title: Molecular and physiological approaches to understanding the ecology of pollutant degradation.
abstract: Pollutant biodegradation in the environment occurs in the context of various interactions among microorganisms. To understand this ecological process, identification of functionally important populations is considered to be the primary step, which can be followed by isolation and laboratory pure-culture studies of the important organisms. Laboratory studies can then proceed to the analysis of in situ activity and interactions with other organisms. Such studies will shape a deeper understanding of the ecology of pollutant degradation and facilitate the development of new bioremediation strategies.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Marine Biotechnology Institute, 3-75-1 Heita, Kamaishi, Iwate 026-0001, Japan. kazuya.watanabe@mbio.jp
authors.forename: Kazuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Natsuko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hamamura
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002384:Catalysis; D017753:Ecosystem; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000502:physiology; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011869:Radioligand Assay / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants