Anaerobic transformation of the priority pollutant dichloromethane by ‘Candidatus Formimonas warabiya’
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Anaerobic transformation of the priority pollutant dichloromethane by ‘Candidatus Formimonas warabiya’
Wed, 23/02/2022 - 13:00 to 14:00
Location:
Speaker:
Dr Sophie Holland
Affiliation:
Heriot Watt University
Synopsis:
Dichloromethane (DCM; CH2Cl2) is a toxic chlorinated hydrocarbon with natural and anthropogenic sources. Bacterial degradation of DCM is an attractive option for remediation of contaminated sites, yet information about the enzymes responsible for dechlorination under anaerobic conditions remains scarce, hindering our ability to assess and track in situ bioremediation efforts. The DCM-fermenting bacterium “Candidatus Formimonas warabiya” is a novel member of the Peptococcaceae family and the dominant lineage in enrichment culture DFE. Using comparative proteomics, we identified a gene cassette encoding a corrinoid-dependent methyltransferase that was significantly more abundant in “Ca. Formimonas warabiya” cells grown with DCM than glycine betaine. The gene cassette is highly conserved amongst anaerobic DCM-degrading bacteria, supporting its involvement in DCM metabolism. Metaproteogenomic analysis of the DFE enrichment culture provided insight into the role of the non-dechlorinating community. Better understanding of the microbial ecology in contaminated aquifers offers an opportunity for improved bioremediation outcomes.
Biography:
Dr Sophie Holland is a Research Associate working with Dr Tony Gutierrez and Dr Anne Bernassau at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. She is an environmental microbiologist who earned her PhD in at the University of New South Wales, Australia, in 2020, studying a novel anaerobic bacterium capable of fermenting the toxic groundwater contaminant dichloromethane. She has a keen interest in bioremediation, microbial life in extreme environments and the role of microbial communities in response to climate change. Her current research uses environmental microbiology and acoustofluidics to study marine microplastics in Southeast Asia.