RUI: Polyphasic Characterization and Phylogenetic Classification of the Problematic Form-Genus Leptolyngbya (Cyanobacteria)

约翰卡罗尔大学的杰弗里·R·约翰森博士获得了一项资助，用于研究一种名为Leptolyngbya的有问题的蓝藻(蓝藻)属。这个属很难理解，因为它的形态特征很少，但出现在各种各样的栖息地类型中。形态相似的形式实际上在16S rRNA基因序列方面有很大的不同。Johansen博士将使用多相方法来表征来自世界各地的60多个这种微生物的菌株，其中包括作为过去NSF支持的项目的一部分而分离出来的大量沙漠土壤形式。多相特征意味着将收集这些菌株的形态、遗传、生态和生理数据，以便对该属进行修订。初步证据表明，该属有许多新种，甚至可能有一组值得创建新属的种。与所有其他蓝藻分类研究和大多数细菌系统研究不同，该项目将测试三个现代物种概念对无性物种的适用性。将在为新分类群指定一套新类型材料方面开创进一步的先例。确定分类群进化关系的系统发育分析将以细菌独有的方式运行，在其他类群中并不常见。这项工作将帮助我们描述世界上的生物多样性。它可以作为其他希望使用现代系统方法来描述新的蓝藻物种的例子。良好的分类学和分类学对于发展用于生物技术、药理和回收目的的蓝藻是必要的。

A grant has been awarded to Dr. Jeffrey R. Johansen of John Carroll University to study a problematic genus of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) called Leptolyngbya. This genus is difficult to understand because it has very few morphological characters, but occurs in a wide variety of habitat types. Morphologically similar forms have been found to be actually very different in terms of their 16S rRNA gene sequence. Dr. Johansen will use a polyphasic approach to characterize over 60 strains of this microbe from collections all over the world, including an extensive collection of desert soil forms isolated as part of a past NSF-supported project. Polyphasic characterization means that morphological, genetic, ecological, and physiological data will be collected on these strains, so that the genus can be revised. Preliminary evidence indicates that there are many new species in the genus, and probably even groups of species that merit creation of new genera. Unlike all other cyanobacterial taxonomic studies and most bacteriological systematic studies, this project will test the applicability of three modern species concepts for asexual species. Further precedents will be set in designating a suite of new kinds of type materials for new taxa. Phylogenetic analyses, which determine evolutionary relationships of taxa, will be run in ways unique to bacteria and uncommon in other groups. This work will help us to characterize biodiversity in the world. It may serve as an example for others wishing to use modern systematic approaches to describe new cyanobacterial species. Excellent systematics and taxonomy are necessary for development of the cyanobacteria for biotechnological, pharmacological, and reclamation purposes.