Geomicrobiology: Molecular and Environmental Perspective

The interaction of microorganisms with geological activities results in processes influencing development of the Earth’s geo- and biospheres. In assessing these microbial functions, scientists have explored short- and longterm geological changes attributed to microorganisms and developed new approaches to evaluate the physiology of microbes including microbial interaction with the geological environment. As the field of geomicrobiology developed, it has become highly interdisciplinary and this book provides a review of the recent developments in a cross section of topics including origin of life, microbial-mineral interactions and microbial processes functioning in marine as well as terrestrial environments. A major component of this book addresses molecular techniques to evaluate microbial evolution and assess relationships of microbes in complex, natural c- munities. Recent developments in so-called ‘omics’ technologies, including (meta) genomics and (meta)proteomics, and isotope labeling methods allow new insights into the function of microbial community members and their possible geological impact. While this book summarizes current knowledge in various areas, it also reveals unresolved questions that require future investigations. Information in these chapters enhances our fundamental knowledge of geomicrobiology that contributes to the exploitation of microbial functions in mineral and environmental biotechn- ogy applications. It is our hope that this book will stimulate interest in the general field of geomicrobiology and encourage others to explore microbial processes as applied to the Earth.

Table of Contents:
Chemoautotrophic Origin of Life: The Iron–Sulfur World Hypothesis.- Evolution of Metabolic Pathways and Evolution of Genomes.- Novel Cultivation Strategies for Environmentally Important Microorganisms.- Environmental Proteomics: Studying Structure and Function of Microbial Communities.- Analysis of Microbial Communities by Functional Gene Arrays.- Probing Identity and Physiology of Uncultured Microorganisms with Isotope Labeling Techniques.- The Geomicrobiology of Arsenic.- Bioinformatics and Genomics of Iron- and Sulfur-Oxidizing Acidophiles.- The Geomicrobiology of Catastrophe: A Comparison of Microbial Colonization in Post-volcanic and Impact Environments.- Microbial Diversity of Cave Ecosystems.- Statistical Evaluation of Bacterial 16S rRNA Gene Sequences in Relation to Travertine Mineral Precipitation and Water Chemistry at Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, USA.- Compositional, Physiological and Metabolic Variability in Microbial Communities Associated with Geochemically Diverse, Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent Fluids.- The Molecular Geomicrobiology of Bacterial Manganese(II) Oxidation.- Role of Microorganisms in Banded Iron Formations.- Synergistic Roles of Microorganisms in Mineral Precipitates Associated with Deep Sea Methane Seeps.- Bacterial Degradation of Polychlorinated Biphenyls.- Role of Clay and Organic Matter in the Biodegradation of Organics in Soil.- Electrodes as Electron Acceptors, and the Bacteria Who Love Them.- The Biogeochemistry of Biomining.