Alice C. Layton
Research Assistant Professor

EDUCATION

Ph.D. 1987 Biochemistry (Plant Physiology Program), Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
M.S. 1983 Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
B.A. 1981 Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

WORK HISTORY

1991-present: Senior Research Associate at The University of Tennessee, Center for Environmental Biotechnology, Knoxville, TN.

1988-1990: Postdoctoral Research Assistant at The University of Tennessee, Center for Environmental Biotechnology, Knoxville, TN. Studied incompatibility groups in catabolic plasmids and characterized a plasmid involved in chlorobenzoate degradation.

1983-1987: Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Biochemistry Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN. Dissertation title "Heterokaryon formation by protoplast fusion in Phytophthora megasperma f.sp. glycinea for genetic studies".

1981-1983: Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN. Thesis title "Inheritance of resistance to Phytophthora megasperma f.sp glycinea in two soybean plant introductions".

PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

Layton A. C. ,Dionisi, H.M., Kuo H.-W., Robinson K.G., Garrett V.M., Meyers A.J., and G. S. Sayler. 2004. Emergence of competitive dominant ammonia-oxidizing bacterial populations in a full-scale industrial wastewater treatment plant. In press.

Cook, K.L., Layton, A.C., Dionisi, H.M., Fleming, J.T., and G.S. Sayler. 2004. Evaluation of a plasmid-based 16S-23S rDNA intergenic spacer region array for analysis of microbial diversity in industrial wastewater. Journal of Microbiological Methods 57: 79-93.

Raman, D.R., Williams, E.L., Layton, A.C., Burns, R.R., Easter, J.P., Daugherty, A.S, Mullen, M.D. and G.S. Sayler. 2004. Estrogen content of swine and dairy wastes. Environmental Science and Technology 38: 3567-3573.

Lenczewski, M. E., McKay, L.D., Layton, A. 2004. Anaerobic biodegradation of TCE in laboratory columns of fractured saprolite. Ground Water 42: 534-541.

Dionisi, H.M., Harms, G., Layton, A.C., Gregory, I.R., Parker, J., Hawkins S.A., Robinson, K.G., and G. S. Sayler. 2003. Power Analysis for Real-time PCR Quantification of genes in Activated Sludge and Analysis of the Variability Introduced by DNA Extraction. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 69: 6597-6604.

Harms, G., Layton, A.C., Dionisi, H.M., Gregory, I.R., Garrett, V.M., Hawkins, S.A., Robinson, K.G., and G.S. Sayler. 2003. Real-Time Quantification of Nitrifying Bacteria in a Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant. Environ. Sci. and Technol. 37:343-351.

Robinson, K.G., Dionisi, H.M., Harms, G., Layton, A.C., Gregroy I.R., and G.S. Sayler. 2003. Molecular assessment of ammonia- and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria in full-scale activated sludge wastewater treatment plants. Water Science and Technology 48:119-126.

Lenczewski, M., Jardine, P., McKay, and A. Layton. 2002. Natural attenuation of trichloroethylene (TCE) in fractured shale bedrock. Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 64:151-168.

Dionisi, H.M., Layton, A.C., Robinson, K.G., Brown, J.R., Gregory, I.R., Parker, J.J., G.S. Sayler. 2002. Quantification of Nitrosomonas oligotropha and Nitrospira spp. using competitive PCR in bench scale wastewater treatment reactors operating at different solids retention times. Water Environ. Res. 74: 462-469.

Layton, A.C., Sanseverino, J., Gregory, B.W., Easter, J.P., Sayler, G.S. and T.W. Schultz. 2002. In vitro estrogen receptor binding of PCBs: Measured activity and detection of hydroxylated metabolites in a recombinant yeast assay. Toxicological and Applied Pharmacology 180:157-163.

Sanseverino, J., A.C. Layton, and G.S. Sayler. 2002. Detection of polychlorinated Biphenyl-degrading organisms in soil. In: Gene Probes: Principles and Protocols. M. Aquino de Muro and R. Rapley, eds. Humana Press, Totowa, New Jersey.

Raman,D.R., Layton, A.C., Moody, L.B., Easter, J.P. Sayler, G.S., Burns, R.T, and M.D. Mullen. 2002. Degradation of estrogens in dairy waste solids: storage methods and temperature effects. Transactions of the ASAE 44: 1881-1888.

