William J. Hickey - Professor

Soil microbiology and biochemistry

• Contact Information
• Program Affiliations
• Education
• Teaching and Research
• Selected Publications
• Awards and Honors

Contact Information

Phone: 608-262-9018
Fax: 608-265-2595
Email: wjhickey@wisc.edu
Office: 205B Hiram Smith Annex

Program Affiliations

Education

• B.A. Biology, 1982, State University of New York
• M.S., Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry, 1986, Iowa State University
• Ph.D., Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry, 1990, University of California, Riverside

Teaching and Research

Two major thrusts of my research program are molecular ecology of soil microorganisms and bioremediation of organic contaminants in soils and groundwater. Molecular ecology studies focus on identifying elements that transfer genes encoding xenobiotic chemical degradation within soil bacterial populations, and the use of ribosomal RNA probes to study microbial community structure. A fundamental objective of the molecular ecology studies is to determine how, and by what mechanisms, microbial communities respond to environmental perturbation. Bioremediation studies are conducted at many levels including isolation and in vitro analysis of biodegradative organisms to elucidate metabolic pathways, establishment and analysis of microcosms that simulate the response of microbial populations in subsurface environments to biostimulation, and field studies evaluating bioremediation technologies in actual contaminated environments. Through the studies described above students gain experience in variety of techniques including quantifying xenobiotic chemicals and their metabolites by gas- and high pressure liquid-chromatography, use of radiochemicals to determine the fate of toxicants in soil or groundwater, and coupling of molecular probes with luminescent or fluorescent labels to track and quantify specific nucleic acids in environmental samples. Students participating in this program can major in Soil Science or Environmental Toxicology.

My primary instructional duty is the Department's advanced soil microbiology and biochemistry course. Topics covered in this course include roles of microbial populations in catalyzing biogeochemical cycles, molecular phylogenetics of soil organisms, physiological diversity in microbial populations and their application for soil and groundwater bioremediation.

Publications

• Burton, E.O., H.W. Read, M.C. Pellitteri, and W.J. Hickey. 2005. Identification of acyl-homoserine lactone signal molecules produced by Nitrosomonas europaea strain Schmidt. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71:4906-4909.


• Vacca, D.J., W.F. Bleam, and W.J. Hickey. 2005. Isolation of soil bacteria adapted to degrade humic acid-sorbed phenanthrene. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71:3797-3805.


• Jencova, V., H. Strnad, P. Ulbrich, W.J. Hickey, and V. Paces. 2004. Chlorocatechol catabolic enzymes from Achromobacter xylosoxidans A8 pA81 DNA. Int. J. Biodeg. Biodet. 54:175-181.


• Rose, P., W.J. Hickey, and J.M. Harkin. 2003. Competitive touchdown PCR for estimation of Escherichia coli DNA recovery in soil DNA extraction. J. Microbiol. Meth. 52:29-38.


• Reeleder, R.D., B.B. Capell, L.D. Tomlinson, J. Miller, and W.J. Hickey. 2003. The extraction of fungal DNA from multiple large soil samples. Can. J. Plant Pathol. 25:182-191.


• Yuroff, A.S., G. Sabat, and W.J. Hickey. 2003. Transporter-mediated uptake of 2-chloro- and 2-hydroxy-benzoate by Pseudomonas huttiensis strain D1. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69:7401-7408.


• Hickey, W.J., Sabat, G., A.S. Yuroff, A.R. Arment, and J. Perez-Lesher. 2001. A novel, mobile gene cluster from Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain JB2 encoding biodegradation of hydroxy- and aromatic compounds: Cloning, nucleotide sequencing, and functional analysis. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67:4603-4609.


• Hickey, W.J. and G. Sabat. 2001. Integration of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and molecular cloning for the identification and functional characterization of mobile ortho-halobenzoate oxygenase genes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain JB2. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67:5648-5655.


• Sabat, G., P. Rose, W.J. Hickey, and J.M. Harkin. 2001. Selective and sensitive method for PCR amplification of Escherichia coli 16S rRNA genes in soil. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 66:844-849


• Zwolinski, M.D., R,F. Harris and W.J. Hickey. 2001. Microbial communities involved in anaerobic degradation of hydrocarbons. Biodegradation 11:141-158.


• Sabat, G., P. Rose, W.J. Hickey, and J.M. Harkin. 2000. Rapid, selective, and sensitive method for polymerase chain reaction amplification of Escherichia coli 16S rRNA genes in soil. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 66:844-849.


• Hickey, W.J. 1999. Transformations and fate of contaminants in soil: PCBs. p. 213-238. In W.T. Frankenberger et al. (ed.) Bioremediation of contaminated soils. ASA, CSSA, SSSA, Madison, WI.


• Shi, Y., M.D. Zwolinski, M.E. Schreiber, J.M. Bahr, G.W. Sewell, and W.J. Hickey. 1999. Molecular analysis of microbial community structure in pristine and contaminated aquifers: Field and laboratory microcosm studies. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 65:2143-2150.


