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Faculty & Staff

Bongkeun Song, Associate Professor

Ph.D., Environmental Science, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 2000
M.S., Environmental Science, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NY, 1997
Bachelor of Agriculture, Agriculture Biology, Dongguk University, Seoul, Korea, 1994
Myrtle Grove 2329 | (910) 962-2326 | Center for Marine Science, 5600 Marvin K. Moss Lane, Wilmington, NC, 28409 songb@uncw.edu | http://people.uncw.edu/songb/

Microorganisms are key players in various biogeochemical cycles and can serve as bio-indicators of ecosystem function and environmental health. My primary areas of research focus on understanding the relationship between structure and function of microbial communities. I have studied various terrestrial and marine ecosystems in order to better understand how community structures, in terms of abundance and diversity, correlate to their activities and processes. These include microbial pathways in the biogeochemical nitrogen (N) cycle, metal transformation, biodegradation, and primary production. I have employed a variety of analytical, microbial, molecular and stable isotope techniques to identify and quantify the functional members of microbial communities of interest. My current research emphasis is on microbial communities responsible for N₂O and N₂ production in terrestrial and marine ecosystems.

Research area:

• Sedimentary N cycle: Anaerobic ammonia oxidation (ANAMMOX), denitrification and nitrification
• Biogeochemical cycle of toxic metals: Microbial transformation of arsenic and selenium
• Molecular biology of marine phytoplankton:
  • Transcriptional analysis of nitrate uptake in marine diatom
  • Genetic systems involved in toxin production from marine phytoplankton
• Microbial source tracking: Molecular fingerprinting of Bacteroides in watershed
• Biotechnology: Renewable application of hog lagoon wastes

Click here to view my laboratory poster (pdf).