Dionisi, H.M., Layton, A.C., Harmes, G., Gregory, I.R., Robinson, K.G., and G.S. Sayler. 2002. Quantification of Nitrosomonas oligotropha-like ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and Nitrospira spp. from full-scale wastewater treatment plants by competitive PCR. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 68:245-253.

Abd-El-Haleem, D., Layton, A.C., and G.S. Sayler. 2001. Long PCR-amplified rDNA for PCR-RFLP- and Rep-PCR –based approached to recognize closely related microbial species. Journal of Microbiological Methods 49: 315-319.

Layton, A.C., Gregory, B.W., Seward, J.R., Schultz, T.W. and G.S. Sayler. 2000. Mineralization of steroidal hormones by biosolids in wastewater treatment systems in Tennessee USA. Environmental Science and Technology 34: 3925-3931.

Layton, A.C., P.N. Karanth, C.A. Lajoie, A.J. Meyers, I.R. Gregory, R.D. Stapleton, D.E. Taylor, and G.S. Sayler. 2000. Presence of Hyphomicrobium populations in activated sludge from an industrial wastewater treatment system as determined by 16S rRNA analysis. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 66:1167-1174.

Lajoie, C.A., A. C. Layton, I.R. Gregory, G. S. Sayler, Donald E. Taylor, and Arthur J. Meyers. 2000. Molecular analysis of zoogloeal clusters in viscous sludge. Water Environment Research 72: 56-64.

Layton, A.C., B.W. Gregory, T.W. Schultz, and G.S. Sayler. 1999. The validation of genetically engineered bioluminescent surfactant resistant bacteria as toxicity assessment tools. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 43: 222-228.

Kelly, C.J., C. A. Lajoie, A .C. Layton, and G. S. Sayler, 1999. Bioluminescent reporter bacterium for toxicity monitoring in biological wastewater treatment systems. Water Environment Research. Water Environment Research 71: 31-35.

Muccini, M., A.C. Layton, G.S. Sayler, and T.W. Schultz. 1999. Aquatic toxicities of halogenated benzoic acids to Tetrahymena pyriformis. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 62:616-622.

Layton, A.C., M. Muccini, M.M. Ghosh, and G.S. Sayler. 1998. Construction of a bioluminescent reporter strain to detect polychlorinated biphenyls. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 64: 5203-5206.

Layton, A.C., C.A. Lajoie, J.P. Easter, M. Muccini, and G.S. Sayler. 1998. An integrated surfactant solubilization and PCB bioremediation process for soils. Bioremediation Journal 1:43-56.

Schultz, T.W., D.H. Kraut, G.S. Sayler, and A.C. Layton. 1998. Estrogenicity of selected biphenyls evaluated using a recombinant yeast assay. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 17:1727-1729.

Shi, Z., K.A. LaTorre, M.M. Ghosh, A.C. Layton, S.H. Luna, L. Bowles and G.S. Sayler. 1998. Biodegradation of UV-Irradiated Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Surfactant Micelles. Wat. Sci. Tech. Vol. 38, No. 7, pp. 25-32.

Lajoie, C.A., A.C. Layton, J.P. Easter, F. Menn, and G.S. Sayler. 1997. Degradation of nonionic surfactants and polychlorinated biphenyls by recombinant field application vectors. J. Industrial Microbiol. Biotechnol. Vol. 19, p. 252-262.

Sayler, G.S., A. Layton, C. Lajoie, J. Bowman, M. Tschantz, and J.T. Fleming. 1995. Molecular site assessment and process monitoring in bioremediation and natural attenuation. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology 54: 277-290.

Sayler G.S., A. Layton, C. Lajoie, J. Bowman, M. Tschantz, and J.T. Fleming. 1995. Molecular Site Assessment and Process Monitoring in Bioremediation and Natural Attenuation. Appl. Biochem. Biotech. 54:277-290.

Layton, A.C., C.A. Lajoie, J.P. Easter, R. Jernigan, J. Sanseverino, and G.S. Sayler. 1994. "Molecular Diagnostic and Chemical Analysis for Assessing Degradation of Polychlorinated Biphenyls by Bacterial Populations in Contaminated Soils." Journal of Industrial Microbiology. 13: 392-401.

Layton, A. C., C.A. Lajoie, J. P. Easter, R. Jernigan, J. Sanseverino, and G.S. Sayler. 1994. Molecular diagnostics and chemical analysis for assessing biodegradation of polychlorinated biphenyls in contaminated soils. Journal of Industrial Microbiology 13: 392-401.

