RUI: Microbial Observatories: Microbial Observatory at Soap Lake: Biogeochemistry, Microbial Diversity, and Productivity of Anaerobic Haloalkaliphilic Bacterial Communites

美国国家科学基金会微生物观测站已授予博士。Holly Pinkart（中央华盛顿大学），Melanie Mormile（密苏里大学罗拉分校）和Brent Peyton（华盛顿州立大学）研究一个盐碱湖的厌氧微生物生态学。肥皂湖是一个永久分层的湖泊，由两个独立的水层组成，两千年来一直没有混合。虽然两层都是碱性的，缺乏大量的氧气，但下层的盐含量要高一个数量级。此外，这个湖的硫化物浓度通常被认为对大多数生命形式有毒。尽管这个环境的化学成分极端，但这个湖支持着藻类、浮游动物和细菌的繁荣群落。微生物观测站将允许对在这种极端环境中茁壮成长的相对未知的微生物的生态学和代谢能力进行研究和量化。该项目的目标是描述栖息在该系统中的微生物群落的特征，并确定它们如何影响肥皂湖的地球化学，以及如何受其影响。将使用的方法包括微生物的培养、微生物DNA的克隆和测序，以及利用卫星成像检测微生物活动。皂湖微生物观测站将作为研究盐碱性环境中厌氧群落的相互作用及其对生物质生产的贡献的模型。该项目产生的结果将补充火星和太阳系外地球环境生物活动的搜索数据，并将增强喷气推进实验室正在开发的虚拟星球实验室计划。肥皂湖的微生物观测站可能会发现对工业和生物技术有用的新型微生物。此外，该项目将允许本科生大量参与，并可作为将研究融入本科教育的典范。

An NSF Microbial Observatories grant has been awarded to Drs. Holly Pinkart (Central Washington University), Melanie Mormile (University of Missouri-Rolla), and Brent Peyton (Washington State University) to study the anaerobic microbial ecology of a saline, alkaline lake. Soap Lake is a permanently stratified lake consisting two separate water layers which have not mixed for over two thousand years. Although both layers are quite alkaline and lack significant amounts of oxygen, the lower layer is an order of magnitude more saline. Additionally, this lake has concentrations of sulfide generally considered toxic for most life forms. In spite of the extreme chemistry of this environment, the lake supports thriving communities of algae, zooplankton, and bacteria. The Microbial Observatory will allow the study and quantification of the ecology and metabolic capabilities of the relatively unknown microorganisms that thrive in this extreme environment. The goals of the project are to characterize the microbial communities that inhabit this system, and determine how they affect, and are affected by, the geochemistry of Soap Lake. The methods that will be used include the culturing of microorganisms, cloning and sequencing of microbial DNA, and the use of satellite imaging for detection of microbial activities. The Soap Lake Microbial Observatory will serve as a model for studying interactions of the anaerobic communities in haloalkaline environments and their contribution to biomass production. Results generated by this project will supplement data available for the search for biological activity on Mars and extra-solar terrestrial environments, and will augment the Virtual Planet Laboratory Program being developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The Microbial Observatory at Soap Lake will likely lead to discovery of novel microorganisms useful in industry and biotechnology. Additionally, this project will allow for the significant involvement of undergraduate students, and could serve as a model for the integration of research into undergraduate education.