Dr. Donald R. Lueking
Associate Professor
Ph.D., Indiana University, 1973

Research Areas: Molecular Mechanisms for PAH Assimilation; Megaplasmid Characterization; Biosensor Development; Bioremediation; Bioleaching

Research: Microbial Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Research Description:

Dr. Lueking's group conducts studies in the general area of microbial polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolism utilizing microorganisms that have been isolated by members of his laboratory. The major focus of this research is on identifying and characterizing the precise mode of PAH assimilation employed by organisms of the genus Pseudomonas.

In addition, studies are also being conducted, in conjunction with Ferritech Inc., on the use of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans for the recovery of precious metals, such as copper and gold, from crude ores and from the recycling of scrap iron. Finally, innovative studies are being initiated in association with MTU’s nanotechnology group on the use of the unique protein bacteriorhodopsin for biosensor development.

Current Publications:

• Ballor, N.R., Nesbitt, C.C. and Lueking, D.R. 2006. Recovery of Scrap Iron Metal Value using Biogenerated Ferric Iron. Biotechnol. Bioeng. , Vol. 93, No. 6, pp. 1089-1094.
  
  
• Li, H., Lueking, D.R., Mihelcic, J.R. and Peterson, K. 2005. Biogeochemical Analysis of Hydrogen Sulfide Removal by a Lava Rock Packed Biofilter. Water Environ. Res. 77, 179-186.
  
  
• Lueking, D. R. and Nesbitt, C.C. 2004. Ferric Iron Biogeneration: An Extreme Approach. Soc. Indus. Microbiol., Vol 54, No. 1, pp. 4-9.
  
  
• Nesbitt, C. C. and Lueking, D. R. 2002. The Recovery of Copper from Spent Bed Material Using Biologically Regenerated Ferric Leach Solutions. The SAAB-FIG Process. Proceedings from Silicon for the Chemical Industry VI, Loen, Norway; Eds: H. A. Oye, H. M. Rong, L. Nygaard, G. Schussler and J. Kr. Tuser.
  
  
• Martin, RW, H Li., JR Mihelcic, JC Crittenden, DR Lueking, CR Hatch, P Ball (2002). “Optimizaiton of biofiltration for odor control: Model Calibration, Validation and Applications. Water Environ. Res., 74, 17-23
  
  
• C.C. Nesbitt and D.R. Lueking. 2000. The Use of SAAB-FIG Technology for the Recovery of Copper from Chalcocite and Chalcopyrite, Proceedings from the Minprex 2000 International Congress on Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy, pp. 249-252.
  
  
• McNally, DL, JR Mihelcic, DR Lueking. 1999. Biodegradation of Mixtures of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Under Aerobic and Nitrate-Reducing Conditions. Chemosphere, Vol. 38(6):1313-1321.
  
  
• McNally, DL, JR Mihelcic, DR Lueking. 1998. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Degrading Microorganisms in Great Lakes' Sediments. J. Great Lakes Res. Vol. 24(2):392-403.
  
  
• McNally, D.L., Mihelcic, J.R., and Lueking, D.R. 1998. Biodegradation of 3- and 4-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons under denitrification conditions. Environ. Sci. Technol. Vol. 32(17): 2633-2639.
  
  
• Whitman, B.E., Lueking, D.R. and Mihelcic, J.M. 1998. Naphthalene Uptake by a Pseudomonas fluorescens Isolate. Can. J. Microbiol. 44(11):1086-1093.
  
  
• Mihelcic, J.M., McNally, D.L. and Lueking, D.R. 1995. Effect of Different Surfactant Concentrations on Naphthalene Biodegradation. In: Surfactant-Enhanced Remediation of Subsurface Contamination: Emerging Technologies. Eds: D.A. Sabatini, R.C. Knox, J.H. Harwell; ACS Sysposium Series 594, pp. 112-123, Washington, D.C
  
  
• Whitman, B., Mihelcic, J.M., and Lueking, D.R. 1995. Naphthalene Biosorption in Low and High Sorptive Soil-Water Systems. J. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 43:539-544.
  
  
• Mihelcic, J. R., Pritschow, A. and Lueking, D. R. 1995. Uptake of dissolved and oil phase organic chemicals by bacteria, Ground Water Monitoring and Remediation, 15(3):100-106.
  
  
• Stapleton, J. M., Mihelcic, J.R. and Lueking, D.R. 1994. Adsorption and Desorption Kinetics of Pyrene onto a Great Lakes Sediment. J. Great Lakes Res. 20(3):561-568.
  
