US-Egypt Cooperative Research: Biodiversity of Aerobic and Anaerobic Alkalithermophiles & Their Industrial Enzymes, Form Alkaline Lakes (Wadi el Natron) & Hot Springs

University Of Georgia Research Foundation Inc, Athens GA

Investigators

Abstract

0211100 Wiegel Description: This award is for support of a joint research project by Dr. Juergen Wiegel, Department of Microbiology, the University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia and Dr. Osama Sobieh, Biotechnology Institute, Mubarak City for Scientific Research and Technological Application, Alexandria, Egypt. This project has two main goals: first, elucidation of the biodiversity of the multifaceted (elevated temperatures, alkaline pH, and (partly) high salt at the same time) extremophiles from Wadi el Natron and hot springs in Egypt and the characterization of the novel bacteria and second, production of industrial enzymes from these extremophiles at the bench scale, i.e., screening for the desired industrially important enzymes, optimization of production yields and expression of the target genes in a mesophilic host to aid in the purification of the thermophilic/stable proteins. Several of these harsh environments have been only superficially studied and only very few microorganisms have been isolated from them so far. This is especially true for the Natron Lakes of Wadi el Natron between Cairo and Alexandria and hot springs close to the Red Sea, both expected to harbor unique microorganisms. Only recently a novel group of extremophiles, the anaerobic alkalithermophiles, has been established by one of the PIs and not much is known about these bacteria Scope: Many biotechnological and industrial applications (e.g., laundry detergents) require enzymes, which are stable at elevated temperatures in a highly alkaline milieu. This research will identify organisms from a natural source in a foreign country that can produce enzymes at these extreme environments. This collaborative project will foster scientific and educational exchanges between US and Egypt scientists in the area of biodiversity and industrial enzymes, and will support the participation of a U.S. graduate student in this international cooperative effort.