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At least 775 records · Page 43
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NASA NTRS2002

Spirochaeta americana sp. nov.: A New Haloalkaliphilic, Obligately Anaerobic Spirochete Isolated from Soda Mono Lake, California

A novel obligately anaerobic, mesophilic, haloalkaliphilic spirochete, strain ASpG1, was isolated from sediments of the alkaline, hypersaline Mono Lake in California, U.S.A. The gram-negative cells are motile and spirochete-shaped with sizes of 0.22 x 10-15 micron. Growth was observed over the temperature range of 10 C to 44 C (optimum 37 C), NaCl concentration range of greater than 1 - 12 % (wt/vol) (optimum 3%), and pH range 7.5 - 10.5 (optimum pH 9.5). The novel isolate is strictly alkaliphilic, requires high concentrations of carbonate in the medium, and is capable of utilizing D-glucose, fructose, maltose, sucrose, starch, and D-mannitol. Main end products of glucose fermentation are: H2, acetate, ethanol, and formate. Strain AspG1 is resistant to kanamycin, but sensitive to chloramphenicol, gentamycin and tetracycline. The G+C content of its DNA is 58.5 mol%. On the basis of its physiological and molecular properties, the isolate appears to be a novel species among the genus Spirochaeta; and the name Spirochaeta americana sp. nov., is proposed for the taxon (type strain ASpG1(sup T) = ATCC BAA_392(sup T) = DSMZ 14872(sup T)).

Hoover, Richard B.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Tindallia Californiensis sp. nov.: A New Halo-Alkaliphilic Primary Anaerobe, Isolated from Meromictic soda Mono Lake in California and the Correction of Diagnosis for Genus Tindallia

A novel extremely halo-alkaliphilic, bacterium strain APO (sup T) was isolated from sediments of the athalassic, meromictic, soda Mono Lake in California. Gram positive, spore-forming, slightly curved rods with sizes 0.6-0.7x 2.5-4.0 micrometers which occur singly, in pairs or short curved chains. Cells, are motile by singular subcentral flagellum. Strain APO (sup T) is mesophilic: growth was observed over the temperature range of +10 C to +48 C (optimum +37 C), NaCl concentration range 1-20 %, wt/vol (optimum 3-5%, wt/vol) and pH range 8.0-11.0 (optimum pH 9.5). The novel isolate is strictly halo-alkaliphilic, requires sodium chloride in medium, obligately anaerobic and catalase-negative. Strain APO (sup T) is organo-heterotroph with fermentative type of metabolism, and uses as substrates: peptone, badotryptone, casamino acids, yeast extract, L-serine, L-lysine, L-histidine, L-arginine, and pyruvate. The main end products of growth on peptone medium were: lactate, acetate, propionate, and ethanol. Strain APO (sup T) is resistant to kanamycin, but sensitive to chloramphenicol, tetracycline, and gentamycin. The sum of G+C in DNA is 44.4 mol% (by HPLC method). On the bait of physiological and molecular properties, the isolate was considered as novel species of genus Tindallia; and the name Tindallia californiensis sp. nov., is proposed for new isolate (type strain APO (sup T) - ATCC BAA_393(sup T) = DSMZ 14871 (sup T)).

Pikuta, Elena↗
NASA NTRS2002

Anaerobic Halo-Alkaliphilic Baterial Community of Athalassic, Hypersaline Mono Lake in California

The microorganisms of soda Mono Lake and other similar athalassic hypersaline alkaline soda lakes are of significance to Astrobiology. The microorganisms of these regimes represent the best known terrestrial analogs for microbial life that might have inhabited the hypersaline alkaline lakes and evaporites confined within closed volcanic basins and impact craters during the late Noachian and early Hesperian epochs (3.6 - 4.2 Gya) of ancient Mars. We have investigated the anaerobic microbiota of soda Mono Lake in northern California. In this paper we discuss the astrobiological significance of these ecosystems and describe several interesting features of two novel new species of anaerobic halo-alkaliphilic bacteria (Spirochaeta americana, sp. nov. and Desulfonatronum paiuteum, sp. nov) that we have isolated from Mono Lake.

