CAREER: Ecology of Chlororespiring Bacterial Populations and Biochemical Studies of the Dehalogenating Enzyme Systems

职业：氯呼吸细菌种群生态学和脱卤酶系统的生化研究

• 批准号: 0090496
• 负责人: Frank Loeffler
• 金额: $ 52.59万
• 依托单位: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2001
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2001-03-01 至 2007-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0090496&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Ecology; Chlororespiring; Bacterial; Populations

Most living beings we observe in nature breathe oxygen, a prerequisite for the existence of aerobic organisms, including humans. In many lake and river sediments or waterlogged soils oxygen is not available, yet many bacteria thrive in such oxygen-depleted (anaerobic) environments. Instead of oxygen, anaerobic bacteria use other compounds to drive respiration, compounds such as nitrate, sulfate, or, as recent discoveries have demonstrated, chlorinated chemicals. Respiration using chlorinated compounds destroys those chlorinated chemicals, and hence, diminishes toxicity to humans. This project will elucidate distribution, abundance, diversity, physiology, and ecological function of bacterial populations that respire with chlorinated compounds. The PI will characterize the enzymes involved, explore the diversity of dechlorinating enzyme systems in these bacteria, and explore the evolution of these systems. Samples from a variety of geographically distinct locations (including Antarctica, Siberian permafrost, the deep subsurface, hydrothermal vents, and hot springs) will be examined, and bacterial populations of interest will be studied in detail. State-of-the-art nucleic acid-based tools will be used and improved to detect, monitor, and quantify these organisms. Because man-made chlorinated compounds (e.g. pesticides, solvents, etc.) are major environmental pollutants, this project, aimed at understanding the basic biology and ecology of chlororespiring bacteria, can provide a basis for exploring how these specialized organisms can be exploited to assist in clean-up efforts at contaminated sites.This is a CAREER award, integrating research and educational activities. Undergraduate and graduate students will be involved in this research project. To improve minority participation and faculty interaction, a Visiting Student Researcher Development (VSRD) program with the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez will be initiated. In addition, high school teachers (and their students) will be given an opportunity to experience new technologies by participating in a summer program of scientific inquiry.

我们在自然界观察到的大多数生物呼吸氧，这是包括人类在内的有氧生物存在的前提。 在许多湖泊和河流沉积物或水口土壤中，氧气不可用，但是许多细菌在这种耗尽氧气（厌氧）环境中蓬勃发展。 厌氧菌不是氧气，而是使用其他化合物驱动呼吸，而是硝酸盐，硫酸盐等化合物，或者正如最近发现的那样，氯化化学物质。 使用氯化化合物呼吸会破坏那些氯化化学物质，因此减少了对人类的毒性。 该项目将阐明细菌群体对氯化化合物的分布，丰度，多样性，生理和生态功能。 PI将表征所涉及的酶，探索这些细菌中脱氯系统的多样性，并探索这些系统的演变。 将检查来自各种地理上不同位置的样本（包括南极，西伯利亚多年冻土，深地下，水热通风孔和温泉）的样本，并将详细研究感兴趣的细菌种群。 将使用并改进基于核酸的最新工具来检测，监测和量化这些生物。 由于人造的氯化化合物（例如农药，溶剂等）是主要的环境污染物，因此该项目旨在了解氯化细菌的基本生物学和生态学，可以为探索如何利用这些专业生物体的基础来利用这些专门的生物体，以在污染现场进行清理工作。这是一项职业奖项。 本科生和研究生将参与该研究项目。为了改善少数群体的参与和教师互动，将启动与波多黎各大学的来访学生研究人员发展（VSRD）计划。 此外，高中教师（及其学生）将有机会通过参加夏季科学探究计划来体验新技术。