Measuring Microbial Metabolism in Atypical Environments

Publication date: Available online 29 September 2018Source: Methods in MicrobiologyAuthor(s): Wendy Stone, Gideon WolfaardtAbstractMicrobial metabolism in extreme environments has two defining characteristics: it is slow, and it tends towards the lower measurement thresholds of all current techniques and methodological trends. This provides the crucible of challenge to drive novel techniques, forcing researchers to employ new ideas, as well as reinvent old ideas that have fallen out of favour or become overshadowed by current buzzwords in the field. Some of the techniques that have been creatively harnessed to successfully shed light on the impact of microbial metabolism in atypical environments include microscopy at surface–air interfaces, mass balances, radiolabelled fatty acid synthesis, and stereoisomeric ratios. The divergence between the rate and career span of the researcher and the rate of the subject matter is a central consideration in this context, and can be overcome by intentional and rigorous long-term experimental design, mathematical modelling, team work, and global perspectives regarding measurement and impact.
Source: Methods in Microbiology - Category: Microbiology Source Type: research