FCRC Annual Report 2007-2008

CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE
Florida Center for Renewable Chemicals and Fuels

Cellulosic Biofuels Pilot Plant

Annual Accountability Measures Report

July 2007 – June 2008

1. Competitive Grants Applied For and Received: 13 faculty members submitted a total of 42 grant proposals amounting to $18,551,378 for this period (Appendix 1a). A total of 33 grants have been awarded to 12 faculty members,, with the amount of $29,305,884 (Appendix 1b).
2. Total Research Expenditures: A total of $ $ 3,572,181was spent for research, $1,744,873 coming from Federal grants,$1,299,353 from State, $319,348 Universities, $104,453 from Industry and $104,154 from Others (Indirect Costs) (Appendix 2a). The budget status for the Center of Excellence Biofuels Demo Plant which is included in the above summary is in Appendix 2b.
3. Publications in Refereed Journals From Center Research: 49 papers were published in peer-reviewed journals and 11 papers are accepted for publication and in press. Appendix 3.
4. Professional Presentations Made on Center Research: 6 faculty members 3 Post-Docs, 1 Biol. Sci, and 2 graduate students presented research results in 49 meetings. Appendix 4.
5. Invention Disclosures Filed and Issued - n/a
6. Technologies Licensed and Revenues Received –

US Patent 7,323,551: Cloning and sequencing of pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) genes from bacteria and uses therefor. Maupin-Furlow, JA, LA Talarico, RK Chandra and LO Ingram (2008)

Invention Disclosure: UF # 12873. Engineering bacteria for fermentative hydrogen production at high yield. Do, PM, KT Shanmugam, LO Ingram, A Angerhofer, I Hrdy and L Bardonova (2008)

Collaboration Effectiveness

7. Collaborations with Other Postsecondary Institutions - 5 faculty members are currently involved with 9 post-secondary institutions. Appendix 5.
8. Collaborations with K-12 Education Systems/Schools: n/a
9. Collaborations with Private Industry: Six faculty members are recipients of grants or submitted grant proposals to 8 private industries. Appendix 6
10. Students Supported with Center Funds: 9 undergrad, 14 grad students and 17 post-docs with a combined 28 FTE were supported by Center Funds (Appendix 7).
11. Students Graduated - n/a
12. Job Placements of Graduates Upon Leaving the Center – n/a

Economic Development Effectiveness

13. Business Start-Ups in Florida - BioEnergy International (4 local employees thus far); expansion of Verenium (now over a dozen local employees; formerly Celunol), and assignment of a full time VP for Business Development in Florida by Verenium. Note that Celunol, based solely on UF technology for ethanol, merged with Diversa to form Verenium.

14. Jobs Created and Jobs Saved in Florida – at least 20
15. Specialized Industry Training and Education - n/a
16. Dollars Acquired from Venture Capitalists and Other Investments – n/a

Outreach Activities

17. Activities related to public awareness on research results – Information booths were set-up where posters and banners showed UF expertise and research on alternative energy, and brochures and handouts were given out at the Florida State Fair (Tampa, FL), Waste to Fuel Meeting (Orlando, FL), the University Florida Foundation Annual Stakeholders’ Meeting (Gainesville, FL), and at the Bioenergy Awareness Days (BEAD II; US National Arboretum, Wash DC). Information on current research are also displayed and maintained at the lobby of the Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, and in the center website http://fcrc.ifas.ufl.edu.

FCRC Faculty Members and Associates

We have 21 faculty and associate members coming from: other Florida universities (1), industry (2), and the rest from 5 departments within UF. Appendix 8

Appendix1a. Grants Submitted 2007-2008

Faculty Source and Project Title

Date Submitted

Amount
F Altpeter; Co-PI – Sollenberger

Co-PI - Gallo M., Preston J., Vermerris W

 

Co-PI: Gallo M., Preston J., Moudgil B.

USDA CSREES: Developing Non-invasive Genotypes of the Biofuel and Forage Crop Napiergrass.

USDA-RD / DOE: Genetic Engineering of Sugarcane for Increased Fermentable Sugar Yield from Hemicellulosic Biomass

CPBR: Total funding including industry co-funding $430,000, 8/01/2008 - 7/31/2010).

Development of a Chloroplast Transformation Protocol for Energycane

2007

 

2007

 

 

 

2007

$120,000

 

$866,576

 

 

 

$ 145,000

V de Crecy-Lagard NIH: Investigations of a new prokaryotic GTP cyclohydrolase I enzyme.

6.2008

$291,000

C Gonzalez UF Research Office (Internal): Disrupting virulence of Pseudomonas aureginosa by redirecting intracellular pools of Acyl-CoA.

1.7.2008

 
WB Gurley CPBR: Zinc finger-based regulation of plant gene expression

6.22.2007

$359,441

  FBRC - USF (CBD): A strategy for elimination of human-contaminated raw produce from the food supply

7.13.2007

$193,125

1 yr

  Dow AgroSciences: Evaluation of zinc finger-based proteins (ZFPs) to regulate transcription inplants (early start)

9.10. 2007

$34,018

1 yr

Pasco County (FLDEP): Feasibility Study / Hydrolysis Test Program for Biomass-to-Ethanol Facility at Pasco County Resource Recovery Facility

10.18.2007

$105,000

US EnviroFuels (FLDEP): Process and design for a commercial sugar-to-etanol integrated biorefinery: Validation and optimization for sweet sorghum.

10.18.2007

$500,000

FL Board of Governors: Consortium on Super Center on Energy

12.3.2007

$4.375M

out of $40M

USDA CSREES: National Needs Fellowships – Biomass systems engineering fellowship

5.8.2008

0

FHTCC – BioEnergy LLC Sponsored Research: Biocatalysts for the conversion of carbohydrates to value-added biochemicals.

