Collaborative Research: Determination of Oceanic Copper and Zinc using Biosensor Technology

PIS建议开发基于荧光的光纤生物传感器，旨在实时、连续地原位测量海洋中游离锌和铜的痕量水平。这些生物传感器使用生物分子碳酸酐酶来转换游离金属离子的水平，作为可以通过一段光纤测量的荧光强度或寿命的变化。生物分子作为传感器的使用赋予了这些光学传感器无与伦比的选择性和灵敏度。拟议的传感器分子、荧光标签和光学系统的改进将允许在水柱深处和缺氧水域进行测量，目前的分析技术无法获得所需的数据。这一能力将使关于表面锌生物有效性、铜对甲烷氧化菌和反硝化菌的有效性以及铜在还原条件下的有效性的核心问题最终得到解决。该项目的一个主要目标是对学生进行培训，并将该学科以外的学生介绍给海洋生物地球化学和船上环境研究的特殊性。

The PIs propose to develop fluorescence-based fiber optic biosensors designed to measure oceanic trace levels of free Zn2+ and Cu2+ continuously in situ, in real time. These biosensors use a biomolecule, carbonic anhydrase, to transduce the level of free metal ion as a change in fluorescence intensity or lifetime that can be measured through a length of optical fiber. The use of the biomolecule as transducer confers unmatched selectivity and sensitivity on these optical sensors. Proposed improvements in the transducer molecule, fluorescent labels, and optics will permit measurement deep in the water column and in anoxic waters, where current analytical technology is incapable of acquiring the needed data. This capability will permit questions of central importance in surface zinc bioavailability, Cu availability for methanotrophs and denitrifiers, and Cu availability in reducing conditions to finally be addressed. A key goal of this project is the training of students and the introduction of students outside the discipline to marine biogeochemistry and the special character of research in a shipboard environment.