Lajoie, C.A., A. C. Layton, and G.S. Sayler. 1994. Cometabolic oxidation of polychlorinated biphenyls in soil with a surfactant-based field application vector. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 60: 2826-2833.

Layton, A. C., C.A. Lajoie, J.P. Easter, R. Jernigan, M.J. Beck, and G.S. Sayler. 1994. Molecular diagnostics for polychlorinated biphenyl degradation in contaminated soil. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 721: 407-422.

Layton, A. C., J. Sanseverino, W. Wallace, C. Corcoran, and G.S. Sayler. 1992. Evidence for 4-chlorobenzoate acid dehalogenation mediated by plasmids related to pSS50. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 58: 399-402.

Sayler, G.S. and A.C. Layton. 1990. Environmental applications of nucleic acid hybridization. Annual Reviews of Microbiology 44: 625-48.

Burlage, R.S., L.A. Bemis, A.C. Layton, G.S. Sayler, and F. Larimer. 1990. Comparative genetic organization in incompatibility group P degradative plasmids. Journal of Bacteriology 172: 6818-6825.

Sayler, G.S., S.W. Hooper, A.C. Layton, and J.M.H. King. 1990. Catabolic plasmids for environmental applications. Microbial Ecology 19:1-20.

Layton A. C. and D. N. Kuhn. 1990. In planta formation of heterokaryons of Phytophthora megasperma f. sp. glycinea. Phytopathology 80:602-606.

Layton A. C. and D. N. Kuhn. 1988. Heterokaryon formation by protoplast fusion of drug resistant mutants in Phytophthora megasperma f.sp. glycinea. Experimental Mycology 12:180-194.

Layton, A.C. and D.N. Kuhn. 1986. The virulence of interracial heterokaryons of Phytophthora megasperma f. sp. glycinea. Phytopathology 78:961-966.

Layton, A.C., and K.L. Athow, and F.A. Laviolette. 1986. New physiologic race of Phytophthora megasperma f. sp. glycinea. Plant Disease 70: 500-501.

Athow, K.L., F.A. Laviolette, A.C. Layton, and L.D. Plopper. 1986. Genes for resistance to of Phytophthora megasperma f. sp. glycinea in PI273483D, PI274212, PI82312N, and PI340046. Soybean Genetics Newsletter 13: 119-131.

Layton, A.C. and D.N. Kuhn. 1985. Drug resistant mutants in Phytophthora megasperma f. sp. glycinea. Phytophthora Newsletter. 13: 19-20.

Layton A.C., K.L. Athow, and F.A. Laviolette. 1984. Inheritance of resistance to Phytophthora megasperma f. sp. glycinea in a soybean plant introduction. Plant Disease 68:1080-1083.

Invited Presentations

Deep Hyphae Conference, March 6, 2004, University of Tennessee “Bacterial Bioluminescence as an Eukaryotic Expression Reporter”Alice Layton

Pollutant Source Identification Specialty Conference. May 20, 2004. Kentucky-Tennessee Water Environment Association. “ DNA and Field Applications”. Alice Layton

Other Presentations

Gupta, R. K., S. S. Patterson, S. Ripp, A. C. Layton, and G. S. Sayler. 2004. A yeast reporter strain expressing bacterial bioluminescence for rapid sensitive detection of estrogenic compounds, p. 283-291. In M. S. Reddy and S. Khanna (ed.), Biotechnological Approaches for Sustainable Development. Allied Publishers, New Delhi, India.

Layton, A.C. and L.D. Mckay. 2004. Tennessee Department of Environment and Conervation, Nashville, TN. August 25,2004.

Baldwin, T., Layton A.C., McKay L.D., Jones, S., Garrett,V, Johnson, G., and S. Fout. 2004. Quantification of enterovirus and hepatitis A viruses in wells and springs in east Tennessee using real-time reverse transcription PCR. Ground Water Quality 2004 - 4th International Conference, Waterloo, Ontario - Jul 19-22, 2004

McKay, L. D, Layton, A.C., Baldwin, T., and G, Sayler. 2004. Development and testing of real-time PCR assays for detecting pathogens and related microbial indicators in karst settings. Ground Water Quality 2004 - 4th International Conference, Waterloo, Ontario - Jul 19-22, 2004

Layton Alice, C., Williams, Dan, Garrett Victoria, and Larry D. McKay. 2004. Development of real-time PCR assays for the detection of Bacteriodes sp. as a method to quantify fecal contamination. Proceedings from the Fourteenth Annual Tennessee Water Resources Symposium. Burns, TN March 31-April 2, 2004.

