Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Southern Appalacian CESU

archived

The successful University partner will collaborate with USGS scientists in analyzing and interpreting previously collected data as well as additional lab analysis of water samples provided by the USGS. The additional analysis is a fecal source tracking assay based on real-time polymerase chain reaction amplification of a region of the 16S rRNA gene of Bacteroides sp and a limited number of human pathogen assays. The human pathogen assays to be performed will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and should include at least three assays (Salmonella and two E. coli pathogen markers). Each Bacteroides analysis will consist of three assays (AllBac, HuBac, and BoBac). The University partner should have the capability to use the resulting molecular data to calculate counts of Bacteroides molecular copies (human, bovine, and total) and ratios of said counts among each type. Ratios between the molecular copies of E. coli and total molecular Bacteroides copies should also be calculated. The ability to use the calculated results to estimate fecal loads in the studied streams is also required. The interpretation of the results should include the implication of the calculated ratios as to the source of fecal material (human or bovine) at each of the study sites. In addition, the successful Universitry partner will participate actively in analysis, synthesis, and publication of the entire data sets collected for this studsy. The University providing this support must demonstrate (1) intimate familiarity with the data collected to date for this study, (2) in-house real-time PCR capabilities, and (3) a record of successful application of real-time PCR assays to bacteria source tracking in reflected in peer-reviewed publications on the topic.

High