Biofilm Formation by a Metabolically Versatile Bacterium

Abstract

Rhodopseudomonas palustris is a photosynthetic bacterium that has good potential to be developed as a biocatalyst for the production of hydrogen, a biofuel. The goal of this project is to conduct basic studies that will facilitate the development of a process wherein Rhodopseudomonas cells grown on surfaces as biofilms, produce hydrogen with energy provided from sunlight and electrons derived from agricultural waste. We characterized hydrogen production by Rhodopseudomonas, started to characterize biofilm formation by this species and initiated studies to identify the structure of a chemical signal that may activate expression of genes important for biofilm formation by Rhodopseudomonas.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 02, 2005
Accession Number
ADA447258

Entities

People

  • Caroline S. Harwood

Organizations

  • University of Iowa

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Amino Acids
  • Aromatic Compounds
  • Bacteria
  • Biotechnology
  • Electrons
  • Gene Expression
  • Gram-Negative Bacteria
  • Hydrogen
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Microbiology
  • Nitrogen
  • Production
  • Small Molecules
  • Spatial Distribution
  • Students
  • Transition Metals

Fields of Study

  • Biology
  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Microbial Pathology
  • Nanocomposite Materials Science

Technology Areas

  • Biotechnology
  • Microelectronics