Pikuta, Elena V.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Spirochaeta Americana Sp. Nov., A new Haloalkaliphilic, Obligately Anaerobic Spirochete Isolated from Soda Mono Lake in California

A novel obligately anaerobic, mesophilic, haloalkaliphilic spirochete, strain ASpG1(sup T), was isolated from sediments of the alkaline, hypersaline Mono Lake in California, U.S.A. The Gram-negative cells are motile and spirochete-shaped with sizes of 0.2 - 0.22 X 8-15 microns. Growth was observed over the following ranges: temperature 10 C to 44 C; optimum +37 C; NaCl concentration 2 - 12 % (w/v); optimum NaCl3 % and pH 8 - 10.5; optimum pH 9.5. The novel isolate is strictly alkaliphilic, requires high concentrations of carbonate in the medium, and is capable of utilizing D-glucose, fructose, maltose, sucrose, starch, and D-mannitol. The main end products of glucose fermentation are: H2, acetate, ethanol, and formate. Strain ASpG(sup T) is resistant to kanamycin, and rifampin, but sensitive to chloramphenicol, gentamycin and tetracycline. The G+C content of its DNA is 58.5 mol%, genome size is 2.98 x l0(exp 9) Daltons, Tm of the genomic DNA is 68 +/- 2 C, and DNA-DNA hybridization with the most closely related species, Spirocheta alkalica Strain Z-7491(sup T), exhibited 48.7% homology. On the basis of its physiological and molecular properties, the isolate appears to be a novel species of the genus Spirochaeta; and the name Spirochaeta americana sp. nov., is proposed for the taxon (type strain ASpG1(sup T) = ATCC BAA-392(sup T) = DSMZ 14872(sup T)).

Hoover, Richard B.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Lipid Biomarkers for Methanogens in Hypersaline Cyanobacterial Mats for Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur

Analyses of sediments from the vicinity of active methane seeps have uncovered a particular suite of lipid biomarker patterns that characterize methane consuming archaea and their syntrophic, sulfate reducing partners. These isoprenoid biomarkers, largely identified by their anomalously light carbon isotopic signatures, have been a topic of intense research activity and are recorded in numerous methane-rich environments from Holocene to Cenozoic. This phenomenon has implications for depleted kerogens at 2.7 Ga on early Earth (Hinrichs 2002). In contrast, the lipid biosignatures of methane producing archaea are not readily identified through distinct isotopic labels and have received comparably little attention in analyses of archaea in environmental samples. Indeed, environmental analyses generally detect only free archaeal lipids, not the intact, polar molecules found in the membrane of living organisms. As part of the Ames NAI, the 'Early Microbial Ecosystem Research Group' (EMERG) is working to understand microbial processes in the hypersaline cyanobacterial mats growing in the salt evaporation ponds of the Exportadora de Sal at Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico. The aim of this study was to develop methods by which we could identify the organisms responsible for methane generation in this environment. While the ester-bound fatty acids, hopanoids and wax esters provide a means to identify most of the bacterial components of these mats, the archaea which Ere evidently present through genomic assays and the fact of intense methane production (Hoehler et al. 200l), have not been identified through their corresponding lipid signatures. Archaeal core lipids present a number of analytical challenges. The core lipids of methanogens comprise C20, C40 and sometimes C25 isoprenoid chains, linked through ether bonds to glycerol. As well as archaeal (C20), sn-2- and sn-3-hydroxyarchaeol are associated particularly with methylotrophic methanogens. Recently, we have also identified a dihydroxyarchaeol in a hyperthermophilic methanogen (Summons et al. 2002). Additional structural diversity is encoded into the polar head groups that are attached to the glycerol ether cores. The C20 core lipids are readily analyzed by GC-MS as their volatile trimethylsilyl derivatives while compounds with intact polar head groups can only be detected using LC-MS approaches. Our approach was to utilize the alternative of an ether cleavage reagent (BBr3 vs. HI) and a hydride reducing agent to convert all ether lipids to hydrocarbon in order to provide a vertical profile of quantitative information that might be matched to methane fluxes. We have found that while conventional acid hydrolysis and HI treatment will destroy hydroxyarchaeols, molecular information remains intact through use of BBr3 for ether cleavage. This method revealed the presence of traces of biphytane and various ether alkyls associated with some sulfate reducing bacteria within the mat structure. An interesting, and potentially valuable, byproduct of the method utilizing HI was the identification of abundant homohopanoids after superhydride reduction. Evidently present as sulfur-bound diagenetic products these hopanoids are likely cyanobacterial biomarkers in the early stages of diagenetic preservation.