4.1.2008

$250,000

Verenium Corp: Bioethanol sponsored research

10.1.2007

$250,000

NO Keyhani FCPRAC: Development of Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, tissue culture cell lines and their use for cultivation of Liberibacter asiaticus and high-throughput antimicrobial testing.

7.10

$125,720

2 yrs

G Lorca & C Gonzalez DOD DTRA: Neutralization of Francisella and Coxiella pathogenicity determinants by FDA approved drugs.

8.17

$1,500,000

  NIH: Identification of new Lactobacillus regulators responsive to FD-approved drugs

6.16.2007

3.16.2008

100,000

resubmit

DOE DE-FG02-05ER15650 Competitive renewal: Identification of Proteasome Substrates of the Haloarchaeon

8.29

$380,169

DOE EB Program: Proteasomes and post-translational modification of Haloferax volcanii

7.31

$380,168

WLNicholson

Co-PI

NASA: Biotoxicity of Mars Soils: Compatibility of Terrestrial Microorganisms to Simulated Conditions of Special Regions on Mars

8.7

$280,856

  NASA GSRP: Grad Fellowship for Amy Perkins

2.15.2008

$30,000

NASA Office of Lunar Advanced Science and Exploration Research: Survival of microorganisms from an analog human space habitat under simulated lunar and Martian conditions.

9. 20

$546,374

NASA Office of Lunar Advanced Science and Exploration Research: Survival, growth, and evolution of terrestial bacteria in martian environments

9. 20

$468,374

3yrs

USDA DOE Direct conversion of hemicellulose to biobased products

7. 11 white paper

0

USDA-DOE–Genetic Engineering of Sugarcane for Increased Fermentable Sugar Yield from Hemicellulosic Biomass

11/16, 2007

$229,308

USDA – Bacterial Systems for processing hemicellulose to biobased prioducts ( Biobased products and bioenergy production research)

10/1/2008-9/30/2011

$1,131,938

NIH – Biofilm formation and dispersal mechanisms R01 GM066794-05A1

4.1.2008-3.31.2009

43,950

CPBR - Development of a chloroplast transformation protocol for energycane.

6/2008

45,000

USDA-CSREES-NRI: Functional genomics of the termite gut

06/2008

$738,000

FL Energy Systems Consortium (FESC) Whitepaper: Digestion of cellulosic biomass by recombinant termite lignocellulases

11/2007

$475,276

DOE – Joint Genome Institute: A proposal to sequence the genome of the termite R. flavipes (invited full proposal)

01/2008

$0.00

Florida DEP – Renewable Energy Program: Digestion of cellulosic biomass by recombinant termite lignocellulases

10/2007

$442,350

DOE Golden DEFG3604GO14019: Engineering thermotolerant biocatalysts for biomass conversion.

(Supplemental Funding)

10.15.2007

$400,619

USDA-DOE: Developing biocatalysts for fermentation of biomass sugars to butanol as an alternate fuel source

11.16.2007

$900,000

DOT (UNIV OF TENNESSEE): Evaluation of reduced lignin softwood and hardwoods for improved conversion to bioethanol.

10.1.2007

$42,750

FCPRAC: ReducingLliberibacter in the plant by inoculation with an antibiotic producing Rhizobium strain

7.10

$35,000

NASA Office of Lunar Advanced Science and Exploration Research: Survival of microorganisms from an analog human space habitat under simulated lunar and Martian conditions.

9. 20

(546,374)

NSF MO: Collaborative Research: How are archaeal diversity, abundance, and function regulated in agroecosystems?

10. 8.2007

$1,500,000

NIH NICHD (UF Medicine): Intestinal microecology inflammatory,markers and necrotizing enterocolitis.

11/16/2007

$463,139

NSF: Individual Presidential Award for Excellence Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring: Howard M Johnson

3.4.2008

$10,000

Juvenile Diabetes Foundation: Correlatino of humat gut microbiota with the onset of type 1 diabetes.

5.1.2008

9.1.2008-8.31.2011

$674,853

     
 

13

   
TOTAL # FACULTY

42

TOTAL NUMBER OF GRANTS SUBMITTED

$18,551,378

   

 

Appendix 1b. Grants Awarded 2007-2008

 

AWARDED

Start/

End Dates

Amount

USDA-CSREES: Developing Non-invasive Genotypes of the Biofuel and Forage Crop Napiergrass. 10/01/2008 - 9/30/2010

$120,000

USDA-RD / DOE: Genetic Engineering of Sugarcane for Increased Fermentable Sugar Yield from Hemicellulosic Biomass 7/01/2008 - 6/30/2011

$866,576

CPBR: Development of a Chloroplast Transformation Protocol for Energycane. Industry co-funding 8/01/2008 - 7/31/2010

$145,000

$285,000

Total Altpeter

DOE SE-PS02-07ER07-14: Phylogenomics-guided validation of function for conserved unknown genes 9/1/2007

8/31/2010

500,000.00

EVOLUGATE: Characterization of microorganisms obtained by experimental evolution 1.2.2008

7.1.2008

11,002.50

UF Research Offiice: "Genomic Analysis of Vibrio vulnificus: Understanding and Preventing Human Disease by Understanding Lifestyle in Mammals, Oysters, and Biofilms" 5.1.2008

9,213.00

Total – de Crecy

600,216.50

     
Jamie S. Foster UCF (NASA POST-DOC): Microbial Mats, solar radiation, and genetic response 8.1.2007

7.31.2008

25,000.00

Total Foster

25,000.00

       
WB Gurley CPBR(+ Dow Agrosciences and ArborGen) - Zinc finger-based regulation of plant gene expression 3.1.2008

1.31.2010

359,441.00

  FBRC - USF (CBD): A strategy for elimination of human-contaminated raw produce from the food supply 5.1.2008