Gentry, R.W. McCarthy, J., Layton,A., McKay, L. and S. Koirala. 2004. A Hydrologic Investigation into the Occurrence and Causation of Pathogen Indicators in the Stock Creek Watershed, Knoxville, Tennessee. Proceedings from the Fourteenth Annual Tennessee Water Resources Symposium. Burns, TN March 31-April 2, 2004.

Layton, A.C., Williams H. and L. McKay. Validation of a real-time PCR method for the quantification of E. coli in surface water. Proceedings from the Thirteenth Annual Tennessee Water Resources Symposium. Burns, TN April 9-11, 2003.

Dionisi, H., G. Harms, I.R. Gregory, A.C. Layton, K.G. Robinson, G.S. Sayler. 2001. Quantification of Nitrospira spp. in mixed liquor using competitive and real-time PCR. 221st American Chemical Society, National Meeting, San Diego, CA, April 1-6,2001.

Dyer, A.R., Raman, D.R., Mullen, M.D., Burns, R.T., Moody, Layton, A.C., and g.S. Sayler. 2001. Determination of 17ß-estradiol concentrations in runoff from plots receiving dairy manure. ASAE Annual International Meeting, July 30- August 1, 2001, Sacramento, CA .

Dionisi, H.M., A.C. Layton, I.R. Gregory, J.J. Parker, K.G. Robinson, and G.S. Sayler. 2001. Quantification of ammonia- and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria using competitive PCR in Bench Scale Wastewater Treatment Reactors and different biological solids retention times. WEFTEC 2001, Atlanta, GA, October 13-17, 2001.

Lenczewski, M., L.D. McKay, A. Layton. 2001. Biodegradation of tricholorethylene in fractured saprolite in east Tennessee. 101st American Society for Microbiology General Meeting, Orlando FA, May 20-24, 2001.

Harms,G., Dionisi, h., Gregory, I.R., Layton, A.C., Robinson, and G.S. Sayler. 2001. A comparison of real-time PCR using molecular beacon and TaqMan for the quantification of Nitrospira 16S rDNA. 101st American Society for Microbiology General Meeting, Orlando FA, May 20-24, 2001.

Cook, K.L., Layton, A.C., Dionisi, H.M., and G.S. Sayler. 2001. Quantitative analysis of microbial communities using a ribosomal intergenic spacer region hybridization array. 101st American Society for Microbiology General Meeting, Orlando FA, May 20-24, 2001.

Williams, E. L., Raman, D.R., Burns, R.T., Layton, A.C., Daugherty, A.S., and Mullen, M.D. 2002. Estrogen Concentration is Dairy and Swine Waste Storage and Treatment Structures in and around Tennessee. Paper Number 024150. 2002 ASAE Annual International Meeting. Chicago, IL July 28-31, 2002.

McKay, L.D., A. Layton, M. Rietti-Shati, and S. Driese. 2002. Transport of pathogen surrogates in saprolite subsoils in East Tennessee. Proceedings from the Twelfth Annual Tennessee Water Resources Symposium. Burns, TN April 3-5, 2002.

Dionisi, H., Harms, G., Layton, A., Hawkins, S., Gregory, I., Meyers, A., Robinson, K., and G. Sayler. 2002. Application of real-time PCR and traditional methods for quantification of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in mixed-liquor suspended solids of an industrial wastewater treatment plant. Proceedings from the Twelfth Annual Tennessee Water Resources Symposium. Burns, TN April 3-5, 2002.

Harms, G., Layton, A.C., Dionisi, H.M., Gregory, I.R., Hawkins, S., Robinson, K., and G.S. Sayler. Quantification of nitrifying bacteria in a municipal wastewater treatment plant by real-time PCR. Proceedings from the Twelfth Annual Tennessee Water Resources Symposium. Burns, TN April 3-5, 2002.

Robinson, K.G., Dionisi, H.M., Layton, A.C., Gregory, I.R., and G.S. Sayler. 2002. Molecular assessment of ammonia- and nitrite- oxidizing bacteria in full-scale activated sludge WWTPs. Proceedings of the International Water Association Conference on Environmental Biotechology, April 2002, Palmerston North, New Zealand.

