CAREER: Routes and Regulation of Cyanobacterial Carbon Catabolism

本CAREER项目的研究目标是确定分解代谢碳流的新途径，并分离和表征蓝绿藻类（Synechocystis sp.）从光自养到光或暗异养生长转换后的调控基因。在兼性异养蓝藻中也将确定受环amp受体蛋白控制的靶基因。生化和遗传分析方法将被用于更深入地了解聚囊藻的代谢潜力。了解蓝藻的基本生理和对环境刺激的生理变化的遗传调控，可以形成新的有益的植物相互作用或从地表水中生物降解外来化合物。该项目的教学目标与研究部分是交织在一起的。通过使用Synechocystis作为课堂模式，将在大学预科阶段提供增强的科学思维和研究经验。高中教师将与研究生合作进行暑期实验室研究，从而开发适合高中生的生理和遗传实验。实验室设备将由高中教师/研究生团队组装，使地区学生能够在这些训练有素的教师的教室里进行动手实验研究。与当地学校的合作将为学生提供原始的生物研究经验，并促进对科学的兴趣和热情。本科教育的重点是让学生参与原创研究经验。利用诱变，分子遗传学和计算机辅助序列分析的研究将纳入适当的微生物实验室和新的高级微生物遗传学实验室课程。研究生教育的重点将提供生物学的遗传、生化和生理方面的研究所需的技能，并将提供分享这些技能的机会。

The research goals of this CAREER project are to identify novel routes of catabolic carbon flow and to isolate and characterize regulated genes following a switch from a photoautotrophic to a photo-or dark heterotrophic growth in a blue-green (cyanobacteria) alga, Synechocystis sp. Target genes that are under control of a cyclic-AMP receptor protein will also be identified in this facultative heterotrophic cyanobacteria. Both biochemical and genetic methods of analysis will be used to gain a deeper understanding of the metabolic potential of Synechocystis. Understanding the basic physiology of cyanobacteria and the genetic regulation of physiological changes in response to environmental stimuli could lead to formation of new beneficial plant interactions or biodegradation of xenobiotic compounds from surface waters. The project's teaching goals are intertwined with the research component. Enhanced scientific thinking and research experience will be provided at the pre-college level through the use of Synechocystis as a classroom model. High school teachers will be teamed up with graduate students for summer laboratory research, resulting in the development of physiological and genetic experiments appropriate for high school students. Laboratory equipment will be assembled by the high school teacher/graduate student teams, enabling area students to perform hands-on experimental research in the classrooms of these trained teachers. Partnerships with local schools will provide original biological research experience to students and promote an interest and passion for science.The undergraduate educational focus is to involve students in original research experiences. Research utilizing mutagenesis, molecular genetics and computer assisted sequence analysis will be incorporated into the appropriate microbiology laboratories and into a new upper division microbial genetics laboratory course. The focus on graduate student education will provide the skills required for research on genetic, biochemical and physiological aspects of biology and will provide opportunities to share these skills.