4.30.2009

193,125.00

  Fl Dept of AG & Consumer Ser: Developing promoters that will prevent expression of foreign genes in fruit 9.30.2008

9.29.2009

50,000.00

  UF Foundation  

71,000.00

Total Gurley

.00

   
LO Ingram      
Co-PI, Forest Res & Conserv SUNGRANT: Evaluation of Reduced Lignin Softwood and Hardwoods for Improved Conversion to Bioethanol 10.1.2007

9.30.2008

49,950.00

  Verenium: Verenium Sponsored Research 8.21.2007

2.28.2008

250,000.00

  BioEnergy LLC: Production of organic acids, polymers, and sugar-based specialty chenicals 04.1.2007

03.31.2010

1,000,000.00

  FL State Legislature: Cellulosic Ethanol Research Pilot Plant  

20,000,000.00

  FHTCC: Bioenergy sponsored research on biomass conversion to organic acids: Biocatlysts for the conversion of carbohydrates to biochemicals 6.1.2007

5.31.2008

100,000.00

  DOE-CDP Congressionally Directed Programs: Florida Renwable Energy program 5.1.2008

4.30.2009

738,000.00

  HATCH: IFAS Energy Projects  

500,000.00

Total Ingram

.00

       
NO Keyhani NSF REU Site: Fueling a microbiology research training network from the University of Florida. (transfer from Rasche) 3.1.2007

2.28.2010

242,363.00

Total Keyhani

242,363.00

   
JA Maupin-Furlow DOE JGI: Sequencing the genome of the alkaliphilic haloarcheaon Natrialba magadii ATCC4309, Community Sequencing Program, Department of Energy, JGI CSP 788459 16.05.2007

present

No $ compensation

  DOE Biosciences, DE-FG02-05ER15650: Proteasomes and Post-translational Modification of Haloferax volcanii Proteins 7.15.2008

7.14.2010

380,169.00

Total Maupin-Furlow    

380,169.00

       
WL Nicholson

Co-PI: Schuerger

NASA GSRP: NNX07AO60H - Grad Fellowship for Amy Perkins 7.23.2007

7.22.2008

30,000.00

  NASA Astrobiology: NNH06ZDA001N-EXOB: Astrobiology: Exobiology and Evolutionary Biology - Survival, growth, and evolution of terrestrial bacteria in martian environments. 7.1.2008

6.30.2011

468,374.00

Co-PI with Schuerger NASA: Biotoxicity of Mars Soils: Compatibility of Terrestrial Microorganisms to Simulated Conditions of Special Regions on Mars 6.1.2008

5.30.2011

89,389.00

Co-PI with Schuerger NASA Lunar Advanced Science and Exploriation Research (LASER) Program): Survival of microorganisms recovered from an analog human space and exposed to simulated lunar conditions. 6.1.2008

5.31.2012.2011

546,847.00

Total Nicholson

1,134,610.00

   
JF Preston      
Ingram, Shan      
Altpeter- PI USDA-DOE–Genetic Engineering of Sugarcane for Increased Fermentable Sugar Yield from Hemicellulosic Biomass Awarded

In Process

Romeo - PI NIH – Biofilm formation and dispersal mechanisms R01 GM066794-05A1 4.1.2008

3.31.2009

43,950.00

Peter - PI DOT(Univ of Tennessee: Evaluation of reduced lignin softwood and hardwoods for improved conversion to bioethanol. 10.1.2007

9.30.2008

42,750.00

Total Preston

.00

   
M Scharf CPBR - Consortium for Plant Biotechnology Research /DOE: Genomic dissection of cellulose utilization in termites 2008

$120,000

Total Scharf    

$120,000

       
KT Shanmugam DOE Golden DEFG3604GO14019: Engineering thermotolerant biocatalysts for biomass conversion.

(Supplemental Funding)

10.15.2007

400,619.00

Peter - PI DOT (UNIV OF TENNESSEE): Evaluation of reduced lignin softwood and hardwoods for improved conversion to bioethanol. 10.1.2007

9.30.2008

42,750.00

Total Shan    

443,369.00

       
EW Triplett NSF: Integrating genomics through the undergraduate microbiology curriculum 1.1.2008

12.31.2009

155,365.00

With Co-PI Drew FCPRAC: ReducingLliberibacter in the plant by inoculation with an antibiotic producing Rhizobium strain  

35,000.00

Co-PI: Univ Colorado, Oregon State Univ NSF MO: Collaborative Research: How are archaeal diversity, abundance, and function regulated in agroecosystems? Awarded

1,500,000.00

Total Triplett

.00

   
NUMBER OF RECIPIENT FACULTY 12

TOTAL AMOUNT AWARDED $29,305,884

 

 

Appendix 2. FCRC Summary of Expenses July 2007 - June 2008

 

SOURCE OF  FUNDING

FACULTY

Federal

State

Industry/Private

University

Other (IDC)

De Crecy

88,058.20

11,009.01

74,595.47

313,765.61

19,149.10

Foster

1,628.83

Gurley

30,918.35

14,516.64

37.50

Ingram

71,808.67

10,4154

186,796.58

104,153.87

 

291,027.61

451,348.13

35,140.92

667,672.00

Maupin

76,939.59

 

100,465.64

Nicholson

25,709.14

43,998.45

2,673.62

Preston

43,180.27

46,942.11

23,267.27

4,961.01

Rasche/Keyhani

33,592.51

19,093.78

4,853.98

77,313.15

13,185.21

Shanmugam

322,485.48

Triplett

129,510.36

10,785.00

1,688.61

70,028.83

2,196.62

18,362.95

207.36

34,959.32

TOTAL

TOTAL EXPENSES $ 3,572,180.75

 