Jahnke, Linda L.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Tindallia californiensis sp. nov., a new anaerobic, haloalkaliphilic, spore-forming acetogen isolated from Mono Lake in California

A novel extremely haloalkaliphilic, strictly anaerobic, acetogenic bacterium strain APO was isolated from sediments of the athalassic, meromictic, alkaline Mono Lake in California. The Gram-positive, spore-forming, slightly curved rods with sizes 0.55- 0.7x1.7-3.0 microns were motile by a single laterally attached flagellum. Strain APO was mesophilic (range 10-48 C, optimum of 37 C); halophilic (NaCl range 1-20% (w/v) with optimum of 3-5% (w/v), and alkaliphilic (pH range 8.0-10.5, optimum 9.5). The novel isolate required sodium ions in the medium. Strain APO was an organotroph with a fermentative type of metabolism and used the substrates peptone, bacto-tryptone, casamino acid, yeast extract, L-serine, L-lysine, L-histidine, L-arginine, and pyruvate. The new isolate performed the Stickland reaction with the following amino acid pairs: proline + alanine, glycine + alanine, and tryptophan + valine. The main end product of growth was acetate. High activity of CO dehydrogenase and hydrogenase indicated the presence of a homoacetogenic, non-cycling acetyl-coA pathway. Strain APO was resistant to kanamycin but sensitive to chloramphenicol, tetracycline, and gentamycin. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 44.4 mol% (by HPLC method). The sequence of the 16s rRNA gene of strain APO possessed 98.2% similarity with the sequence from Tindullia magadiensis Z-7934, but the DNA-DNA hybridization value between these organisms was only 55%. On the basis of these physiological and molecular properties, strain APO is proposed to be a novel species of the genus Tindallia with the name Tindallia californiensis sp. nov., (type strain APO = ATCC BAA-393 - DSM 14871).

Pikuta, E. V.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Spirochaeta Americana sp. Nov., A New Haloalkaliphilic, Obligately Anaerobic Spirochaete Isolated from Soda Mona Lake in California

A novel, obligately anaerobic, mesophilic, haloalkaliphilic spirochaete, strain ASpG1(sup T), was isolated from sediments of the alkaline, hypersaline Mono Lake in California, USA. Cells of the Gram-negative strain were motile and spirochaete-shaped with sizes of 0.2-0.22 x 8-18 microns. Growth of the strain was observed between 10 and 44 C (optimum 37 C), in 2-12% (w/v) NaCl (optimum 3 % NaCl) and between pH 8 and 10.5 (optimum pH 9.5). The novel strain was strictly alkaliphilic, required high concentrations of carbonates in the medium and was capable of utilizing D-glucose, fructose, maltose, sucrose, starch and D-mannitol. End products of glucose fermentation were H2, acetate, ethanol and formate. Strain ASpG1(sup T) was resistant to kanamycin and rifampicin, but sensitive to gentamicin, tetracycline and chloramphenicol. The G + C content of its DNA was 58.5 mol%. DNA-DNA hybridization analysis of strain ASpG1(sup T) with its most closely related species, Spirochaeta alkalica Z-7491(sup T) revealed a hybridization value of only 48.7 %. On the basis of its physiological and molecular properties, strain ASpG1(sup T) appears to represent a novel species of the genus Spirochaeta, for which the name Spirochaeta americana is proposed (type strain ASpG1(sup T) = ATCC 13AA-392(sup T) = DSM 14872(sup T)).

