Collaborative Research: Loihi Seamount as an Observatory for the Study of Neutrophilic Iron-Oxidizing Bacteria and the Microbial Iron Cycle

金属对生命的重要性早已为人们所认识。 铁（Fe）是地壳中第四丰富的元素，也是第二丰富的氧化还原活性元素，使其成为最重要的环境金属。 认识到这一点，最近对环境中微生物Fe氧化还原转化的研究激增，导致了许多令人兴奋的发现，并提高了对这些过程重要性的认识（Lovley 2000）。 然而，大多数这些研究都集中在还原性铁循环和生物体，如土杆菌科。 这部分是因为铁氧化生物，特别是那些居住在中性pH栖息地的生物，在实验室中培养和研究是非常困难的。 然而，最近在这方面的成功导致了一些新的化能自养铁氧化细菌（FeOB）的分离。 对这些细菌的研究揭示了它们在生理学和遗传学上的显著多样性。 这也许不应该令人惊讶，因为铁是地壳中最丰富的岩石自养能源，但这与目前对它们研究的关注不一致。 该项目正在启动一个微生物观测站，用于研究铁氧化细菌（. FeMO）。在夏威夷海山洛伊希该项目的主要目的是阐明这组原核生物的生理，系统发育和生化多样性。 选择Loihi作为研究地点是因为：（1）FeOB以前曾在那里被认识和研究过;（2）Loihi显示了广泛的FeOB生境：从热液流体到岩石，从低流量，低T（10 C）渗漏到高流量，高T（60 C）喷口;（3）以前的研究提供了一个很好的地球化学框架，作为这些研究的基础;和（4）Loihi是非常容易接近，位于西南仅25英里的大岛夏威夷。该研究小组代表了FeOB的专业知识。 FeMO项目的主要组成部分包括（1）FeOB的培养分析，（2）Fe氧化速率的动力学研究，（3）Fe氧化酶的生物化学研究，以及（4）FeOB定殖和固体岩石利用的地球化学研究。众所周知，微生物Fe氧化还原转化会影响环境和人类健康，例如在有机污染物降解和通过吸附有毒的放射性核素，特别是在陆地和沿海海洋栖息地。 在研究较少的贫营养深海中，化能自养FeOB最近被认为在生产新的生物量碳方面具有潜在的重要作用。 这项研究正在导致FeOB研究的重大进展，并了解它们的环境活动和能力，并将在许多难以进入的栖息地中对它们进行更准确的预测。 FeMO PI积极参与WHOI的初中和高中教师教育和提高工作。 这些措施包括参加现有的夏季研讨会，一个新学年的周末小型研讨会的发展，并在FeMO实地考察教师的直接参与。 FeMO的参与者也在多个方面积极参与高等教育，包括通过Praxis计划从新英格兰女子学院（史密斯）招聘女性和少数民族本科生进行暑期实习。

AbstractThe importance of metals to life has long been appreciated. Iron (Fe) is the fourth most abundant element, and the second most abundant redox-active element in Earth's crust, rendering it the most important environmental metal. In recognition of this, a recent surge in research on microbial Fe redox transformations in the environment has resulted in many exciting discoveries and enhanced appreciation for the importance of these processes (Lovley 2000). Most of these studies, however, have focused on the reductive Fe cycle and organisms such as the Geobacteraceae. This is in part because Fe-oxidizing organisms, particularly those who inhabit circumneutral pH habitats, have been notoriously difficult to culture and study in the lab. However, recent successes on this front have resulted in the isolation of a number of novel chemolithoautotrophic Fe-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB). Studies of these bacteria have revealed a remarkable diversity, both physiologically and phylogenetically. This perhaps should not be surprising given that Fe is the most abundant lithoautotrophic energy source in Earth's crust, but is not in keeping with the present attention given to their study. This project is initiating a microbial observatory for the study of iron-oxidizing bacteria (.FeMO.) at the Hawaiian Seamount, Loihi. The major purpose of the project is to elucidate the full physiological, phylogenetic, and biochemical diversity of this group of prokaryotes. Loihi was selected as the study site because: (1) FeOB have been recognized and studied there previously; (2) Loihi displays a wide-range of FeOB habitats: from hydrothermal fluids to rocks, from low-flow, low-T (10C) seeps to high-flow, high-T (60C) vents; (3) previous studies provided an excellent geochemical framework on which to base these studies; and (4) Loihi is very accessible, located only 25 miles SW of the big island of Hawaii. The research group represents a cross-section of expertise on FeOB. Principal components of the FeMO project include (1) cultural analysis of FeOB, (2) kinetic studies on Fe-oxidation rates, (3) biochemical studies on the Fe oxidase, and (4) biogeochemical studies on colonization and solid rock utilization by FeOB. Microbial Fe redox transformations are well known to impact environmental and human health, for example in organic contaminant degradation and via sorption of toxic radionucleotides, particularly in terrestrial and coastal marine habitats. In the more poorly studied, oligotrophic deep-sea, chemoautotrophic FeOB have recently been recognized for their potentially important role in production of new biomass carbon. This research is leading to significant advances in the study of FeOB and understanding their environmental activities and capabilities, and would enable more accurate predictions about them in many poorly-accessible habitats. The FeMO PIs are involved heavily in middle and high-school teacher education and enhancement efforts at WHOI. These include participation in existing summer workshops, the development of a new school-year weekend mini-workshop, and the direct involvement of a teacher in the FeMO fieldwork. FeMO participants are also be strongly involved with higher education on multiple fronts, including the specific recruitment of female and minority undergraduates from a New England women's college (Smith) for summer internships via the Praxis program.