Appendix 2b

Budget Status for Center of Excellence BioFuels Demo Plant

2007-2008

1. Sponsor: Florida Board of Governors

Award: $2,250,000.00

Budget Item

Amount

Allocated

Expenses

Balance 

BioFuels Plant

1,000,000

667,672.00

332,328.00

Equipment

1,000,000

409,565.21

590,434.79

Operating Expenses

250,000

134,583.33

115,416.67

TOTALS

$2,250,000

$

$

 

 

2. Sponsor: IFAS Senior Vice President for Research (USDA CSREES)

Award: January 2007 = $200,000 June 2008 = $300.000

 

Budget Item

Amount

Allocated

Expenses

 

Balance

 

BioFuels Plant

200,000

200,000

0.00

Operating Expenses

300,000

291,027.61

8,972.39

TOTALS

$500,000

$491,027.61

$8,972.39

 

3. Budget Summary

 

Sponsor

Amount

Expenses

 

Balance

 

Florida Board of Governors

 

$2,250,000

$

$

IFAS Senior Vice President for Research (USDA CSREES)

$500,000

$491,027.61

$8,972.39

TOTALS

$2,750,000

Appendix 3. Publications: In Press* Published* Patents/Invention Disclosures*

In Press

Shively, J. M., G. C. Cannon, S. HeinHorst, J. A. Fuerst, D. A. Bryant, E. Gantt, J. A. Maupin-Furlow, D. Schűler, F. Pfeifer, R. Docampo, C. Dahl, J. Preiss, A. Steinbűchel, B. A. Federici. 2009. Intracellular structures of Prokaryotes: Inclusions, compartments and assemblages. Encyclopedia of Microbiology. Elsevier Press, St. Louis, Mo.

Kirkland, P. A.1, M. A. Humbard1, C. J. Daniels and J. A. Maupin-Furlow. 2008. Shotgun proteomics of the haloarchaeon Haloferax volcanii. J. Proteome Res. (on line – in press).

Yomano, L.P., S.W. York, S. Zhou, K.T. Shanmugam, and L.O. Ingram. 2008. Re-engineering Escherichia coli strain KO11 for ethanol production from xylose in mineral salts medium. Metabolic Engineering (submitted for publication).

Jarboe, L.R., K.T. Shanmugam, L.O. Ingram.  Ethanol Encyclopedia of Microbiology (3rd Ed) Ed. D. Majumder-Russell. Elsevier, 2008 (in press).

Perkins, A.E., A.C. Schuerger, and W.L. Nicholson. 2008. Isolation and characterization of rpoB mutations causing rifampicin resistance in Bacillus subtilis spores exposed to simulated Mars surface conditions. Astrobiology, in press.

X.B. Li, D.A. Huber, G.L. Powell, T.L. White, G.F. Peter (2008). Breeding for Improved Growth and Juvenile Corewood Stiffness in Slash Pine. Canadian J. For. Research. In Press

L.R. Schimleck, J.A. Tyson, P.D. Jones, G.F. Peter, R.F. Daniels, A. Clark, (2008). Investigation of the number of spectra per radial strip and number of radial strips per plantation required for robust Pinus taeda L. wood property calibrations. J. Near Infrared Spectroscopy. In press.

Chow, V., G. Nong, J. F. Preston. 2008. Structure, function and regulation of the aldouronate-utilization gene cluster from Paenibacillus sp. JDR-2. J. Bacteriol. in press.

Scharf, M.E. and Tartar, A. 2008. Insect digestomes as sources for novel lignocellulases. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining. In Press.

Jantama, K., X. Zhang, J.C. Moore, K.T. Shanmugam, S.A. Svoronos, and L.O. Ingram. 2008. Eliminating side products and increasing succinate yields in engineered strains of Escherichia coli C. Biotechnol Bioeng. August, 2008 preprint; online

Tartar, A., Zhou, X., Boucias, D.G. and Scharf, M.E. (2008) Digestome analysis reveals evidence of collaborative digestion and lignin degradation in the termite R. flavipes. Proc Nat Acad Sci USA (submitted for publication).

 

Published

2008

Naponelli V., Noiriel A., Ziemak M. J., Beverley S. M., Lye L. F., Plume A. M,, Botella J. R, , Loizeau K., Ravanel S., Rébeillé F., de Crécy-Lagard V., and A. D. Hanson. (2008). Phylogenomic and functional analysis of pterin-4a-carbinolamine dehydratase family (COG2154) proteins in plants and microorganisms. Plant Physiol. 146:1515-27.

Brown, G., A.Singer, M. Proudfoot, S.Tatiana, Y.Kim, C. Chang, I.Dementieva, E. Kuznetsova, C. Gonzalez, A. Joachimiak, A. Savchenko, A.Yakunin. 2008. Functional and structural characterization of four glutaminases from Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. Biochemistry 47:5724:5735.

Peterson J.D., and L.O.Ingram. 2008. Anaerobic respiration in engineered Escherichia coli with an internal electron acceptor to produce fuel ethanol. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1125: 363-372.

Miller, E.N., L.O. Ingram. 2008. Sucrose and overexpression of trehalose biosynthetic genes (otsBA) increase dessication tolerance of recombinant Escherichia coli. Biotechnol Lett. 30: 503-508.

Kim, Y., L. O. Ingram and K. T. Shanmugam. 2008. Dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase mutation alters the NADH sensitivity of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex of Escherichia coli K-12. J. Bacteriol. 190:3851-3858.

Kirkland, P. A., M. A. Gil, I. M. Karadzic, and J. A. Maupin-Furlow. 2008. Genetic and proteomic analyses of a proteasome-activating nucleotidase A mutant of the haloarchaeon Haloferax volcanii. J. Bacteriol. 190:193-205.

De Castro, R. E., D. M. Ruiz, M. I. Giménez, M. X. Silveyra, R. A. Paggi, and J.A. Maupin-Furlow. 2008. Gene cloning and heterologous synthesis of a haloalkaliphilic extracellular protease of Natrialba magadii (Nep). Extremophiles 12:677-687.