Lajoie, C., A. Layton, I. Gregory, G. Sayler, D. Taylor, and A. Meyers. 1998. Molecular Analysis of Zoogloeal Clusters in Viscous Sludge. In: Water Environment Federation, 70th Annual Conference and Exposition Proceedings. Part 1 & 2, Vol. 3. p. 317-326.

Lajoie, C.A., A.C. Layton, R.D. Stapleton, I.R. Gregory, A.J. Meyers, and G.S. Sayler. 1997. Molecular analysis and control of activated sludge. In: Biotechnology in the Sustainable Environment. Eds. G. Sayler, J. Sanseverino, and K. Davis. Plenum Press. p. 323-342.

Beck, M.J., A.C. Layton, C.A. Lajoie, J.P. Easter, G.S. Sayler, J. Barton, and M. Reeves. 1997. An integrated treatment system for polychlorinated biphenyls remediation. In: Biotechnology in the Sustainable Environment. Eds. G. Sayler, J. Sanseverino, and K. Davis. Plenum Press. p. 73-84.

Sayler, G.S., U. Matrubutham, C. Steward, A. Layton, C. Lajoie, J. Easter, and B. Applegate. 1995. Towards Field Release of Engineered Strains for Bioremediation. Proceedings of the 7th Symposium on Environmental Releases of Biotechnology Products: Risk Assessment Methods and Research Progress. ORD/U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf Breeze, FL.

PATENTS

Lajoie, C.A., A.C. Layton and G.S. Sayler. 1997. Bioremediation Process Design Utilizing In situ Soil Washing. U.S Patent Serial No. 5,618,727.

Recent Proposals Received

Editorial Boards/Reviewer

Reviewer: Environmental Science & Technology, Analytica Chimica Acta
Reviewed Proposals for NSF, US Department of Commerce (MERHAB)

Patents/Invention Disclosures

Invention Disclosure- Layton, A.C., L.D. McKay, and Sayler, G.S Measurement of fecal contamination in water using Bacteroides 16S rRNA gene real-time PCR assays

Invention Disclosure- Layton, A.C., Patterson, S.S., and Sayler, G.S. Mammalian bioreporters for direct measurement of enterovirus contamination.

Peer Review Panels

EPA Microbial Source Tracking Working Meeting, June 21-22, 2004 and August 3-4, 2004.

Service to the University of Tennessee

Co-Lecturer in Microbiology 411- Spring 2002, Spring 2003, Spring 2004
Co-Lecturer in Geology 685- Spring 2003
Microbiology 401-Undergraduate mentor for students in Summer 2002, Spring 2003, Spring 2004

Education and Outreach Activities

Appalachian Regional Science Fair- Middle School Student Mentor
UT Undergraduate Exhibition- Judge
Mentor for High School Student in Work Force Connections Program

CEB Staff/Students Members (include undergraduate and graduate students)

Victoria Garret - Technician
Dan Williams – Technician
Elizabeth Williams- Masters Student Committee, Biosystems Engineering and Environmental Sciences, Masters 2002
Janalyn Brown- Masters Student Committee, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Masters 2003
Trisha Baldwin- Masters Student Committee, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Shawn Hawkins –Dissertation Committee, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ph.D. Candidate
Hsien Kuo- Dissertation Committee, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ph.D. student
Merve Oguz –Dissertation Committee, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ph.D. 2004
Kimberly Cook – Dissertation Committee, Department of Microbiology, Ph.D. 2004
Kim Brooks – Undergraduate mentor, Department of Microbiology
Sadaf Shaukat -Undergraduate mentor, Department of Microbiology
Sharyce Banks- Undergraduate from Knoxville College
Kyle Dunn- Undergraduate mentor, Department of Microbiology
Shakeria Nelson- Undergraduate, Summer McNair Fellowship Student
Keith Latorre - Masters Student Committee, Civil and Environmental Engineering,
Maurizia Muccini - Masters Student Committee, Department of Toxicology
Betsy Gregory - Technician

Leveraged Funding

Over the past 3 and one-half years WMREI has provided funding primarily through salary, one equipment purchase and supplies to help develop expertise in the area of detecting human pathogens and controlling them in surface and ground waters. This work is being performed collaboratively between researchers in the Department of Microbiology (Drs. Layton and Sayler), Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (Drs. McKay and McCarthy) and Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (Dr. Gentry). To date, we have had received a total of $503,107 (see Proposals received). For these projects WMREI has provided $147,986 in matching funds (see table below).