U.S.-Japan Cooperative Science: A Biochemical and Molecular Investigation of Piezophilic Bacterial Adaptation to the Deep-Sea High Pressure Environment

0202799 Fang该奖项支持爱荷华州州立大学的方嘉松教授和日本神奈川的日本海洋科学技术中心（JAMSTEC）的Chiaki Kato博士之间为期两年的合作研究项目。 研究人员将对嗜压细菌适应深海高压环境的生物化学和分子调查进行研究。 他们将研究在高压下嗜压细菌中脂肪酸和脓球脂的生物合成。 具体目标包括：（1）确定来源（从头合成与饮食摄取）的膜脂肪酸在不同的嗜压细菌; 2）阐明脂肪酸和磷脂合成之间的耦合程度，并确定是否分子修整（酰化-再酰化）被嗜压菌用于调节膜脂组成; 3）确定在选定的温度和压力下与生长相关的不同种类磷脂的比率的变化;和4）对嗜压菌中EPA和DHA生物合成途径进行分子克隆和测序，分析嗜压菌中脂肪酸和磷脂合成的基因表达和调控的分子机制，嗜压者 该项目汇集了两个具有互补专业知识和研究能力的实验室的努力。 方博士的专长是脂质生物化学和仪器分析，加藤博士的专长是嗜压细菌的分离和培养以及分子遗传分析。该项目的结果将拓宽我们对不同类型的嗜压细菌响应压力的脂质生物合成机制的理解，并回答多不饱和脂肪酸的微生物合成是否是海洋环境中广泛发生的现象。 此外，这项研究将增加我们对有利于维持地球或地外行星生命的环境背景的了解。 该项目还将为本科生提供一个独特的多学科接触机会。 在整个项目过程中，研究结果将发表在同行评审的期刊上，并在学术会议上发表。

0202799FangThis award supports a two-year collaborative research project between Professor Jiasong Fang at Iowa State University and Dr. Chiaki Kato at the Japan Marine Science and Technology Center (JAMSTEC) in Kanagawa, Japan. The researchers will undertake a study of the biochemical and molecular investigation of piezophilic bacterial adaptation to the deep-sea high-pressure environment. They will investigate the biosynthesis of fatty acids and pyospholipids in piezophilic bacteria in response to high pressures. Specific objectives include: 1) determine the source (de novo synthesis vs. dietary uptake) of the membrane fatty acids in different piezophilic bacteria; 2) elucidate the extent of coupling between fatty acid and phospholipid synthesis and determine if molecular retailoring (acylation-reacylation) is utilized by piezophilic bacteria in regulating membrane lipid composition; 3) determine the variation of the ratios of different classes of phospholipids associated with growth under selected temperatures and pressures; and 4) conduct molecular cloning and sequencing of EPA and DHA biosynthetic pathways in piezophilic bacteria and analyze molecular mechanisms of the gene expression and regulation of fatty acid and phospholipid synthesis in piezophiles. The project brings together the efforts of two laboratories that have complementary expertise and research capabilities. Dr. Fang's expertise is in lipid biochemistry and instrumental analysis and Dr. Kato's expertise is in isolation and cultivation of piezophilic bacteria as well as in molecular genetic analysis. Results of the project will broaden our understanding on the mechanisms of lipid biosynthesis in different types of piezophilic bacteria in response to pressures and answer if microbial synthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids is a widely occurring phenomenon in the marine environment. In addition, the research will increase our understanding of the environmental contexts conductive to the maintenance of life on Earth or extraterrestrial planets. The project will also provide a unique opportunity for multidisciplinary exposure to an undergraduate student. Throughout the project, results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at scholarly conferences and meetings.