  
• Adler, John A. and Lueking, Donald R. 1993. Some Potential Applications of Biotechnology in the Oilseed Industry. INFORM, Vol. 4:1190-1192. A publication of the American Oil Chemists Society.
  
  
• Mihelcic, J.R., Lueking, D.R., Mitzel, R. and Stapleton, J.M. 1993. Bioavailability of Sorbed and Separate Phase Organic Chemicals: A Review. Biodegradation . 4:141-153.
  
  
• LaCombe/Barron, J. and Lueking, D.R. 1990. Growth and Maintenance of Cells of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. J. Applied and Environ. Microbiol. 56:2801-2806.
  
  
• Acosta, R. and Lueking, D.R. 1987. Stringency in the absence of ppGpp accumulation in Rhodobacter sphaeroides. J. Bacteriol. 169:908-912.
  
  
• Cooper, C.L., Boyce, S.G., and Lueking, D.R. 1987. Purification and properties of Rhodobacter sphaeroides acyl carrier protein. Biochemistry 26:2740-2746.
  
  
• Seay, T., and Lueking, D.R. 1986. Purification and properties of acyl coenzyme A thioesterase II from phototrophically grown cells of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. Biochemistry 25:2480-2485.
  
  
• Cooper, C.L. and Lueking, D.R. 1984. Localization and characterization of the sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase in Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. J. Lipid Res. 25:1222-1232.
  
  
• Boyce, S.G. and Lueking, D.R. 1984. Purification and characterization of a long-chain acyl coenzyme A thioesterase from phototrophically grown cells of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. Biochemistry 23:141-147.
  
  
• Campbell, T.B., and Lueking, D.R. 1983. Light-mediated regulation of phospholipid synthesis in Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. J. Bacteriol. 155:806-816.
  
  
• Campbell,T.B., and Lueking, D.R. 1983. Long chain fatty acid assimilation by Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. J. Bacteriol. 153:782-790.
  Lueking, D.R., Campbell, T.B., and Burghardt, R.C. 1981. Light induced division and genomic synchrony in photoheterotrophically growing cultures of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. J. Bacteriol. 146:790-797.
  
  
• Kaplan, S., Fraley R.T., and Lueking, D.R. 1979. Biosynthesis of the photosynthetic membranes of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. Microbiology, 1971. (D. Schlessing, Ed.) American Society of Microbiology, Washington, DC.
  
  
• Fraley, R.T., Yen, G.S., Lueking,D.R., and Kaplan, S. 1979. The physical state of the intracytoplasmic membrane of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides and its relationship to the cell division cycle. J. Biol. Chem. 254:1978.
  
  
• Fraley, R. T., Lueking, D.R., and Kaplan, S. 1979. The relationship of intracytoplasmic membrane assembly to the cell cycle of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. J. Biol. Chem. 254:1980-1986.
  
  
• Cohen,L.K., Lueking, D.R. and Kaplan, S. 1979. Intermembrane phospholipid transfer mediated by cell-free extracts of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. J. Biol. Chem. 254:721-728.
  
  
• Wraight, C., Lueking, D.R., Fraley, R.T., and Kaplan, S. 1978. Cytochrome and photopigment synthesis in synchronous cultures of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. J. Biol. Chem. 253:465-471.
  
  
• Fraley, R.T., Lueking, D.R., and Kaplan, S. 1978. Membrane protein synthesis and turnover in synchronous cell populations of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. J. Biol. Chem. 253:458-464.
  
  
• Lueking, D.R. , Fraley, R. , and Kaplan, S. 1978. Membrane synthesis in synchronous cell populations of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. J. Biol. Chem. 253:451-457.
  
  
• Goldfine, H., Khuller, G.K. and Lueking,D.R. 1976. Studies on bacterial lipids. Lipids 1:11-22.
  
  
• Lueking, D.R. , Pike, L., and Sojka, G.A. 1975. Glycerol utilization by a mutant of Rhodopseudomonas capsulata. J. Bacteriol. 125:750-752.
  
  
• Lueking, D.R. and Goldfine, H. 1975. sn-Glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase activity in particulate preparations from anaerobic, light-grown cells of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. J. Biol. Chem. 250:8530-8535.
  
  
• Lueking, D.R. and Goldfine,H. 1975. The involvement of guanosine-3'-diphosphate-5'-diphosphate in the regulation of phospholipid biosynthesis in Escherichia coli. J. Biol. Chem. 250:4911-4917.
  