Publications

1. Punyasloke B., B. Song, B. B. Ward (2011) Intron features of key functional genes mediating nitrogen metabolism in marine phytoplankton. Marine Genomics 4: 207-213   
2. López-Legentil S, Song B, Bosch M, Pawlik JR, Turon X (2011) Cyanobacterial Diversity and a New Acaryochloris-Like Symbiont from Bahamian Sea-Squirts. PLoS ONE 6(8): e23938. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0023938.
3. Luesken, F. A., Zhu, B., van Alen, T., Butler, M. K., Diaz, M. R., Song, B., den Camp, H. O., Jetten, M. M. M., and K. F. Ettwig (2011) PmoA primers for environmental detection of anaerobic methanotrophs. Applied Environ Microbiol 77: 3877-3880.
4. Germaine, K. J., Chhabra, S., Song, B., Brazil, D and D. N. Dowling (2010) Microbes and sustainable production of biofuel crops:  a Nitrogen perspective. Biofuels 1: 877-888.
5. Hirsh, M. D., Long, Z. T and B. Song (2011) Anammox bacterial diversity in various aquatic ecosystems based on the detection of hydrazine oxidase genes (hzoA/hzoB)  Microbial Ecol 61: 264-271.
6. Mallin, M. A., M. I. Haltom, B. Song, M. E. Tavares, and S. Dellies (2010) Bacterial source tracking guides management of boat head waste in a coastal resort area. J Environ Management 91: 2748-2753.
7. Loh, T.-L., S. López-Legentil, B. Song, and J. R. Pawlik (2010) Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the sponge genus Mycale (Demospongiae; Poecilosclerida). Integrative and comparative biology 50: Supplement 1: E260.
8. López-Legentil, S, P. M. Erwin, J. R. Pawlik, and B. Song (2010) Effects of sponge bleaching on ammonia oxidizing Archaea: Distribution and relative expression of ammonia monooxygenase genes associated with the barrel sponge Xestospongia muta. Microbial Ecol60: 561-571.
9. López-Legentil, S., B. Song, S., M. DeTure, and D. G. Baden (2010) Characterization and localization of a hybrid non ribosomal peptide synthetase and polyketide synthase gene from the toxic dinoflagellate Karenia brevis. Mar Biotechnol 12: 32-41.
10. Dale, O. R., C. Tobias and B. Song (2009) Biogeographical distribution of diverse anaerobic ammonium oxidizing (ANAMMOX) bacteria in Cape Fear River Estuary. Environ. Microbiol. 11:1194-1207.
11. Song, B., E. Chyun, P. Jaffe and B. B. Ward  (2009) Molecular methods to detect and monitor  dissimilatory arsenate respiring bacteria (DARB) in sediments. FEMS Microbiol Ecology. 68: 108-117.
12. Erwin, P. M., B. Song and A. M. Szmant (2008) Settlement behavior of Acropora palmate planulae: effects of biofilm age and crustose coralline algal cover. Proceeding of the 11^th international coral reef symposium. Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, 7-11 July 2008 Session number 24
13. Chae, J.-C., B. Song and G. J. Zylstra (2008) Identification of genes encoding for hydrolytic dehalogenation in the metagenome derived from a denitrifying 4-chlorobenzoate degrading consortium. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 281: 203-209.
14. López-Legentil, S., B. Song, S. Mcmurray and J. R. Pawlik (2008) Bleaching and stress in coral reef ecosystems: Hsp70 expression by the giant barrel sponge Xestospongia muta. Mol. Ecol. 17: 1840-1849.
15. Rich, J. J., O. R. Dale, B. Song, and B. B. Ward (2008) Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) in Chesapeake Bay sediments. Microbial Ecol. 55:311-320.
16. Lear G, B. Song, G.A. Gault, D. A. Polya, and J. R. Lloyd (2007) Molecular analysis of arsenate-reducing bacteria within Cambodian sediments following amendment with acetate. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 1041-1048.
17. Song, B and B. B. Ward. (2007) Molecular cloning and characterization of high affinity nitrate transporters in marine phytoplankton. J Phycol 43: 542-552.
18. Park, H., B. Song and F. M. M. Morel (2007) Diversity of the cadmium containing carbonic anhydrase (CDCA) in marine diatoms and seawater. Environ. Microbiol. 9: 403-413.
19. Song, B. and B. B. Ward. (2005) Genetic Diversity of benzoyl-CoA reductase genes detected in denitrifying isolates and estuarine sediments. Appl Environ Microbiol 71: 2036-2045.
20. Allen, A. E., B. B. Ward and B. Song (2005) Characterization of diatom (Bacillariophyceae) nitrate reductase genes and detection of eukaryotic nitrate reductase genes from marine waters. J Phycol . 41: 95-104.
21. Jiang, W., A. Saxena, B. Song, B. B. Ward, T. J. Beveridge, S. C. B. Myneni (2004) Elucidation of functional groups on gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial surfaces using infrared spectroscopy. Langmuir 20, 11433-11442.
22. Song, B. and B. B. Ward. (2004) Molecular characterization of assimilatory nitrate reductase gene in marine green alga Dunaliella tertiolecta. J Phycol  40: 721-731.
23. Song, B. and B. B. Ward. (2003) Nitrite reductase genes in halobenzoate degrading denitrifying bacteria and related species. FEMS Microbial Ecology  43: 349-357.
24. Song, B., L. J. Kerkhof and M. M. Häggblom. (2002) Characterization of bacterial consortia capable of degrading 4-chlorobenzoate and 4-bromobenzoate under denitrifying conditions. FEMS Microbiol Lett  213: 183-188.
25. Song, B., N. J. Palleroni, L. J. Kerkhof  and M. M. Häggblom. (2001) Characterization of halobenzoate-degrading denitrifying bacteria belonging to the genera Azoarcus and Thauera and description of Thauera chlorobenzoica sp. nov.Int J Syst Evolut Microbiol 51: 589-602.
26. Song, B., N. J. Palleroni and M. M. Häggblom. (2000) Description of strain 3CB-1, a genomovar of Thauera aromatica, capable of degrading 3-chlorobenzoate coupled to nitrate reduction  Int J Syst Evolut Microbiol 50: 551-558.
27. Song, B., N. J. Palleroni and M. M. Häggblom. (2000) Isolation and characterization of diverse halobenzoate-degrading bacteria from soils and sediments. Appl Environ Microbiol 66: 3446-3453.
28. Song, B., M. M. Häggblom, J. Zhou, J. M. Tiedje and N. J. Palleroni. (1999) Taxonomic characterization of denitrifying bacteria that degrade aromatic compounds and description of Azoarcus toluvorans sp. nov. and Azoarcus toluclasticus sp. nov.. Int J Syst Bacteriol 49: 1129-1140.
29. Song, B., L. Y. Young, and N. J. Palleroni. (1998) Identification of denitrifier strain T1 as Thauera aromatica and proposal for emendation of the genus Thauera definition. Int J Syst Bacteriol 48: 889-894.