Bidle, K. A., P. A. Kirkland1, J. Nannen, and J. Maupin-Furlow. 2008. Proteomic analysis of Haloferax volcanii reveals up-regulation of the transcriptional activator PspA in response to salt stress. Microbiology 154:1436-1443.

Itoh, Y., J.D. Rice, C Goller, A. Pannuri, J. Taylor, J. Meisner, T.J. Beveridge, J.F. Preston, III, and T Romeo. 2008. Roles of pgaABCD genes in synthesis, modification and export of the Escherichia coli biofilm adhesion poly-ß-acectyl-d-glucosamine. J. Bacteriology. 3670-3680.

Schmidt, L., L. Mouton, G. Nong, D. Ebert, and J. F. Preston, III. 2008. Genetic and immunological comparison of the cladoceran parasite Pasteuria ramosa with the nematode parasite Pasteuria penetrans. Appl. & Environ. Microbiol. 74:259-264.

Perkins, A. and W.L. Nicholson. 2008. Uncovering metabolic capabilities of Bacillus subtilis using phenotype profiling of rifampicin-resistant rpoB mutants. J. Bacteriol. 190:807-814.

Scheurger, A., P. F-Cavazos, L.A. Clausen, J.E. Mones, P.H. Smith and W.L. Nicholson. 2008. Slow degradation of ATP in simulated mariona environmnents suggests long residence times for the biosignature molecule on spacecraft surfaces on Mars. Icarus. 194:86-100.

Moeller, R., P. Setlow, G. Horneck, T. Berger, G. Reitz, P. Rettberg, A.J. Doherty, R. Okayasu, and W.L. Nicholson. 2008. Role of the major small, acid-soluble spore proteins, spore-specific and universal DNA repair mechanisms in the resistance of Bacillus subtilis spores to high energy charged (HZE) particle bombardment. J. Bacteriol. 190: 1134-1140.

Fajardo-Cavazos, P., A.C. Schuerger, and W.L. Nicholson. 2008. Persistence of biomarker ATP and ATP-generating capability in bacterial cells and spores contaminating spacecraft materials under Earth and simulated Mars environments. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 74: 5159-5167.

Gioia, J., S. Yerrapragada, X. Qin, H. Jiang, O.C. Igboeli, D. Muzny, S. Gugan-Rocha, Y. Ding, A. Hawes, W. Liu, L Perez, C. Kovar, H. Dinh, S. Lee, L. Nazareth, P. Blyth, M. Holder, C. Buhay, M.R. Tirumalai, Y. Liu, I. Dasgupta, L. Bokgetache, M. Fujita, F. Karouia, P.E. Moorthy, J. Siefert, A. Uzman, P. Buzumbo, A. Verma, H. Zwiya, B.D. McWilliams, A. Olowu, K.D. Clinkenbeard, D. Newcombe, L. Golebiewski, J.F. Petrosino, S.K. Highlander, W.L. Nicholson, G.E. Fox, K. Venkateswaran, and G.M. Weinstock. 2008. Paradoxical DNA repair and peroxide resistance gene conservation in Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032. PLoS ONE 9: e298 (10 pp.)

Peter G (2008) Southern Pines: A resource for bioenergy. In Vermerris V, ed, Genetic Improvement of Bioenergy Crops. Springer, New York, NY, pp 397-414

Liu X, Lee S-C, Casella G, Peter GF (2008) Assessing agreement of clustering methods with gene expression microarray data. Computational Statistics and Data Analysis 52: 5356-5366

Zhou, X., Wheeler, M.M., Oi, F.M. and Scharf, M.E. 2008. RNA interference in the termite R. flavipes through ingestion of double-stranded RNA. Insect Biochem Mol Bio 38, 805-815

Zhou, X., Wheeler, M.M., Oi, F.M. and Scharf, M.E. 2008. Inhibition of termite cellulases by carbohydrate-based cellulase inhibitors: evidence from in vitro biochemistry and in vivo feeding studies. Pestic Biochem Physiol 90, 31-41

Jantama, K., M.J. Haupt, S.A. Svoronos, X. Zhang, J.C. Moore, K.T. Shanmugam, L.O. Ingram. 2008. Combining metabolic engineering and metabolic evolution to develop nonrecombinant strains of Escherichia coli C that produce succinate and malate. Biotechnol and Bioengineering. 99(5): 1140-1153.

Shanmugan, K.T. and L.O. Ingram. 2008. Engineering biocatalysts for production of commodity chemicals. Journal of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology. 15:8-15.

Roesch, L.F., F. A. O. Camargo, F. E. Bento and E.W. Triplett. 2008. Biodiversity of diazotrophic bacteria within the soil, root and stem of field-grown maize. Plant Soil 302:71-104.

Drew, J. and E.W. Triplett. 2008. Whole genome sequencing in the undergraduate classroom: outcomes and lessons from a pilot course. J. of Microbiol and Biol. Education. Pp.3-11.

2007

de Crécy, E., Metzgar, D., Allen, C., Penicaud, M., Lyons, B., Hansen, C. J., and de Crécy-Lagard, V. (2007) Development of a novel continuous culture device for experimental evolution of bacterial populations. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 77:489-496

de Crécy-Lagard, V., Marck, C., Brochier-Armanet, C., and Grosjean, H. (2007) Comparative RNomics and Modomics in Mollicutes: Prediction of Gene Function and Evolutionary Implications. IUBMB Life, 1-25

de Crécy-Lagard, V., El Yacoubi, B., de la Garza, R. D., Noiriel, A., and Hanson, A. D. (2007) Comparative genomics of bacterial and plant folate synthesis and salvage: predictions and validations. BMC Genomics 8, 245

de Crécy-Lagard V. (2007). Identification of genes encoding tRNA modification enzymes via comparative genomics. In Methods in Enzymology. (Gott, J., ed.) Academic Press, New-York. Vol. 425, Chapter 7 p. 153-83.

de Crécy-Lagard V., and A. D. Hanson. (2007). Finding novel metabolic genes through plant-prokaryote phylogenomics.Trends Microbiol. Sci. 15:563-70.

