Acetylene (C2H2) is a molecule rarely found in nature, with few known natural sources, but acetylenotrophic microorganisms can use acetylene as their primary carbon and energy source. As of 2018 there were 15 known strains of aerobic and anaerobic acetylenotrophs, however we hypothesized that there may be yet unrecognized diversity of acetylenotrophs in nature. In this study, we expanded this diversity by isolating an aerobic acetylenotroph, Bradyrhizobium sp. strain I71, from trichloroethene (TCE)-contaminated soils undergoing bioremediation. TCE-contaminated soils from the NASA Ames Research Center in California were used to establish soil microcosms with acetylene as the primary carbon substrate and acetylene uptake was tracked over time and reported in T1_soil_microcosm_v2.0.csv. DNA was extracted from soil microcosm samples for microbial community analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing; the resulting operational taxonomic units are presented in T2_soil_OTU_v2.0.csv. Bradyrhizobium sp. strain I71 was isolated from the soil microcosms and acetylene uptake and cell growth data for the isolate over time are shown in T3_soil_isolate_v2.0.csv. Nitrogen fixation assays for the pure culture of Bradyrhizobium sp. strain I71 are reported in T4_N2_fixation_v2.0.csv. Acetylene concentrations and cell densities from acetylenotrophic and heterotrophic growth assays for Bradyrhizobium sp. strain I71 are reported in T5_GrowthCurve_v2.0.csv

In an on-going Microbial Observatory experimental investigation on the International Space Station (ISS) multiple bacterial isolates of Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) were isolated and identified. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern was tested in these BSL-2 isolates for the following antibiotics: cefazolin ciprofloxacin cefoxitin erythromycin gentamycin oxacillin penicillin rifampin tobramycin and many of the BSL-2 isolates showed multiple drug resistance. Among these isolates 21 strains were chosen for whole genome sequencing (WGS) for a possible lead to develop appropriate countermeasures. In addition the genomic data would enable to determine the influence of microgravity on the pathogenicity and virulence in the BSL-2 microorganisms.

Data supporting the establishment of Syntrophotalea acetylenivorans SFB93 as a new microbial species. Data release includes growth curve and preferred growth conditions for the species.

Data supporting the establishment of Syntrophotalea acetylenivorans SFB93 as a new microbial species. Data release includes growth curve and preferred growth conditions for the species.

These data include raw sequencing data (bacterial 16S and eukaryote 18S rRNA genes) and a summary result table for bacteria classification in an Excel file. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Hwang, J., H. Ryu, K. Rodriguez, S. Fahad, J. SantoDomingo, A. Kushima, and W. Lee. A strategy for power generation from bilgewater using a photosynthetic microalgal fuel cell (MAFC). JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, USA, 484: 229222, (2021).

As part of an ongoing effort to catalogue microbial communities inhabiting the International Space Station (ISS) crew-associated environmental samples were collected from the Japanese Kibo Russian and US research modules. Initial analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing identified 11 Bacillus isolates (two from Kibo Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) four from US Segment Harmony Node 2 and five from Russian Segment Zvezda module sites) all belonging to the Bacillus anthracis-B. cereus-B. thuringiensis group. Isolates were further characterized by whole genome comparative analysis. Each isolate was sequenced assembled and aligned against all members of the B. cereus sensu lato group. Based on genome size estimates (5.2 - 5.3 Mbp) strain nucleotide identity (>99.99%) and maximum likelihood phylogenetic placement all isolates were found to exhibit a very high level of similarity. With respect to gene content all isolates were inspected for cry proteins common to B. thuringiensis as well as toxins specific to B. cereus. No significant hits were found to any known cry genes while full-length matches were found for multiple B. cereus toxin genes. Finally the isolates were closely screened against B. anthracis genomes and no B. anthracis signatures were identified. Notably all isolates contained the plcR ancestral C allele and lacked significant hits to pXO1 and pXO2 plasmids and toxins. The collective results from the analysis confirm that these strains belong to a previously uncharacterized Bacillus species hereafter referred to as Bacillus issensis. The type strain is ISSFR-003T (=NRRL B-65389T= DSMZ 101676T).

A biofilm anode acclimated with acetate, acetate+methane, and methane growth media for over three years produced a steady current density of 1.6-2.3 mA/m^2 in a microbial electrochemical cell (MxC) fed with methane as the sole electron donor. Geobacter was the dominant genus for the bacterial domain (93%) in the biofilm anode, while methanogens (Methanocorpusculum labreanum and Methanosaeta concilii) accounted for 82% of the total archaeal clones in the biofilm. A fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) image clearly showed a biofilm of bacteria and archaea, supporting a syntrophic interaction between them for performing anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) in the biofilm anode. Measured cumulative coulombs correlated linearly to the methane-gas concentration in the range of 10% to 99.97% (R^2 ≥ 0.99) when the measurement was sustained for at least 50 min. Thus, cumulative coulombs over 50 min. could be used to quantify the methane concentration in gas samples. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Gao, Y., H. Ryu, B. Rittmann, A. Hussain, and H. Lee. Quantification of the methane concentration using anaerobic oxidation of methane coupled to extracellular electron transfer. Bioresource Technology. Elsevier Online, New York, NY, USA, 241: 979-984, (2017).

In an on-going Microbial Observatory experimental investigation on the International Space Station (ISS) multiple bacterial isolates of Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) were isolated and identified. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern was tested in these BSL-2 isolates for the following antibiotics: cefazolin ciprofloxacin cefoxitin erythromycin gentamycin oxacillin penicillin rifampin tobramycin and many of the BSL-2 isolates showed multiple drug resistance. Among these isolates 21 strains were chosen for whole genome sequencing (WGS) for a possible lead to develop appropriate countermeasures. In addition the genomic data would enable to determine the influence of microgravity on the pathogenicity and virulence in the BSL-2 microorganisms.

In an on-going Microbial Observatory experimental investigation on the International Space Station (ISS) multiple bacterial isolates of Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) were isolated and identified. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern was tested in these BSL-2 isolates for the following antibiotics: cefazolin ciprofloxacin cefoxitin erythromycin gentamycin oxacillin penicillin rifampin tobramycin and many of the BSL-2 isolates showed multiple drug resistance. Among these isolates 21 strains were chosen for whole genome sequencing (WGS) for a possible lead to develop appropriate countermeasures. In addition the genomic data would enable to determine the influence of microgravity on the pathogenicity and virulence in the BSL-2 microorganisms.