Medical Bioremediation

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Introduction

Bioremediation is the technique of using organisms to catabolize toxic waste such as oil spills or industrial runoff. The most commonly used organisms are microbes, though phytoremediation is also used. ¹ Wild-type microbes have proven capable of digesting highly toxic and stable compounds, but organisms can be genetically engineered to augment their ability. For example, Deinococcus radiodurans, the most radio-resistant organism known, has been modified to digest toluene and ionic mercury. ²

Microbes are the source of approximately 22,500 bioactive drug compounds. Of these, 17% were from unicellular bacteria (mainly Pseudomonas and Bacillus), 45% from filamentous bacteria (actinomycetes) and 38% from fungi. ³ Microbes are the predominant source of manufactured protein, ever since microbial human insulin production began 25 years ago. There are presently more than 130 protein therapeutics used worldwide and many more undergoing clinical trials.

Organic, energy-rich molecules introduced to the environment are potential microbial nutrients. The “microbial infallibility hypothesis,” coined by Ernest Gayle in 1952, states that the buildup of compounds initially resistant to biodegradation exerts a strong selective pressure on nearby microbes to evolve to consume them.

Electron micrograph of the Ebola Zaire virus. This was the first photo ever taken of the virus, on 10/13/1976. By Dr. F.A. Murphy, now at U.C. Davis, then at the CDC.

At right is a sample image insertion. It works for any image uploaded anywhere to MicrobeWiki. The insertion code consists of:
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Filename: PHIL_1181_lores.jpg
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Pixel size: |300px|
Placement on page: |right|
Legend/credit: Electron micrograph of the Ebola Zaire virus. This was the first photo ever taken of the virus, on 10/13/1976. By Dr. F.A. Murphy, now at U.C. Davis, then at the CDC.
Closed double brackets: ]]

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Superscript: Fe³⁺

Section 1

Include some current research in each topic, with at least one figure showing data.

Section 2

Include some current research in each topic, with at least one figure showing data.

Section 3

Include some current research in each topic, with at least one figure showing data.

Conclusion

Overall paper length should be 3,000 words, with at least 3 figures.

References

[Sample reference]

1. Vidali, M. Bioremediation: An Overview. (2001). Pure Appl. Chem. 73 (7): 1163–1172.

2. Brim H., McFarlan S.C., Fredrickson J.K., Minton K.W., Zhai M., Wackett L.P., Daly M.J. (2000). Engineering Deinococcus radiodurans for metal remediation in radioactive mixed waste environments. Nature Biotechnology. 18 (1): 85–90.

Edited by (your name here), a student of Nora Sullivan in BIOL187S (Microbial Life) in The Keck Science Department of the Claremont Colleges Spring 2013.