Bacher, J. M., Waas, W. F., Metzgar, D., de Crécy-Lagard, V., and Schimmel, P. (2007) Genetic code ambiguity confers a selective advantage on Acinetobacter baylyi. J Bacteriol 189:6494-6496

Rhee, M. S., J. W. Kim, Y. Qian, L. O. Ingram and K. T. Shanmugam. 2007. Development of plasmid vector and electroporation condition for gene transfer in sporogenic lactic acid bacterium, Bacillus coagulans. Plasmid 58:13-22.

Gil, M. A., K. E. Sherwood1,, and J. A. Maupin-Furlow. 2007. Transcriptional linkage of Haloferax volcanii proteasomal genes with non-proteasomal gene neighbors including RNase P, MOSC domain and SAM-methyltransferase homologs. Microbiology 153: 3009-3022.

Kirkland, P. A., C. J. Reuter, and J. A. Maupin-Furlow. 2007. Effect of proteasome inhibitor clasto-lactacystin-β-lactone on the proteome of the haloarchaeon Haloferax volcanii. Microbiology 153: 2271-2280.

Moeller, R., E. Stackebrandt, G. Reitz, P. Rettberg, A.J. Doherty, G. Horneck, and W.L. Nicholson. 2007. Role of DNA repair by non-homologous end joining in Bacillus subtilis spore resistance to extreme dryness, mono- and polychromatic UV and ionizing radiation J. Bacteriol. 189: 3306-3311.

Moeller, R., T. Douki, J. Cadet, E. Stackebrandt, W. L. Nicholson, P. Rettberg, G. Reitz, andG. Horneck. 2007. UV-radiation-induced formation of DNA bipyrimidine photoproducts in Bacillus subtilis endospores and their repair during germination. Int. Microbiol. 10: 39-46.

Maughan, H., J. Masel, C.W. Birky, Jr., and W.L. Nicholson. 2007. The roles of mutation accumulation and selection in loss of sporulation in experimental populations of Bacillus subtilis. Genetics 177: 937-948.

Fajardo-Cavazos, P., A.C. Schuerger, and W.L. Nicholson. 2007. Testing interplanetarytransfer of bacteria by natural impact phenomena and human spaceflight activities. Acta Astronautica 60: 534-540.

Peter GF (2007) Developments in Biological Fibre Treatment. Pira International, Surrey, UK, p -89.

Peter G, White D, de la Torre R, Singh R, Newman D (2007) The Value of Forest Biotechnology: A Cost Modeling Study with Loblolly Pine and Kraft Linerboard in the Southeastern USA. International Journal of Biotechnology 9: 415-435.

Azencott HR, Peter GF, Prausnitz MR (2007) Influence of the cell wall on intracellular delivery to algal cells by electroporation and sonication. Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology 33: 1805-1817.

Li X, Shupe T, Hse C, Peter G, Eberhardt T (2007) Anatomical and Chemical Composition Changes with Maturation of the Bamboo Species Phyllostachys pubescens. Journal of Tropical Forestry 19: 6-12.

Li XB, Huber DA, Powell GL, White TL, Peter GF (2007) Breeding for improved growth and juvenile corewood stiffness in slash pine. Canadian Journal of Forest Research-Revue Canadienne De Recherche Forestiere 37: 1886-1893.

Roth BE, Li X, Huber DA, Peter GF (2007) Effects of management intensity, genetics and planting density on wood stiffness in a plantation of juvenile loblolly pine in the southeastern USA. Forest Ecology and Management 246: 155-162.

Vales T, Feng X, Ge L, Xu N, Cairney J, Pullman GS, Peter GF 2007. Improved somatic embryo maturation in loblolly pine by monitoring ABA-responsive gene expression. Plant Cell Rep 26: 133-43.

Nong, G., V. Chow, L.M. Schmidt, D.W. Dickson, J.F. Preston. 2007. Multiple-strand displacement and identification of SNPs as markers of genotypic variation of Pasteuria penetrans biotypes infecting root-knot nematodes. FEMS Microbiol. Ecol. 61:327-336.

Chow, V., Nong, J.F. Preston. 2007. Structure, function and regulation of the aldouronate-utlization gene cluster form paenobacillus sp. JDR-2. J Bacteriol. 189:8863-8870.

Zhou, X., Wheeler, M.M., Scharf, M.E. and Oi, F.M. 2007. Molecular and biochemical markers for monitoring dynamic shifts in cellulolytic protozoa in Reticulitermes flavipes. Insect Biochem Mol Biol 37, 1366-1374.

Zhou, X., Smith, J.A., Koehler, P.G., Oi, F.M., Bennett, G.W. and Scharf, M.E. 2007. Correlation of cellulase gene expression and cellulolytic activity throughout the gut of the termite R. flavipes. GENE 395, 29-39.

Zhang, X., K. Jantama, J. C. Moore, K. T. Shanmugam and L. O. Ingram. 2007. Production of L-alanine by metabolically engineered Escherichia coli. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 77:355-366.

Jarboe, L.R., T.B. Grabar, L.P. Yomano, K.T. Shanmugam, L.O. Ingram. 2007. Development of ethanologenic bacteria. Book Chapter. Adv. Biochem Engin/Biotechnol 108: 237-261.