  
• Lueking, D.R. , Tokuhisa, D., and Sojka, G.A. 1973. Glycerol assimilation by a mutant of Rhodopseudomonas capsulata. J. Bacteriol. 155:897-903.

Abstracts: .

• Lueking, D.R. and Goldfine, H. The involvement of guanosine-3'-diphosphate-5'-diphosphate in the regulation of phospholipid biosynthesis in Escherichia coli. Presented at the meeting of the Federation of the American Societies for Experimental Biology, Atlantic City, N.J., 1975.
  
  
• Lueking, D.R., Fraley, R. and Kaplan, S. Membrane synthesis in synchronous cell populations of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. Presented at the meeting of the American Society for Biological Chemists, San Francisco, California, 1976.
  
  
• Lueking, D.R., and Goldfine, H. sn-Glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase activity in particulate preparations of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. Presented at the annual meeting of the Indiana University Photobiology Research Consortium, 1975.
  
  
• Fraley, R. , Lueking, D.R. and Kaplan, S. Intracytoplasmic membrane synthesis in Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. Presented at the meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, New Orleans, LA, 1977.
  
  
• Lueking, D.R., Cohen, L.K., and Kaplan, S. Phospholipid transfer activity mediated by cell-free extracts of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. Presented at the ASM Conference on Microbial Membranes, Charleston, South Carolina, 1978.
  
  
• Campbell, T.B. and Lueking, D.R. Light-induced division and genomic synchrony in photoheterotrophically growing cultures of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. Presented at the regional meeting of the Texas Branch of the American Society for Microbiology, Ft. Worth, Texas, 1979.
  
  
• Campbell,T.B. and Lueking, D.R. Light induced division and genomic synchrony in photoheterotrophically growing cultures of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Biological Chemists. New Orleans, LA , 1980.
  
  
• Campbell,T.B. and Lueking,D.R. Long chain fatty acid assimilation by Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. Atlanta, GA, 1982.
  
  
• Campbell,T.B. and Lueking, D.R. Light-mediated regulation of phospholipid synthesis in Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Biological Chemists. New Orleans, LA , 1982.
  
  
• Cooper, C.L. and Lueking, D.R. Localization and characterization of the sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase in Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. Presented at the Regional Meeting of the Texas Branch of the American Society for Microbiology, Arlington, Texas, 1982.
  
  
• Boyce, S.G. and Lueking, D.R. Purification and characterization of a long chain acyl coenzyme A thioesterase from phototrophically grown cells of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, New Orleans, LA , 1983.
  
  
• Acosta, R. and Lueking, D.R. Characterization of a photorelaxed mutant of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. Presented at the Regional Meeting of the Texas Branch of the American Society for Microbiology, Houston, Texas, 1983.
  
  
• Boyce S.G. and Lueking D.R. Purification and characterization of a long chain acyl-CoA thioesterase from Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. Presented at the Regional Meeting of the Texas Branch of the American Society for Microbiology, Houston, Texas,  1983.
  
  
• Cooper, C.L. and Lueking, D.R. Localization and characterization of the sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase in Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Biological Chemists, San Francisco, CA, 1983.
  
  
• Seay, T. and Lueking, D.R. Purification and characterization of acyl-CoA thioesterase II from Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, Las Vegas, Nevada, 1985.
  
  
• Acosta, R. and Lueking, D.R. Evaluation of the response of phototrophically growing cells of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides to amino acid starvation. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, Las Vegas, Nevada, 1985.
  
  
• Cooper, C.L., Boyce, S.G. and Lueking, D.R. Purification and properties of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides acyl carrier protein. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Biological Chemists, Anaheim, CA, 1985.
  
  
• Paoli, G.C., Benedik, M., Meyer, M., and Lueking, D.R. Recovery of the glycerol auxotrophy of Escherichia coli strain BB26-36 (plsB) by a cloned Rhodobacter sphaeroides DNA fragment. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Biological Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Las Vegas, Nevada, 1988.
  
  
• Barron, J. L. and Lueking, D. R. 1990. Growth and Maintenance of Cells of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. Presented in June, 1990 at the ASM Conference on Biotechnology, Chicago, IL.
  
  
• Dziobak, M. and Lueking, D.R. 1990. Dibenzothiophene Catabolism in Liquid Cultures of a Pseudomonas fluorescens (strain UPER-1) Isolate. Presented in June, 1990 at the ASM Conference on Biotechnology, Chicago, IL.
  
