Identification of Novel Methane-, Ethane-, and Propane-Oxidizing Bacteria at Marine Hydrocarbon Seeps by Stable Isotope Probing

Marine hydrocarbon seeps supply oil and gas to microorganisms in sediments and overlying water. We used stable isotope probing (SIP) to identify aerobic bacteria oxidizing gaseous hydrocarbons in surface sediment from the Coal Oil Point seep field located offshore of Santa Barbara, California. After incubating sediment with ^(13)C-labeled methane, ethane, or propane, we confirmed the incorporation of ^(13)C into fatty acids and DNA. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis and sequencing of the 16S rRNA and particulate methane monooxygenase (pmoA) genes in ^(13)C-DNA revealed groups of microbes not previously thought to contribute to methane, ethane, or propane oxidation. First, ^(13)C methane was primarily assimilated by Gammaproteobacteria species from the family Methylococcaceae, Gammaproteobacteria related to Methylophaga, and Betaproteobacteria from the family Methylophilaceae. Species of the latter two genera have not been previously shown to oxidize methane and may have been cross-feeding on methanol, but species of both genera were heavily labeled after just 3 days. pmoA sequences were affiliated with species of Methylococcaceae, but most were not closely related to cultured methanotrophs. Second, ^(13)C ethane was consumed by members of a novel group of Methylococcaceae. Growth with ethane as the major carbon source has not previously been observed in members of the Methylococcaceae; a highly divergent pmoA-like gene detected in the ^(13)C-labeled DNA may encode an ethane monooxygenase. Third, ^(13)C propane was consumed by members of a group of unclassified Gammaproteobacteria species not previously linked to propane oxidation. This study identifies several bacterial lineages as participants in the oxidation of gaseous hydrocarbons in marine seeps and supports the idea of an alternate function for some pmoA-like genes

Writing for Policy-makers

"13-2005."This report outlines issues to be considered by members of the academic community when writing for decision-makers but almost all of the information provided here can inform oral presentations as well. The best way to visualize your relationship to decision-makers is by a comparison to a traditional classroom setting. In the classroom, you as the instructor control the subject matter, the pace of presentation, the length of the discussion, and the extent to which your students are active participants in the discussion. None of these conditions are true in most communications with policymakers. In fact, the best way to visualize the context of your communication is as an inverted classroom where the �pupil(s)� control every aspect of your presentation. Consequently, you must focus on the needs of decision-makers and upon efficient communication of information, regardless of whether you are responding to an inquiry from a decision-maker or are providing information on your own initiative

Term Limits & Tenure in the Missouri General Assembly (2007)

The following report examines tenure and turnover in the Missouri General Assembly from just before term limits took effect through the election of 2006. The 2002 election was the fi rst since the decennial redistricting, and the first in which a large number of members were involuntarily retired due to the requirements of the constitutional amendment limiting terms of office for members of the General Assembly. The election turned out to be important for another reason— Republicans gained a majority in the House for the first time since 1954 and Republicans gained control of both chambers for the first time since 1947

Overview of State Government

General overview of the organization of Missouri state government prepared by David C. Valentine for the Missouri Legislative Academy

Effective Government: Reorganization of Executive Departments

Governments change over time in response to broad social and economic trends but the overall structure remains remarkably stable. The growth of government in the early 20th century reflects the perils of both stability and change in organizational structure. A large number of agencies were created in response to modernization but, following the organizational style of an earlier era, many were “quasi-autonomous bits of government over which there was little if any effective control except for the legislature's biennial appropriation acts.” These conditions led to constitutional revision and the reorganization initiatives described below. Governor-elect Blunt has indicated that he plans a review of governmental organization in the near future. If so, it will be the first such review since the early 1970s. If governmental reorganization is infrequent, a cross-departmental review of practices and procedures is even less frequent. In fact, there has been only one such review which occurred in the 1990s. That review resulted in significant process changes both within and across departments. The review was initiated by Governor Carnahan and conducted by the Commission on Management and Productivity, frequently known as COMAP. This report briefly summarizes the evolution of the structure of modern state government and the COMAP process review of the 1990s

Term Limits & Tenure in the Missouri General Assembly 2005

http://www.truman.missouri.edu/ipp/publications/index.asp?ViewBy=Date"10-2005."The following report examines tenure and turnover in the Missouri General Assembly following the critical 2002 general election and the 2004 election. The 2002 election was the first since the decennial redistricting and the first in which a large number of members were involuntarily retired due to the requirements of the constitutional amendment limiting terms of office for members of the General Assembly. The election turned out to be important for another reason -- Republicans gained a majority in the House for the first time since 1954 and Republicans gained control of both chambers for the first time since 1947

Constitutional Amendments, Statutory Revision and Referenda Submitted to the Voters by the General Assembly or by Initiative Petition, 1910-2004

This report summarizes how proposals to revise the Missouri Constitution and Missouri laws are submitted to the voters for approval and provides information about all measures submitted to the voters since 1910

Missouri's Budget Reserve Fund

The value of what has been called a “rainy day fund” was made obvious by several years of minimal revenue growth in the early 1980s. Without a reserve of this kind, the State had no sources of funds to help to cover shortfalls in fiscal years with less than anticipated revenues. In addition, the State did not have a way to meet uncontrollable increases in the cost of services such as Medicaid. The Budget Stabilization Fund and the Cash Operating Reserve Fund were both created in the 1980s to help the State maintain public programs in an era of fiscal stress

Missouri's Budget Reserve Fund

The value of what has been called a “rainy day fund” was made obvious by several years of minimal revenue growth in the early 1980s. Without a reserve of this kind, the State had no sources of funds to help to cover shortfalls in fiscal years with less than anticipated revenues. In addition, the State did not have a way to meet uncontrollable increases in the cost of services such as Medicaid. The Budget Stabilization Fund and the Cash Operating Reserve Fund were both created in the 1980s to help the State maintain public programs in an era of fiscal stress