Microbial Observatories: Collaborative Research: Characterization of Novel Anaerobic Microorganisms from a Sulfide Spring

俄克拉荷马大学的Lee Klamholz博士、Cecelia Brown博士、Thomas Dewers博士、Mostafa Elshahed博士和Bruce Roe博士以及伍兹霍尔海洋研究所(马萨诸塞州)的Stefan Sievert博士和Kai-Uwe Hinrichs博士获得了赠款，以建立一个微生物观测站，用于描述来自佐德尔顿泉水的新型厌氧微生物的特征。佐德尔顿泉水是俄克拉荷马州西南部的一个缺氧硫化物泉水。今年春天是一个独特的环境，为一系列不寻常和有趣的微生物提供了栖息地，其中大多数还没有培养出来。这项拟议研究的总体目标是确定栖息在泉水中的不同种类的微生物，研究这些不同的微生物如何相互作用，并获得培养细胞，以便进行更详细的研究。这些科学家将专注于了解这些微生物在其自然环境中发挥的生理功能和生态作用。为了实现这些目标，他们将首先通过对特定基因的测序来确定春季微生物群落的成员，这些基因通常用于确定微生物之间的进化关系，或指示特定的代谢功能。其次，他们将把重点放在现场遇到的新型微生物群上。这些微生物的基因组大片段将被测序，并确定基因，以确定来自春季的微生物的营养和生态特征。微生物群落的结构将使用分子方法和显微镜相结合的方法进行研究，以提供微生物种群的三维图像。根据从基因序列中获得的数据，他们将尝试培养其中许多迄今未培养的微生物，并对受控生长条件下个体的代谢能力进行深入分析。在整个项目中，俄克拉荷马大学的科学家将与硫磺泉周围农村地区(基奥瓦县和卡多县)以及俄克拉荷马州诺曼市的公立学校开展教育活动。他们将提供实践活动，以发展和促进高中生的科学推理和批判性思维技能。该项目将提供一个非常有趣的环境中的生活多样性的清晰图景。佐德尔顿泉位于陆地表面，但由于水的化学成分，它缺乏大气中的氧气。这种情况在当代极为罕见，但在古代(太古宙)地质时代却很常见。因此，产生的许多数据可以外推，以了解这些古代的微生物生命，以及微生物在塑造地球地质历史中的影响。

Grants have been awarded to Drs. Lee Krumholz, Cecelia Brown, Thomas Dewers, Mostafa Elshahed and Bruce Roe at the University of Oklahoma and Drs. Stefan Sievert and Kai-Uwe Hinrichs at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (Massachusetts) to establish a Microbial Observatory for the characterization of novel anaerobic microorganisms from Zodletone spring, an oxygen-depleted sulfide spring in Southwestern Oklahoma. This spring is a unique environment that provides a habitat for a range of unusual and interesting microorganisms, most of which have not yet been cultured. The overall goal of the proposed study is to determine the different kinds of microorganisms that inhabit the spring, study how these different microorganisms interact together and obtain cultured cells for more detailed studies. These scientists will focus on understanding the physiological function and ecological roles that these microorganisms fulfill in their natural environment. To achieve these goals, they will first identify members of the spring microbial community via sequencing of specific genes that are typically used to determine evolutionary relationships among microorganisms, or to indicate a specific metabolic function. Secondly, they will focus on novel groups of microorganisms encountered at the site. Large fragments of the genome of these microorganisms will be sequenced and genes identified to determine the nutritional and ecological characteristics of microorganisms from the spring. The architecture of the microbial community will be studied using a combination of molecular methods and microscopy to provide a three dimensional picture of microbial populations. Based on the data obtained from gene sequences, they will attempt to cultivate many of these so far uncultured microorganisms and perform an in-depth analysis of the metabolic capabilities of individuals under controlled growth conditions. Throughout the project, scientists at the University of Oklahoma will engage in educational activities with the public schools in the rural area surrounding the sulfur spring (Kiowa and Caddo Counties) and in Norman, OK. They will provide hands-on activities to develop and promote scientific reasoning and critical thinking skills in high school and middle school students. The project will provide a clear picture of the diversity of life in a very interesting environment. Zodletone spring lies on the land surface, yet because of the chemistry of the water, it is devoid of atmospheric oxygen. This situation is extremely rare in current times yet was common in ancient (Archean) geological ages. Therefore, much of the data produced could be extrapolated to understand microbial life in these ancient times and the impact of microorganisms in shaping the earth's geological history.