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Molecular analysis of arsenic detoxification mechanisms in unculturable bacteria by functional metagenomics

Shodhganga@INFLIBNET

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Title Molecular analysis of arsenic detoxification mechanisms in unculturable bacteria by functional metagenomics
 
Contributor Sharma, Rakesh
 
Subject Biology, Arsenic Detoxification, Integrative Biology, Genomics
 
Description Arsenic is a toxic element, which has its worldwide occurrence despite of its low crustal abundance (0.0001%) (Mukhopadhyay et al., 2002; Meliker et al., 2008). It was concentrated in natural environment due to geochemical, microbial and anthropogenic activities (Nordstrom, 2002). Inorganic arsenic generally found in two most predominant forms arsenate, As (V), or arsenite, As (III). These both forms are toxic to living organisms, as arsenite interferes with sulfhydryl group of amino acids and disturb protein structure. While arsenate is a phosphate analog and interferes with both phosphate uptake and a varity of cellular processes that involve phosphate. In humans exposure to inorganic arsenic causes various health problems like decreased production of red and white blood cells, change in skin pigmentation, lung irritation, many type of toxic affects and cancers (Smith et al., 2002a, Chowdhury et al., 2000). Worldwide, millions of people are exposed to toxic concentration of arsenic. Alone in India more than 6 million people are exposed to arsenic due its intake through contaminated water (Nordstrom, 2002) which is the major cause of arsenic toxicity in humans (Smith et al., 2002a, Smith et al., 2002b). Microorganisms play a major role in arsenic mobility into groundwater by some of their biochemical activities (Mukhopadhyay et al., 2002, Smith et al., 2002a). Recent microbial diversity studies reveal that only less than 1% bacteria of total bacterial diversity can be cultured using standard culturing techniques and rest of microbial pool is represented by vast diversity of uncultured bacteria (Amann et al., 1995). Culture independent strategy can give access to gene pool of uncultured bacteria, which are expected to possess novel physiological pathways. Metagenomics is a culture independent strategy to explore the untapped gene pool of uncultured bacteria. In this study, metagenomic approach is used to explore the gene pool of uncultured microbial consortia of different ecosystem to get access to functional arsenic detoxification mechanisms. In first part of study, a metagenomic library was constructed from nitro aromatic compound based industrial effluents treatment plant sludge sample. As this is a unique ecological system having high concentration of toxic wastes and inhabited by unique microbial communities which efficiently degrade toxic pollutants present in industrial effluents.
Abstract includes, Bibliography p.i-xxviii
 
Date 2011-08-17T12:13:38Z
2011-08-17T12:13:38Z
2011-08-17
0
June, 2007
2007
 
Type Ph.D.
 
Identifier http://hdl.handle.net/10603/2225
 
Language English
 
Rights university
 
Format 216p.
DVD
 
Publisher Pune
University of Pune
Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology
 
Source INFLIBNET