Volunteer: Katia Djenadi
Country of Residence: Algeria
Katia Djenadi is an assistant professor at Bouira University and Bejaia University, Algeria. She conducts her PhD project in Microbial Ecology Laboratory at Bejaia University, Algeria and in European Centre for Environment and Human Health, Medical School, Exeter University, United Kingdom. During her PhD, Katia focused in first step on the screening of carbapenemase bacilli Gram negative from soil and water in North of Africa, Algeria. Then, she finalised her investigations by the identification of antibiotic resistance genes; where genomic libraries were constructed and functionally screened and inserts were sequenced. Currently, Katia works with her team on gut microbiota diversity from human and animal and his relation with biological human dysfunction (cancer, central nervous system dysfunction).
Anaerobic Biological Dehalogenation
FEMS Microbiology Ecology is proud to present this latest thematic issue on Anaerobic Biological Dehalogenation. Knowledge on anaerobic microbial dehalogenation has advanced significantly since its first discovery. Understanding of the biochemistry, physiology and ecology of organohalide-respiring bacteria (OHRB) has allowed development of bioremediation technologies for clean-up of contaminated sites. At the same time, a fundamental understanding of the processes, enzymes and organisms involved has allowed to discover new exciting features in biochemistry and microbiology. OHRB are either members of novel bacterial genera or already known ones with other metabolic features indicating the importance of horizontal gene transfer in this anaerobic respiration process. Reductive dehalogenases, thus far discovered, are all corrinoid-containing enzymes revealing unexpected biochemical features of this cofactor normally known to be involved in alkyl-transfer reactions. This special thematic issue shows nicely that there remains still a lot to be discovered regarding anaerobic biological dehalogenation.
