GLOSSARY - Bioaugmentation for Groundwater Remediation - page 365

Expression ‐ The manufacturing of gene products from genes. Generally, expression involves
transcription from DNA to the complementary RNA sequence, and then translation from the
RNA to individual amino acids that are the building blocks of proteins.

Fenton's Reagent ‐ A solution consisting of hydrogen peroxide and an iron catalyst used to
oxidize contaminants.

Fermentation ‐ Oxidation of organic compounds occurring in the absence of an external
electron acceptor.

Fluorescent hybridization (FISH) ‐ A molecular biological technique used to detect

and localize the presence or absence of specific DNA sequences on chromosomes. FISH uses
fluorescent probes that bind to only those parts of the chromosome with which they show a high
degree of sequence complementarity, and fluorescence microscopy can then be used to identify
cells containing the target DNA sequence and localize where the fluorescent probe binds to the
chromosomes.

in situ

Fluorophore ‐ A component of a molecule that causes a molecule to be fluorescent.

Fluxomics ‐ The measurement of metabolic fluxes. A metabolic flux is the number of moles
of a particular metabolite that are consumed or produced via a particular reaction per unit cell
mass per unit time.

Ganglia ‐ Small blobs of DNAPL trapped in individual pores or small groups of pores by
capillary forces, as opposed to continuous accumulation of free-phase DNAPL (termed
“pools”).

Gene ‐ Originally conceived as the fundamental “unit of heredity,” the definition has become
broader over time. A gene is a sequence of DNA that provides the basic instructions for
manufacturing “gene products,” notably proteins, but also RNA sequences that have
regulatory functions.

Genome ‐ The entire hereditary information of an organism. For example, the
Dehalococcoides ( Dhc ) genome includes all of the genes, as well as the other non-coding
DNA, that is contained in the Dhc chromosome. The human genome includes all DNA on our
23 chromosomes.

Genomics ‐ The study of the genomes of organisms. The field includes efforts to sequence
the entire DNA of given organisms, as well as to map the genes. For example, genomics has
allowed sequencing of the entire DNA of strains of Dehalococcoides , and has revealed the
locations of specific regions of its chromosome where dehalogenase genes are inserted.

Geochemical Produced by or involving non-biochemical reactions of the subsurface.

‐

Growth substrate ‐ An organic compound upon which bacteria can grow, usually as a sole
carbon and energy source.

Heterogeneity ‐ A lack of uniformity in physical and/or chemical characteristics of an aquifer
(as opposed to “homogeneity”).