 

 

Invention Disclosure:

UF # 12873 Engineering bacteria for fermentative hydrogen production at high yield. Do, PM, KT Shanmugam, LO Ingram, A Angerhofer, I Hrdy and L Bardonova (2008)

 

 

Patents:

7,323,551 Cloning and sequencing of pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) genes from bacteria and uses therefor.

Maupin-Furlow, JA, LA Talarico, RK Chandra and LO Ingram (2008)

 

Appendix 4. Research Presentations | Meetings Attended

Presenter

Topic/Venue

Place and Date

V Chow Microbial Genomics and Metagenomics

Workshop

DOE Joint Genome Institute at

Walnut Creek, California, May 19-23, 2008

P Do Engineering Escherichia coli for Fermentative Dihydrogen Production: Potential role of NADH-ferredoxin oxidoreductase from the hydrogenosome of anaerobic protozoa. Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals Meeting. Society for Industrial Microbiology.  May 4-7, 2008
S P Gomez Exhibitor, Florida State Fair Tampa, FL Feb. 7-18, 2008
  UF CALS Career Expo Gainesville, FL Feb 20, 2008
  Exhibitor, UFF Board Meeting Gainesville, FL, March 8, 2008
  Waste to Fuel Summit: Exhibitor and Meeting Attendee Orlando, FL April 6-8, 2008
  BioEnergy Awareness Days (BEAD II) Exhibitor and Meeting Attendee US National Arboretum, Washington DC, 6-19-22, 2008
Florida Governor’s Action Team on Energy and Climate Change

Tallahassee, FL Oct 4-5, 14-16, 28-30, 2007; Jan. 31-Feb 2, 2008; March 16-17, 2008

SIM RAFT VII Meeting, Inited Speaker of Cellulosic Ethanol

St. Petersburg, FL Nov.5-7,2007

Meeting with Agriculture Commisioner Bronson; Tour of Okaleenta Mill and pilot plant facility

West Palm Beach, Jan 7-8,2008

ASM Board of Governor’s Meeting

Tucson, AZ Jan.11-12, 2008

Verenium Corporation Research Progress and Plans

San Diego, CA Jan.19-21, 2008

Biofuels in the Americas: Technology, Investment and the Path

Miami, FL Jan. 23-24, 2008

Meeting with BioEnergy LLC

Gainesville, FL Feb 5, 2008

UFF Board Meeting Invited Speaker

Gainesville, FL , March 8, 2008

4th National 25x25 Renewable Energy Summit; Speaker on Cellulosic Ethanol

Omaha, NE March11-13, 2008

Speaker at SURA Meeting and Recipient of the 2008 Award

Newport News, VA April 7-8, 2008

Annual Meeting of the National Academy of Sciences

Washington DC April 27-28, 2008

Cellulosic ethanol. International Visitor Corps of Jacksonville, Sustainable Development and Renewable Energy

Gainesville, FL. 7/2007

Florida Governor’s Action Team on Energy and Climate Change

Tallahassee, FL. 8/2007

Alternative Energy Summit

Jupiter, FL. 8/2007

Cellulosic ethanol. Florida Farm Bureau Annual Meeting

Bushnell, FL. 9/2007

Cellulosic Perspective for the Southeast.AHS CARET Summer Meeting at the University of Kentucky, KY.

UK, KY 8/2007

Biofuels Test Pilot Plant. Conceptual Design and Plans for the Cellulosic Ethanol Research Demonstration Plant

Cincinnati, OH. 9/2007

Lactic acid production using vacterial biocatalysts. Bioenergy Investors Meeting

Gainesville, FL. 9/2007

Proteasomes and Metabolic Engineering. Synthetic Genomics, Inc. La Jolla, Calif., August 13, 2008.
Archaeal Proteasomes and Post-translational Modification. Ann. Mtg. Society of Industrial Microbiology. August 12, 2008
Emerging Roles of Proteasomes in Archaea. Ann. Mtg. Amer. Soc. Microbiol. Boston, MA. June 3, 2008.
Proteasomes and their Global Impact on Archaeal Cells. Gene Regulation and Genome Function in Archaea. Special Research Symposium. Frankfurt, Germany. October 2, 2007 [Keynote Speaker].
Archaeal Proteasomes and Post-Translational Regulation. Session: Post-Translational Regulatory Mechanisms of Archaea. Gordon Research Conference, Archaea: Ecology, Metabolism, and Microbiology. Andover, NH. August 21, 2007.
Archaea as Models for Analysis of Ubiquitin-independent Proteasome Function. University of Florida. March 26, 2007
Proteasomes and their Role in Archaeal Physiology. Ohio State University. March 8, 2007
Jonathan Moore Instituto de Biotechnologia, UNAM : Invited speaker and lecturer on renewable energy Cuarnavaca, Mexico Oct 13-18, 2007
(INVITED ORAL) "Bacillus subtilis as a platform for production of biofuels", Department of Microbiology & Cell Science Graduate Student Symposium.

Jacksonville Beach, FL, Aug 18, 2007.

Rifampicin-resistance mutations in rpoB causing global shifts in Bacillus subtilis

physiology and metabolism

2nd ASM Conference on Integrating Metabolism and Genomics (IMAGE2)Montreal, Canada, May 3, 2007

DNA damage, repair, and evolution in bacteria during interplanetary transport

Astrobiology Small Payloads Workshop, NASA-Ames, CA, June 19, 2007

Interplanetary transport of microorganisms: survival, growth, and adaptation.

Bioastronomy 2007 Meeting, San Juan, Puerto Rico, July 16-20, 2007

Bacillus subtilis as a platform for production of biofuels

Deptof Microbiology & Cell Science Graduate Student Symposium, Jacksonville Beach, FL, Aug 18, 2007

Interplanetary Transport of Microorganisms: Biogeological Considerations

Japan Geoscience Union Meeting, Chiba, Japan, May 25-30, 2008.

