Mediaspace scheduled maintenance: Aug 25, 2026 07:00 - 12:00 AM. During this time, videos will be temporarily unavailable. Check status updates.

Lecture

Metabolic Diversity and Environmental Microbiology

In course

ENV-202: Microbiology for engineers

"Microbiology for engineers" covers the main microbial processes that take place in the environment and in treatment systems. It presents elemental cycles that are catalyzed by microorganisms and that have a major impact on planet Earth. ...

Description

This lecture covers the metabolic diversity of microorganisms and their role in environmental microbiology. Topics include different types of bacterial metabolisms, nomenclature of trophic types, redox potentials, and the energetics of biological reactions. The instructor emphasizes the importance of understanding the sources of energy, electrons, carbon, and the role of different electron acceptors in microbial metabolism.

Instructors (4)

Julien Maillard

2011 - present: Research associate at the Laboratory for Environmental Biotechnology (LBE, IIE-ENAC, EPFL) 2007 - 2010: Postdoctoral Fellow at the Laboratory for Environmental Biotechnology (LBE, IIE-ENAC, EPFL) 2005 - 2006: Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of East Anglia (UEA, Norwich, UK) 2000 - 2004: PhD thesis at the Laboratory for Environmental Biotechnology (LBE) 1995 - 2000: B.sc & M.sc at the Swiss Federal Institute for Technology, Zurich (ETHZ)

Rizlan Bernier-Latmani

HIGHER EDUCATION Summer course: Advances in Genome Technology and Bioinformatics Course at the Marine Biology Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA. October 2005. Ph.D. 2001 Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, CA (Advisor, Jim Leckie, Biodegradation of uranyl (UO22 )-complexed citrate and implications for uranyl mobility in the subsurface) M.S. 1995 Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, CA B.S. 1993 Natural Resources with Honors, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT 2013-present Associate professor with tenure, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne 2005-2013 Assistant professor tenure track, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne 2001-2005 Post-Graduate Researcher, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA (PI: Brad Tebo) 1995-2001 Graduate Research Assistant, Stanford University (Advisor: Jim Leckie) RESEARCH INTERESTS Gemicrobiology, metal-bacteria interactions, biological reduction and oxidation of metals, biological nanoparticle formation; Characterization of microbial communities in terrestrial environments; Using genomic, microscopic and spectroscopic tools to understand metal transformations by microorganisms. ACADEMIC HONORS Rotary Foundation University Professor grant, 2004. Swiss National Science Foundation Post-doctoral Fellowship, 2001. Leon B. Reynolds Memorial Scholarship in the School of Engineering at Stanford University, 1995-96. Graduated with Honors from Cornell University, 1993. BIBLIOMETRY http://www.researcherid.com/rid/E-4398-2011 ResearcherID: E-4398-2011

Christof Holliger

Originaire d'Adliswil, Christof Holliger est né en 1959. Diplômé de l'ETHZ en biologie en 1984, il mène des travaux de recherche dans le domaine de la microbiologie environnementale à l'Université d'Agriculture de Wageningen (Pays-Bas) où il obtient son doctorat en Science de l'environnement en 1992. En 1992, il retourne en Suisse engagé comme collaborateur scientifique et chef de groupe à l'Institut Fédéral pour l'Aménagement, l'Epuration et la Protection des Eaux (EAWAG) à Kastanienbaum. Il y continue ses recherches sur la déchloruration réductrice, commencées aux Pays-Bas, et dirige des travaux sur la réduction des composés nitroaromatiques, la réduction du fer et la méthanogenèse psychrophile dans les sédiments des lacs. En octobre 1998, il est nommé professeur assistant en biotechnologie environnementale au Département de génie rural de l'EPFL. Ses recherches visent l'application des micro-organismes anaérobies pour le traitement des eaux résiduaires. En novembre 2004, il est nommé professeur associé et devient responsable du laboratoire de biotechnologie environnementale à la Faculté de l'Environnement naturel, architectural et construit. L'utilisation des techniques de la biologie moléculaire pour la caractérisation des communautés microbiennes impliquées dans le biotraitement de l'air, des eaux et des sols pollués est un outil clé dans les différents projets de recherche visants le développement des nouveaux procédés de traitement.

Official source

Related concepts (31)

Electron transport chain

An electron transport chain (ETC) is a series of protein complexes and other molecules that transfer electrons from electron donors to electron acceptors via redox reactions (both reduction and oxidation occurring simultaneously) and couples this electron transfer with the transfer of protons (H+ ions) across a membrane. The electrons that are transferred from NADH and FADH2 to the ETC involves four multi-subunit large enzymes complexes and two mobile electron carriers.

Electron acceptor

An electron acceptor is a chemical entity that accepts electrons transferred to it from another compound. It is an oxidizing agent that, by virtue of its accepting electrons, is itself reduced in the process. Electron acceptors are sometimes mistakenly called electron receptors. The electron accepting power of an acceptor molecule is measured by its electron affinity (A) which is the energy released when filling the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO).

Electron donor

In chemistry, an electron donor is a chemical entity that donates electrons to another compound. It is a reducing agent that, by virtue of its donating electrons, is itself oxidized in the process. Typical reducing agents undergo permanent chemical alteration through covalent or ionic reaction chemistry. This results in the complete and irreversible transfer of one or more electrons. In many chemical circumstances, however, the transfer of electronic charge to an electron acceptor may be only fractional, meaning an electron is not completely transferred, but results in an electron resonance between the donor and acceptor.

Renewable energy

Renewable energy is energy from renewable resources that are naturally replenished on a human timescale. Renewable resources include sunlight, wind, the movement of water, and geothermal heat. Although most renewable energy sources are sustainable, some are not. For example, some biomass sources are considered unsustainable at current rates of exploitation. Renewable energy is often used for electricity generation, heating and cooling.

Energy development

Energy development is the field of activities focused on obtaining sources of energy from natural resources. These activities include the production of renewable, nuclear, and fossil fuel derived sources of energy, and for the recovery and reuse of energy that would otherwise be wasted. Energy conservation and efficiency measures reduce the demand for energy development, and can have benefits to society with improvements to environmental issues.

Related lectures (35)

Microbial Metabolic Diversity

Explores microbial metabolic diversity, including energy sources, redox reactions, and ATP generation.

Microbial metabolism: Energy Generation and Biomass Production

Explores microbial metabolism, focusing on energy generation, biomass production, redox reactions, and electron carriers.

Methanogenesis: Biochemical Pathways and Coenzymes

Explores methanogenesis, covering the three types and the coenzymes involved.

Neural Electrodes

Discusses the design and challenges of neural electrodes, focusing on reliability and interface mechanisms.

Photosynthesis: Pigments and Energy Transfer in Microorganisms