  
• Sottile, M. and Lueking, D. R. 1990. Isolation and Identification of a Dibenzothiophene-Utilizing strain of Pseudomonas fluorescens.Presented in June, 1990 at the ASM Conference on Biotechnology, Chicago, IL.
  
  
• Gedvillas, T. and Lueking, D. R. 1990. Genetics of Dibenzothiophene and Naphthalene Catabolism in a Pseudomonas fluorescens (strain UPER-1) isolate. Presented in June, 1990 at the ASM Conference on Biotechnology, Chicago, IL.
  
  
• Mihelcic, J.R., Zhu, H. and D.R. Lueking. 1992. Effect of surfactants on the biological degradation of PAH's in Great Lakes Sediments, International Symposium on Understanding Lake Superior Through Research, Duluth, MN (Abstract).
  
  
• Mihelcic, J.R., Zhu, H. and D.R. Lueking. 1992. Effect of surfactants on the biological oxidation of hydrophobic contaminants in soil-water systems. Presented at  the AIChE Annual Meeting in Miami Beach, FL.
  
  
• von Seelen, A.C., D.R. Lueking and J.R. Mihelcic. 1993. Development of a rapid screening procedure for the identification of surfactant producing microorganisms present in subsurface systems. Presented at the Great Lakes Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Marquette, MI.
  
  
• J.M. Stapleton, J.R. Mihelcic and D.R. Lueking. 1993. Physical factors influencing biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on Great Lakes sediments, Conference on Biodegradation, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, April 26-28.
  
  
• A. Cahn von Seelen, D. R. Lueking, J.R. Mihelcic, 1993. Development of a rapid screening procedure for the identification of surfactant producing microorganisms present in subsurface systems, ACS Great Lakes Regional Meeting, May 26-28.
  
  
• A. Cahn von Seelen, J. R. Mihelcic, D. R. Lueking. 1993. Development of a rapid screening procedure for the identification of surfactant producing microorganisms, Gordon Conference on Applied and Environmental Microbiology, New London, NH, July 11-16.
  
  
• B.E. Whitman, D.R. Lueking, J.R. Mihelcic. 1993. Naphthalene assimilation by a Pseudomonas fluorescens isolate, 16th Midwest Environmental Chemistry Workshop, Notre Dame, IN, October 17-18.
  
  
• Cahn von Seelen, D.R. Lueking, H.J. Knackmuss, J.R. Mihelcic. 1993. Development of a Plate assay for the identification of microorganisms that produce extracellular biosurfactants, 16th Midwest Environmental Chemistry Workshop, Notre Dame, IN, October 17-18.
  
  
• Agarwal, S. and Lueking, D.R. 1995. Isolation and Characterization of a Carbazole Utilizing Strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.  Proceedings of the American Society for Microbiology Annual Meeting, Washington, DC.  p. 457.
  
  
• Whitman, B.E., Lueking, D.R., and Mihelcic, J.R. 1995. Naphthalene assimilation by a Pseudomonas fluroescens isolate. Proceedings of the American Society for Microbiology Annual Meeting, Washington, DC.  p. 570.
  
  
• Waldron, M.L., Lueking, D.R., and Nesbitt, C. 1995. Preparative growth of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. Proceedings of the American Society for Microbiology Annual Meeting, Washington, DC.  p. 424.
  
  
• Stapleton, J.M., JR Mihelcic, DR Lueking.1995."Development of a Solid-Phase Biotechnology for the Selective Removal of Mercury from Contaminated Wastestreams" presented at the ASCE National Conference on Environmental Engineering, June 23-26, 1995, Pittsburgh, PA.
  
  
• Nesbitt, C.C. and D.R. Lueking. 2000. "The Use of SAAB-FIG Technology for the Recovery of Copper from Chalcocite and Chalcopyrite", MINPREX 2000 Conference--Melbourne, Australia: The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Sept. 2000.
  
  
• Whitman, B.E., Lueking, D.R., and Mihelcic, J.R. 2001.  Model to Predict the Passive-diffusion Mediated Uptake of Hydrophobic Organic Chemicals through the Cellular Envelope of a Gram-Negative Organism. Presented at the 2001 General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, Orlando, FL.
  
  
• Li, H., Martin, R.W., Lueking, D.R., Sottile, M.I. and Mihelcic, J.R. 2001. Evaluation of Hydrogen Sulfide Oxidation in a Lava Rock-Based Biofiltration System. Presented at the 2001 General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, Orlando, FL.
  