Bacillus subtilis as a platform for bio-based fuels and chemicals

UF Citrus Research and Education Center, Lake Alfred, FL, May 2, 2008.

MS Ou Thermophilic Bacillus coagulans requires Less Cellulases for Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation of Cellulose to Products than Mesophilic Microbial Biocatalysts.

Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals Meeting. Society for Industrial Microbiology.  May 4-7, 2008

Ethanol Pilot Plant Meeting with Engineers

Cincinnati, OH April 10-11 , 2008

30th Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals

New Orleans, LA May 4-7, 2008

James Petterson 30th Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals

New Orleans, LA May 4-7, 2008

Developing Microbial Biocatalysts for Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Chemicals and Liquid Fuels. Meeting: Energy Biosciences Strategy for India

New Delhi, India, September 10, 11, 2007

Developing Microbial Biocatalysts for Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Chemicals and Liquid Fuels

Coskata, NIU Chicago, IL April 9, 2008

Producing cehmicals and fuels for biomass-based biorefinery

Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, Il April 10, 2008

Metabolic engineering of microbial biocatalysts for conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to chemicals and fuels

Northern Illinois Unviersity, Delkalb, IL, April 11, 2008

Xueli Zhang BIT ist Annual World Congress of IBIO Industrial Biotechnology

Shanghai, China April.15-18, 2008

 

 

Appendix 5. Collaborations with Postsecondary Institutions

Faculty Description of Collaboration Classification of Institution
De Crecy Subcontract to:

Portland State University

Burnham Institute

Public and Private, non-Florida Institutions
Foster Subcontract grant recipient from Unviersity of Central Florida Public Florida Institution
Collaborator: Rider Unversity Non-Florida Institution
Collaborator: Universidad Nacional del Mar Plata, Argentina International Institution
Collaborator: Tamil Nadu Agricultural Unviersity, Tamil Nadu, India International Institution
Collaborator: University of Djelfa, Algeria International Institution
Collaborator: Ohio State Unviersity Public non-Florida Institution
Preston Subcontract grant recipient from:

Emory University

University of Tennessee

Non-Florida Private University

Non-Florida Public University

Triplett Grant collaborator:

Seminole Community College

Colorado University

Oregon State University

Florida Public College

Non- Florida Public Institutions

 

 

Appendix 6. Collaborations with Private Industry

Faculty Description of Collaboration
De Crecy-Lagard Grant sponsor: Evolugate, LLC.
Keyhani Grant Sponsor: Evolugate, LLC
Grant sponsor: BioEnergy International
Grant sponsor: Verenium
Grant proposal submitted to US EnviroFuels, LLC
Grant proposal submitted to Pasco County, FL
Grant Sponsor: Dow Agrosciences
Grant Sponsor: ArborGen Company
Grant sponsor: Consortium for Plant Biotechnology Research (CPBR)
Preston Grant sponsor: Consortium for Plant Biotechnology Research (CPBR)
Triplett Grant sponsor: Consortium for Plant Biotechnology Research (CPBR)

Appendix 7.

Headcount and FTE totals for undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctorate students.

Number and FTE

Undergrad FTE Grad FTE Post-Doc FTE
De Crecy

0

0

1

0.5

1

1

1.5

Ingram

7

1.4

4

2.0

7

7

9.4

Keyhani

0

0

1

0.5

0

0

0.5

Maupin-Furlow

16

3.2

4

2.0

2

1.5

6.7

Nicholson

0

0

1

0.5

1

1

1.5

Preston

1

0.2

1

0.5

3

2.5

2.7

Shanmugam

1

0.2

2

1.0

3

3

4.2

Triplett

0

0

1

0.5

1

1

1.5

TOTAL

Undergraduate Students

Grauduate Students

Post-docs

Alex Vela Changhao Bi Virginia Chow
Andrea Rosero Phi Do Ryan Geddes (visiting Engineer)
Adriana Penuela Erin Collins Zhihong Fu
Brelan Moritz Claudia Geddes Greg Haveman
Christy (Laura) Matthew Humbard Laura Jarboe
Markeshia Kaemwich Jantama Ismael Nieves
Price Dehay Elliot Miller Guang Nong
Raymond Lu Jonathan Moore Kevin O’Grady
Sebastian Puig Santosh Pande John Owens
  Amy Perkins James Peterson
  Gabriela Phillips Mun Rhee
  Katherine Sherwood Luiz Roesch
  Yue Su Liesbeth Schmidt
  Heather Tyler Peter Turner
    Basma Yacoubi
  Guanyin Zhou
    Qingzhao Wang

Appendix 8

FCRC Faculty Members and Associates

Faculty | Associate Department | Institution
Fredy Altpeter Agronomy, UF
Valerie de Crecy-Lagard Microbiology and Cell Science, UF
John M Davis Sch of Forest Res & Conservation, UF
Claudio F Gonzalez Microbiology and Cell Science, UF
William B Gurley Microbiology and Cell Science, UF
Lonnie O Ingram Microbiology and Cell Science, UF
Raphael Katzen Consulting Engineer
Nemat O Keyhani Microbiology and Cell Science, UF
Matias Kirst Sch of Forest Res & Conservation, UF
Graciela Lorca Microbiology and Cell Science, UF
Gregory Luli Verenium Corporation
Julie A Maupin-Furlow Microbiology and Cell Science, UF
Wayne L Nicholson Microbiology and Cell Science, UF
Gary F. Peter Sch of Forest Res & Conservation, UF
George Philippidis Applied Research Center (ARC),FIU
James F Preston, III Microbiology and Cell Science, UF
Pratap Pullammamappallil Ag & Biol Engineering, UF
Michael E. Scharf Entomology and Nematology, UF
KT Shanmugam Microbiology and Cell Science, UF
Eric Triplett Microbiology and Cell Science, UF
Willem Vermerris Agronomy, UF