Teaching Interests
BSC 489/L/589/L Environmental
Microbiology
Research Interests
My research focuses on determination of nonpoint sources of fecal pollution in
recreational waters. Nonpoint source contamination can enter surface water
environments via agricultural and urban surface runoff, wastewater discharge,
stormwater drainage systems, faulty sewage systems, and domestic and wild
animals. For determination of human health risk, fecal indicator bacteria are
traditionally used to indicate the presence of potential pathogens such as
Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp. and Shigella sp. and enteric viruses
including Norovirus and Hepatitis A. In recreational waters such as beaches,
tidal creeks and estuaries, humans can be exposed to these pathogens through
ingestion of contaminated seafood or seawater, or from open wounds. Traditional
detection methods for fecal coliforms or enterococci are culture-based (require
a 24-hour test), may not indicate recent pollution events due to aftergrowth in
sediments, and cannot indicate the source of the fecal pollution. Therefore,
there is a need to develop rapid, simple, and unambiguous methods for the
identification of host-specific organisms to indicate potential fecal
contamination sources.
I have developed and tested several alternative archaea molecular markers for
the host-specific identification of animal fecal pollution in coastal waters.
This is the first use of methanogens as host-specific indicators and includes
methods targeting the nifH genes of Methanobrevibacter smithii
(Mnif; sewage-specific) and Methanobrevibacter ruminantium (Mrnif;
domesticated ruminant-specific); the mcrA gene of Methanomicrobium
mobile (MMmcrA; ruminant specific); and the mcrA gene of an
uncultured methanogen from swine feces (P23-2). These methods are currently
being evaluated in conjunction with an epidemiological study for future
application by regulatory agencies.
The impacts of this research for beach
monitoring efforts around the country include
delineation of host-specific sources of fecal
contamination leading to beach water remediation and
monitoring efforts, determination of closing or opening
of beaches, creation of TMDL standards, and prediction
of public health hazards at swimming beaches. Regulatory
agencies can use these methods in conjunction with other
host-specific methods of source identification as an
innovative measure of water quality for controlling the
impact of contamination entering the coastal
environment.
Funded Research
Southern California Coastal Water
Research Program (SCCWRP)
Title: Testing Methanogens as Indicators of Surface
Water Fecal Pollution
P.I.: Jennifer A. Ufnar, Ph.D.
Co-PI: R.D. Ellender, Ph.D.
Project Period: May 2007 – May 2008
State of Mississippi Coastal Impact Assistance Program
Title: Tracking the sources of fecal pollution in
Mississippi coastal waters using library-independent,
rapid, molecular markers and climatological/geological
processes
P.I.s: R.D. Ellender, Ph.D., Shiao Wang, Ph.D., Jennifer
A. Ufnar, Ph.D., David Ufnar, Ph.D.
Project Period: Pending
Representative Publications
Ufnar, J.A., Wang, S., Christiansen, J.M., Yampara-Iquise, H., Carson,
C.A., Ellender, R.D. 2006. Detection of the nifH gene of
Methanobrevibacter smithii: a potential tool to identify sewage
pollution in recreational waters. J. Appl. Microbiol. 101:44-52.
Ufnar, J.A., Ufnar, D.F., Wang, S.Y., Ellender, R.D. Development of a
Methanogen Marker for Detection of Porcine Fecal Pollution in Surface Waters, in
review.
Ufnar, J.A., Wang, S.Y., Ufnar, D.F., Ellender, R.D. Detection of the
nifH gene of Methanobrevibacter ruminantium as a potential indicator
of domesticated ruminant fecal pollution in surface waters, in review.
Ufnar, D.F., Ufnar, J.A., White, T.W., Rebarchik, D., Ellender, R.D.,
2005, Meteorological influences on fecal coliform pollution in the Mississippi
Sound, Transactions, Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies,
55:835-843.
Ufnar, D.F., Ufnar, J.A., Rebarchik, D., Ellender, R.D., 2006, Influence
of coastal processes on high fecal coliform counts in Mississippi beach waters,
Journal of Coastal Research, 22(6):1515-1526.
Ferguson, J.S., Voelker, D.R., Ufnar, J.A., Dawson, A.J., and
Schlesinger, L.S. 2002. Surfactant protein D inhibition of human macrophage
uptake of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is independent of bacterial
agglutination, J. Immunol., 168:1309-1314.
McCombs, G., Ufnar, J.A., and Shepherd, V.L. The virtual scientist:
Connecting university scientists to the K-12 classroom through
videoconferencing. Amer. J. Physiol. In press.
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