  
• Nesbitt, C. C. and Lueking, D. R. 2002.  The Recovery of Copper from Spent Bed Material Using Biologically Regenerated Ferric Leach Solutions.  The SAAB-FIG Process. Proceedings from Silicon for the Chemical Industry VI, Loen, Norway; Eds: H. A. Oye, H. M. Rong, L. Nygaard, G. Schussler and J. Kr. Tuser.
  
  
• Carl C. Nesbitt and Donald R. Lueking, SAAB-FIG: 2003. The Separation of 'Bio' and 'Leaching', presented at the SME Annual Meeting, Cincinnati, OH, February, 24, 2003.
  
  
• Ballor, N., Pawlak, N., Lueking, D.R. and Nesbitt, C.N. 2004.  The Use of SAAB-FIG Biotechnology for the Biogeneration of Ferric Iron. Proceedings from the World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing, Orlando, FL, April 2004.
  
  
• Wee, J.Y. and Lueking, D.R. 2005. Comparison of the Membrane Protein Profiles of Naphthalene and Glucose Grown Cells of Pseudomonas fluorescens strain Uper-1. Presented at the Regional Meeting of the American Soc. Microbiol., Bay City, MI,.
  
  
• Neher, T.M. and Lueking, D.R. 2006. Mechanism of Naphthalene Assimilation by Pseudomonas fluorescens strain Uper-1. Proceedings of the Am. Soc. Biochem. Mol. Biol. San Francisco, CA. p.12.
  
  
• C.M. Anton, K.A. Walczak, D.R. Lueking, C.R. Friedrich. 2006. "Effects of focused ion beam machining on oriented bacteriorhodopsin optical  proteins films", Army Science Conference Proceedings.
  
  
• M.H. Griep, D.R. Lueking and C.R. Friedrich. 2006. Quantum Dots as An On-Board Light Source for Activation of Bacteriorhodopsin based Nanosensors. Army Science Conference Proceedings.
  
  

Patents

• Patents Pending: Canada (Appl. No. 2205151), Chile (Appl. No. 960-97), Brazil (Appl. No. P-19703302.2), Indonesia (Appl. No. P-971688), Argentina (Appl. No. P-970102149), and Japan (Appl. No. 131251/97).
  
  
• German Patent No. DE 697 15 299 T2: Board of Control Michigan Technological University (Donald Lueking and Carl C. Nesbitt, Inventors) "Verfahren zur Erzeugung und Verwendung von mittels Bakterien produzierten Eissen(III)-lonen.", Granted September 11, 2002.
  
  
• European Patent No. 808,910: Board of Control Michigan Technological University (Donald Lueking and Carl C. Nesbitt, Inventors) "Method for the generation and use of ferric ions produced by bacteria", Granted September 11, 2002.
  
  
• Peru Patent No. 2595: Board of Control of Michigan Technological University (Donald R. Lueking and Carl C. Nesbitt, Inventors), "Aparato Y Metodo Para La Generacion Y Uso De Iones Ferricos", Granted August 29, 2002.
  
  
• Mexico Patent No. 201,601: Board of Control of Michigan Technological University (Donald R. Lueking and Carl C. Nesbitt, Inventors), "Aparato Y Metodo Para La Generacion Y Uso De Iones Ferricos", Granted April 27, 2001.
  
  
• United Kingdom Patent No. 808,910: Board of Control of Michigan Technological University (Donald R. Lueking and Carl C. Nesbitt, Inventors), "Apparatus and method for the generation and use of ferric ions", Accepted Journal Date October 19, 2000.
  
  
• Australian Patent No. 725,634: Board of Control of Michigan Technological University (Donald R. Lueking and Carl C. Nesbitt, Inventors), "Apparatus and method for the generation and use of ferric ions", Accepted Journal Date October 19, 2000.
  
  
• U.S. Patent No. 6,043,022: D. R. Lueking and C. C. Nesbitt, "Apparatus for the Generation and Use of Ferric Ions", Issued March 28, 2000.
  
  
• U.S. Patent No. 5,827,701: D. R. Lueking and C. C. Nesbitt, "Method for the Generation and Use of Ferric Ions", Issued October 27, 1998.
  
  
• Republic of South Africa Patent No. 97/4368: Board of Control of Michigan Technological University (Donald R. Lueking and Carl C. Nesbitt, Inventors), "Apparatus and method for the generation and use of ferric ions", Granted October 28, 1998.