteobacteria (especially Thiobacillus and Methylococcus) were abundant in pool water. Samples of diluted pool water were mixed with agar media, placed in diffusion chambers surrounded by 0.2 µm pore membranes, and incubated in situ within the pool for 19 days. 16S rDNA analysis of media from diffusion chambers indicated Alphaproteobacteria (including Hyphomicrobium), Betaproteobacteria (including Inhella and Methyloversatilis), and Gammaproteobacteria (mainly Pseudomonas) were dominant. Low-nutrient media were used to isolate bacteria from both pool water and media inside diffusion chambers. The majority of these isolates were Methyloversatilis, Inhella, and Bacillus. Although the genera isolated were not very abundant in the pool water, the presence of Methylococcus and Methyloversatilis suggests the importance of methane and methanol oxidation in this community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacteria were isolated from the eggs of landlocked fall Chinook SalmonOncorhynchus tshawytschaprior to initial placement in vertical-flow incubations trays 4 h after spawning and also 27 d later at the early eyed egg stage of development. Bacterial densities on the eggs after iodophor disinfection and just before being placed in trays were very low, and most isolates were gram-positive, nonfermenting cocci. In contrast, bacterial densities on eggs at incubation day 27 exceeded 1 × 107CFU/egg and were dominated by slow-growing, gram-negative coccobacilli.Pseudomonasspp., as well asFlavobacterium(closely relatedto F. johnsoniae) were also present. MostPseudomonasandFlavobacteriumisolates produced extracellular proteases, making them candidates for further investigation into their possible contribution to egg mortality. Received July 8, 2012; accepted November 29, 2012 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) are a major component of terrestrial invertebrate communities and have been used as bioindicators of habitat change and disturbance. The Black Hills of South Dakota is a small area with a high biodiversity, but the ground beetles of this region are little studied. The habitat preferences of ground beetles in the Black Hills are unknown, and baseline data must be collected if these beetles are to be used in the future as bioindicators. Ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) were collected from pitfall traps at two sites in each of five kinds of habitats (grassland, bur oak-ironwood forests, ponderosa pine-common juniper forests, aspen-pine forests, and a spruce forest) from which habitat structure characteristics and plant abundance data also were collected. In total, 27 species of ground beetles were identified. Although some species, such as Dicaelus sculptilis Say were found in most habitats, other species showed distinct habitat preferences: Poecilus lucublandus (Say) preferred oak forests, Pasimachus elongatus LeConte preferred grassland and Calathus ingratus Dejean preferred high-elevation aspen-pine forests. Pterostichus adstrictus Escholtz was found only in woodlands, and Carabus taedatus Say strictly in higher elevation (over 1,500 m) aspen or coniferous woods, and may represent relict populations of boreal species. Elevation, exposure to sunlight, and cover of woody plants strongly influence the structure of carabid communities in the Black Hills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characterizes the membrane-associated quinoprotein formaldehyde dehydrogenase from the obligate methylotroph Methylococcus capsulatus. Oxidation of formaldehyde to formate; Proposed pathways of methane oxidation; Extraction of chromopores from the enzyme.

Cytochrome c′ of Methylococcus capsulatus Bath is involved in electron flow from the enzyme responsible for hydroxylamine oxidation, cytochrome P460, to cytochrome c555. This cytochrome is spectrally similar to other cytochromes c′ but is larger (16,000 Da) and has a lower midpoint potential (–205 mV). By a combination of Edman degradation, mass spectroscopy, and gene sequencing, we have obtained the primary structure of cytochrome c′ from M. capsulatus Bath. The cytochrome shows low sequence similarity to other cytochromes c′, only residues R12, Y53, G56, and the C-terminal heme-binding region (GXXCXXCHXXXK) being conserved. In contrast, cytochrome c′ from M. capsulatus Bath shows considerable sequence similarity to cytochromes P460 from M. capsulatus Bath (31% identity) and from Nitrosomonas europaea (18% identity). This suggests that P460-type cytochromes may have originated from a c′-type cytochrome which developed a covalent cross-link between a lysine residue and the c′-heme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents the isolation of cytochrome C5530, the polypeptide and structural gene for a high-molecular-mass c-type cytochrome from the methanotroph Methylococcus capsulatus Bath. Purification of the cytochrome c5530; Heme and metal components of the cytochrome; Spectral properties.

Provides information on a study which examined the gene encoding cytochrome P460 from Methylococcus capsulatus Bath and compared the deduced amino acid sequence to that of cytochrome P460 from Nitrosomonas europaea. Materials and methods; Results from the transcriptional start site mapping; Discussion.

Investigates the organization of genes for three proteins in ammonia oxidation in Nitrosomonas europaea. Cloning and sequencing for two tetraheme c cytochromes; Amino acid sequence of heme-containing proteolytic peptides; Sequence of the gene for cytochrome C554; Sequence of ORF2.