CAREER: Routes and Regulation of Cyanobacterial Carbon Catabolism

这个CAREER项目的研究目标是确定新的途径的分解代谢碳流和分离和表征调控基因的开关从光合自养到光或暗异养生长的蓝绿色（蓝藻）藻，集胞藻属。目标基因的控制下的环AMP受体蛋白也将被确定在这兼性异养蓝藻。生物化学和遗传学的分析方法将用于更深入地了解集胞藻的代谢潜力。了解蓝藻的基本生理学和对环境刺激的生理变化的遗传调节可能会导致形成新的有益的植物相互作用或生物降解的外源性化合物从表面沃茨。 该项目的教学目标与研究部分交织在一起。 通过使用集胞藻作为课堂模型，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夏季实验室研究，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受过培训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创的生物学研究经验，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的研究经验。 利用诱变，分子遗传学和计算机辅助序列分析的研究将被纳入适当的微生物学实验室，并进入一个新的上层部门微生物遗传学实验室课程。对研究生教育的关注将提供生物学遗传，生物化学和生理学方面研究所需的技能，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.