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Anaerobic Biodegradation of Hydrocarbons: Metagenomics and Metabolomics

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Consequences of Microbial Interactions with Hydrocarbons, Oils, and Lipids: Biodegradation and Bioremediation

Part of the book series: Handbook of Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology ((HHLM))

Abstract

The biodegradation of hydrocarbons under anaerobic conditions is a significant process that is now known to occur in diverse environments. Understanding this process has important implications for the bioremediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated terrestrial and marine environments, for enhanced energy recovery from deep subsurface fossil energy reservoirs, and for climate change effects related to the release of methane and other hydrocarbons from natural seeps and hydrothermal vents. While much understanding of anaerobic hydrocarbon metabolism has been gleaned from cultivation-based studies, cultivation-independent meta-omics approaches such as metagenomics can offer new insights into the process in more complex, natural hydrocarbon-containing environments. Further, a metabolomic approach that seeks specific metabolites diagnostic of anaerobic hydrocarbon biodegradation can provide the “ultimate proof” that this process is occurring in situ. This chapter highlights the key pathways of anaerobic hydrocarbon metabolism and summarizes metagenomic information garnered to date from sequencing hydrocarbon degraders, enrichment cultures, and diverse hydrocarbon-containing environmental samples. Further, a brief overview of hydrocarbon metabolomics is presented, along with research needs on this topic.

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  1. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada

    Lisa M. Gieg & Courtney R. A. Toth

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Gieg, L.M., Toth, C.R.A. (2016). Anaerobic Biodegradation of Hydrocarbons: Metagenomics and Metabolomics. In: Steffan, R. (eds) Consequences of Microbial Interactions with Hydrocarbons, Oils, and Lipids: Biodegradation and Bioremediation. Handbook of Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44535-9_16-1

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