Bacteriophages carry auxiliary metabolic genes related to energy, sulfur and phosphorus metabolism during a harmful algal bloom in a freshwater lake.

Cyanophages play an important role in nutrient cycling in lakes since they can modulate the metabolism of cyanobacteria. A proper understanding of the impact of cyanophage infection on the metabolism and ecology of cyanobacteria is critical during a complete cycle of harmful algal bloom (HAB). The ecology of cyanophages in marine environments has been well-delineated, but cyanophages in freshwater lakes remain less studied.

Investigating the viral ecology and contribution to the microbial ecology in full-scale mesophilic anaerobic digesters.

In an attempt to assess the diversity of viruses and their potential to modulate the metabolism of functional microorganisms in anaerobic digesters, we collected digestate from three mesophilic anaerobic digesters in full-scale wastewater treatment plants treating real municipal wastewater. The reads were analyzed using bioinformatics algorithms to elucidate viral diversity, identify their potential role in modulating the metabolism of functional microorganisms, and provide essential genomic information for the potential use of virus-mediated treatment in controlling the anaerobic digester microbiome. We found that Siphoviridae was the dominant family in mesophilic anaerobic digesters, followed by Myoviridae and Podoviridae.

The feasibility of putrescible components of municipal solid waste for biomethane production at Hyderabad, Pakistan.

This study analyzes the feasibility of putrescible components of municipal solid waste (PCMSW) such as food waste (FW) and yard waste (YW) for methane production in Pakistan. The batch experiments have been conducted at two different inoculums to substrate ratios (ISR) by using various inoculums under mesophilic condition. The highest methane yield of FW and YW is achieved to be 428 Nml g volatile solids (VS) added and 304 Nml g VS added respectively by using buffalo dung inoculum at ISR-5.

Complete genome sequence of lytic bacteriophage RG-2014 that infects the multidrug resistant bacterium ARB-1.

A lytic bacteriophage RG-2014 infecting a biofilm forming multidrug resistant bacterium strain ARB-1 as its host was isolated from a full-scale municipal wastewater treatment plant. Lytic phage RG-2014 was isolated for developing phage based therapeutic approaches against strain ARB-1. The strain ARB-1 belongs to the family of the class.

Methane dependent denitrification- from ecosystem to laboratory-scale enrichment for engineering applications.

Managing nitrogen and carbon cycles in engineered and natural ecosystems is an environmental challenge. In this manuscript, we report a process which connects these two cycles with immense ecological and engineering significance. Sediments, collected from Jordan River in Salt Lake City, Utah were used as seed to start a laboratory-scale denitrification coupled to anaerobic methane oxidation (n-DAMO) reactor fed with methane (CH4) and nitrite (NO2(-)).

Biofilm control with natural and genetically-modified phages.

Bacteriophages, as the most dominant and diverse entities in the universe, have the potential to be one of the most promising therapeutic agents. The emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria and the antibiotic crisis in the last few decades have resulted in a renewed interest in phage therapy. Furthermore, bacteriophages, with the capacity to rapidly infect and overcome bacterial resistance, have demonstrated a sustainable approach against bacterial pathogens-particularly in biofilm.

Bacteriophage therapy for membrane biofouling in membrane bioreactors and antibiotic-resistant bacterial biofilms.

To demonstrate elimination of bacterial biofilm on membranes to represent wastewater treatment as well as biofilm formed by antibiotic-resistant bacterial (ARB) to signify medical application, an antibiotic-resistant bacterium and its lytic bacteriophage were isolated from a full-scale wastewater treatment plant. Based on gram staining and complete 16 S rDNA sequencing, the isolated bacterium showed a more than 99% homology with Delftia tsuruhatensis, a gram-negative bacterium belonging to β-proteobacteria. The Delftia lytic phage's draft genome revealed the phage to be an N4-like phage with 59.