Hoover, Richard B.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Satellite IR Thermal Measurements Prior to the September 2004 Earthquakes in Central California

We present and discuss observed variations in thermal transients and radiation fields prior to the earthquakes of September 18 near Bodie (M5.5) and September 28,2004 near Parkfield(M6.0) in California. Previous analysis of earthquake events have indicated the presence of a thermal anomaly, where temperatures increased or did not return to its usual nighttime value. The procedures used in our work is to analyze weather satellite data taken at night and to record the general condition where the ground cools after sunset. Two days before the Bodie earthquake lower temperature radiation was observed by the NOAA/AVHRR satellite. This occurred when the entire region was relatively cloud-free. IR land surface nighttime temperature from the MODIS instrument rose to +4 C in a 100 km radius around the Bodie epicenter. The thermal transient field recorded by MODIS in the vicinity of Parkfield, also with a cloud free environment, was around +l C and it is significantly smaller than the Parkfield epicenter, however, for that period showed a steady increase 4 days prior to the earthquake and a significant drop of the night before the quake. Geosynchronous weather satellite thermal IR measurements taken every half hour from sunset to dawn, were also recorded for 10 days prior to the Parkfield event and 5 days after as well as the day of the quake. To establish a baseline we also obtained GOES data for the same Julian sets were then used to systematically observe and record any thermal anomaly prior to the events that deviated from the baseline. Our recent results support the hypothesis of a possible relationship between an thermodynamic processes produced by increasing tectonic stress in the Earth's crust and a subsequent electro-chemical interaction between this crust and the atmosphere/ionosphere.

Ouzounov, D.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Anaerobic decomposition of cellulose by allcaliphilic microbial Community of Owens Lake, California

The study of communities of microbial extremophiles from anaerobic sediments of Owens Lake and Mono Lake in California has established the presence of active microbial cellulolytic processes in both lakes. The prior study of the microbial diversity in Mono Lake showed that the trophic chain of organic decomposition includes secondary anaerobes that were found to be previously unknown species (Spirochaeta americana, Tindallia californiensis, and Desulfonatronum thiodismutans). And as we published earlier, the secondary anaerobes of Owens Lakes were morphologically very similar to those of Mono Lake. However, continuing comparison of the physiology and genetics has led to the conclusion that some links of organic decomposition in the trophic chain of Owens Lake are represented by different unknown species. A new isolate of a sugarlytic spirochete from Owens Lake, which was morphologically very similar to S. americana isolated from Mono Lake, was found to have different metabolic capacity such as the lack of capability to produce hydrogen during glucose fermentation. Furthermore, from the same bacterial community (from Owens Lake) another sugarlytic spore-forming alkaliphile (strain SCA) was isolated in pure culture. Here we discuss the geology and chemistry of Owens Lake as a unique ecosystem of Astrobiological significance. This paper also presents some of the characteristics for the novel isolates and describes their participation in the process of cellulose degradation.

Pikuta, Elena V.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Analysis and modeling of Southern California deformation

The large and rich quantity of data now becoming available through the Southern California Integrated GPS Network (SCIGN) makes possible a wide variety of research involving analysis and modeling.

geodesy earthquakes finite elements↗
NASA NTRS1996

Study of the Reed Dolomite Aided by Remotely Sensed Imagery, Central White-Inyo Range, Easternmost California

Remote-sensing methods are of great value in assessing the stratigraphy and geologic structure of inaccessible terrains, especially where lithologic contrasts are marked. In this report, we show that such techniques can be successfully applied to a massive carbonate unit, the Reed Dolomite, exposed in the Wacuoba Mountain, Blanco Mountain, and Mount Barcroft quadrangles of east-central California.

Remote-sensing stratigraphy geology lithologic con↗
NASA NTRS1995

Rapid, Precise, and Economical Analysis of Data from the Southern California Integrated GPS Network

The number of permanently operating precision Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers in the Southern California Integrated GPS Network has increased dramatically in the past year to several dozen. This number is expected to increase to hundreds within a few years. A prototype system to process all of these data, accurately, rapidly, and economically, has been in operation since May 1995.

Geophysics Global Positioning System GPS SCIGN↗