Objectif Contamination with organic pollutants is widespread in nature and a notorious threat to our water resources. Two central paradigms are currently understood to control biodegradation in groundwater and sediments: (i) Redox gradients and interphases between compartments are hot-spots for contaminant breakdown, and (ii) biodegradation is primarily limited by local electron acceptor availability, in particular of oxygen. My group has published leading contributions to this understanding in recent years, especially in elucidating the ecology of anaerobic toluene degraders in aquifers.This project now aims to question these established paradigms and to elaborate a ground-breaking new perspective of the role of molecular oxygen in pollutant degradation in anoxic compartments. The hypotheses at the heart of the project originate from a combination of own recent findings, partially inconsistent with the current understanding of process and degrader stratification at redox gradients. These are now interpreted in the light of exciting recent advances in the fields of electromicrobiology and oxygenic anaerobic respiration.POLLOX postulates that oxygen-dependent degradation of pollutants in anaerobic compartments is possible by two unrecognised physiological adaptations of degraders. I want to verify the hypothesis that filamentous Desulfobulbaceae can anaerobically oxidise toluene via long-distance (1-2 cm) electron transfer to oxygen across redox gradients (aim 1). Furthermore, I postulate that monooxygenase-dependent toluene degraders, in absence of external oxygen, can be active via self-sustained production of oxygen by nitric oxide dismutation (aim 2). POLLOX proposes to perform targeted lab experiments and field surveys to verify both hypotheses and to elaborate the ecological niches in which respective degraders and processes are relevant in situ (aim 3). The generic mechanisms to be elaborated here have the potential to open new doors for bioremediation in the future. Champ scientifique engineering and technologyenvironmental biotechnologybioremediationnatural sciencesearth and related environmental scienceshydrologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesecology Programme(s) FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Thème(s) ERC-CG-2013-LS9 - ERC Consolidator Grant - Applied Life Sciences and Non-Medical Biotechnology Appel à propositions ERC-2013-CoG Voir d’autres projets de cet appel Régime de financement ERC-CG - ERC Consolidator Grants Institution d’accueil UNIVERSITAT BAYREUTH Contribution de l’UE € 398 387,00 Adresse UNIVERSITATSSTRASSE 30 95447 Bayreuth Allemagne Voir sur la carte Région Bayern Oberfranken Bayreuth, Kreisfreie Stadt Type d’activité Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Contact administratif Harald Meier (Mr.) Chercheur principal Tillmann Joachim Lüders (Dr.) Liens Contacter l’organisation Opens in new window Site web Opens in new window Coût total Aucune donnée Bénéficiaires (2) Trier par ordre alphabétique Trier par contribution de l’UE Tout développer Tout réduire UNIVERSITAT BAYREUTH Allemagne Contribution de l’UE € 398 387,00 Adresse UNIVERSITATSSTRASSE 30 95447 Bayreuth Voir sur la carte Région Bayern Oberfranken Bayreuth, Kreisfreie Stadt Type d’activité Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Contact administratif Harald Meier (Mr.) Chercheur principal Tillmann Joachim Lüders (Dr.) Liens Contacter l’organisation Opens in new window Site web Opens in new window Coût total Aucune donnée HELMHOLTZ ZENTRUM MUENCHEN DEUTSCHES FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM FUER GESUNDHEIT UND UMWELT GMBH Allemagne Contribution de l’UE € 1 490 533,00 Adresse INGOLSTADTER LANDSTRASSE 1 85764 Neuherberg Voir sur la carte Région Bayern Oberbayern München, Landkreis Type d’activité Research Organisations Contact administratif Jürgen Ertel (Dr.) Liens Contacter l’organisation Opens in new window Site web Opens in new window Coût total Aucune donnée