• Arnold, S.M., W.J. Hickey, R.F. Harris, and R.E. Talaat. 1998. Integrating chemical and biological remediation of atrazine-contaminated aqueous wastes. p. 177-188. In Triazine herbicides risk assessment. ACS Symp. Series, Am. Chem. Soc., Washington, DC.


• Hickey, W.J. 1997. Biochemistry and metabolism of xenobiotics. p. 437-467. In D.M. Sylvia et al. (ed.) Soil microbiology: environmental and agricultural perspectives. Oxford University Press, New York.


• Lowery, B., C. Arshad, R. Lal and W.J. Hickey. 1997. Soil water characteristics. p. 143-156. In J. Doran (ed.) Handbook of methods for assessment of soil quality. ASA Spec. Publ. no. 59. ASA, CSSA, SSSA, Madison, WI.


• Moran, B.N., and W.J. Hickey. 1997. Trichloroethylene biodegradation by mesophilic and psychrophilic ammonia-oxidizers and methanotrophs in groundwater microcosms. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 63:3866-3871.


• Arnold, S.M., W.J. Hickey, R.F. Harris and R.E. Talaat. 1996. Integrating chemical and biological remediation of atrazine and s -triazine-containing pesticide wastes. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 15:1255-1262.


• Hickey, W.J. and J. Paek. 1996. Ventilation effects on mineralization and volatilization of naphthalene in a gasoline-contaminated subsurface soil. Chemosphere 32:1655-1667.


• Arnold, S.M., R. Talaat, W.J. Hickey, and R.F. Harris. 1995. Identification of Fenton's reagent-generated atrazine derivatives by high pressure liquid chromatography-electrospray-mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry. J. Mass Spectrom. 30:452-460.


• Arnold, S.M., W.J. Hickey, and R.F. Harris. 1995. Degradation of atrazine using Fenton's reagent: Condition optimization, transformation kinetics and product identification. Environ. Sci. Technol. 29:2083-2089.


• Dietrich, D.M., W.J. Hickey and R.T. Lamar. 1995. Degradation of 4,4-dichlorobiphenyl,3,3'4,4,'-tetrachlorobiphenyl and 2,2'4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl by the white-rot fungus Phanerochaete chyrsosporium . Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 61:3904-3909.


• Hickey, W.J. 1995. Soil ventilation: effects on microbial populations in gasoline-contaminated soils. J. Environ. Qual. 24:571-582.


• Hickey, W.J. 1995. In situ respirometry: field methods and implications for hydrocarbon biodegradation in subsurface soils. J. Environ. Qual. 24:583-588.


• Hickey, W.J., S.M. Arnold, and B. Moran. 1995. Laboratory methods for volatile organic compound mineralization studies. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 14:1823-1825.


• Pérez-Lesher, J., and W.J. Hickey. 1995. Evidence for interspecies transfer of genes encoding selective oxidation of ortho-chlorobenzoates. p. 414. In Abstracts 95th Ann. Mtg. Am. Soc. Microbiol. ASM, Washington, DC.


• Pérez-Lesher, J., and W.J. Hickey. 1995. Use of an s-triazine nitrogen source to select for and isolate a recombinant chlorobenzoate-degrading Pseudomonas . FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 133:47-52.


• Zablotowicz, R.M., W.J. Hickey, R.E. Hoagland, and M.A. Locke. 1995. Glutathione S-transferase activity in four soil pseudomonads and the potential for herbicide degradation. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 61:1054-160.


• Hickey, W.J., D.J. Fuster, and R.T. Lamar. 1994. Transformation of atrazine in soil by Phanerochaete chyrsosporium . Soil Biol. Biochem. 26:1665-1671.


• Adriaens, P.A., and W.J. Hickey. 1993. Physiology of biodegradative organisms. p. 97-135. In D.L. Stoner (ed.) Biotechnology for hazardous waste treatment. Lewis Publ., Boca Raton, FL.


• Hickey, W.J., D. Serales, and D.D. Focht. 1993. Enhanced mineralization of Aroclor 1242 in soil by inoculation with chlorobenzoate and chlorobiphenyl-degrading bacteria. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 59:1194-1200.


• Hickey, W.J., V. Brenner, and D.D. Focht. 1992. Mineralization of 2-chloro- and 2,5-dichlorobiphenyl by Pseudomonas sp. strain UCR2. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 98:175-180.


• Hickey, W.J., E. Harrison, and J.M. Bahr. 1992. Laboratory evaluation for potential in situ bioremediation of trichloroethylene in a cold-water sand aquifer. p. 109- 110. Proc. Subsurface Restoration Conf., Dallas, TX. 21-24 June 1992.


• Hickey, W.J., and D.D. Focht. 1990. Degradation of mono-, di-, and trihalogenated benzoates by Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain JB2. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 56:3842-3850.


• Hickey, W.J., T.E. Loynachan, A. Ayanaba, and R.M. Zablotowicz. 1987. Diversity in Iowa Bradyrhizobium japonicum serogroup 123. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 51:941-946.

Awards and Honors