This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lin, B. Articles by Röling, W. F. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Lin, B. Articles by Röling, W. F. M. Agricola Articles by Lin, B. Articles by Röling, W. F. M.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, October 2005, p. 5983-5991, Vol. 71, No. 10
0099-2240/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.71.10.5983-5991.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Geobacteraceae Community Composition Is Related to Hydrochemistry and Biodegradation in an Iron-Reducing Aquifer Polluted by a Neighboring Landfill

Department of Molecular Cell Physiology, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, NL-1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands,¹ Department of Hydrology and Geo-Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, NL-1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands²

Received 24 December 2004/ Accepted 24 May 2005

Relationships between community composition of the iron-reducing Geobacteraceae, pollution levels, and the occurrence of biodegradation were established for an iron-reducing aquifer polluted with landfill leachate by using cultivation-independent Geobacteraceae 16S rRNA gene-targeting techniques. Numerical analysis of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) profiles and sequencing revealed a high Geobacteraceae diversity and showed that community composition within the leachate plume differed considerably from that of the unpolluted aquifer. This suggests that pollution has selected for specific species out of a large pool of Geobacteraceae. DGGE profiles of polluted groundwater taken near the landfill (6- to 39-m distance) clustered together. DGGE profiles from less-polluted groundwater taken further downstream did not fall in the same cluster. Several individual DGGE bands were indicative of either the redox process or the level of pollution. This included a pollution-indicative band that dominated the DGGE profiles from groundwater samples taken close to the landfill (6 to 39 m distance). The clustering of these profiles and the dominance by a single DGGE band corresponded to the part of the aquifer where organic micropollutants and reactive dissolved organic matter were attenuated at relatively high rates.

Unfortunately, Henk van Verseveld died 11 July 2003. In remembrance of a remarkable mentor and fine colleague.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Holmes, D. E., Mester, T., O'Neil, R. A., Perpetua, L. A., Larrahondo, M. J., Glaven, R., Sharma, M. L., Ward, J. E., Nevin, K. P., Lovley, D. R. (2008). Genes for two multicopper proteins required for Fe(III) oxide reduction in Geobacter sulfurreducens have different expression patterns both in the subsurface and on energy-harvesting electrodes. Microbiology 154: 1422-1435 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Risso, C., Van Dien, S. J., Orloff, A., Lovley, D. R., Coppi, M. V. (2008). Elucidation of an Alternate Isoleucine Biosynthesis Pathway in Geobacter sulfurreducens. J. Bacteriol. 190: 2266-2274 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Winderl, C., Anneser, B., Griebler, C., Meckenstock, R. U., Lueders, T. (2008). Depth-Resolved Quantification of Anaerobic Toluene Degraders and Aquifer Microbial Community Patterns in Distinct Redox Zones of a Tar Oil Contaminant Plume. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 74: 792-801 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• DiDonato, L. N., Sullivan, S. A., Methe, B. A., Nevin, K. P., England, R., Lovley, D. R. (2006). Role of RelGsu in Stress Response and Fe(III) Reduction in Geobacter sulfurreducens. J. Bacteriol. 188: 8469-8478 [Abstract] [Full Text]