RCN: Nitrification, a Bacterial Process at the Interface of the Carbon and Nitrogen Cycles

这项拨款用于支持协调活动，包括会议、研讨会、网站和资源共享，以供研究微生物硝化作用的各个方面的研究人员组成网络。硝化作用是一种将氨转化为硝酸盐的细菌过程。与固氮和反硝化作用一样，硝化作用是全球氮循环的主要过程之一。当有机物降解时，在土壤和地表水中形成氨，它也被工业生产作为作物的肥料。进行硝化作用的细菌从氨及其降解的副产品中提取生长所需的能量。形成的硝酸盐很容易渗入地下水，从而使其不适合人类饮用。通过影响植物对氮的可利用性，硝化作用也影响碳循环。全球变暖（通过释放一氧化氮和一氧化二氮）、水质、食品和纤维生产、废水处理和生物修复都受到硝化作用的影响。基因组学革命对硝化作用的研究产生了巨大的影响，同时也需要在这一领域进行更大的研究协调。目前已有5种硝化菌的基因组序列，还有3种正在进行中。该研究协调网络的目标是协调这一重要领域的下一代研究。最重要的是将这些细菌的生理、生物化学和基因组学与它们在环境中进行的过程联系起来。这种联系将为在各种环境中控制和利用这些细菌提供基础。该工作对作物生产、废水处理、生物修复和全球变暖具有重要意义。参与的实验室将为研究科学家在其职业生涯的所有阶段提供积极的培训机会，并将纳入科学界代表性不足的群体的成员。将开发材料，教育K-12学生和教师关于全球氮循环，特别是关于硝化作用。

This grant is to support coordination activities, including meetings, a workshop, a website, and sharing of resources for a network of researchers studying all aspects of nitrification by microorganisms. Nitrification is a bacterial process that involves the transformation of ammonia to nitrate. Along with nitrogen fixation and denitrification, nitrification is one of the major processes contributing to the global nitrogen cycle. Ammonia is formed in soils and surface waters when organic matter is degraded and it is also produced industrially as a fertilizer for crops. The bacteria that carry out nitrification extract energy for growth from ammonia and the byproducts of its degradation. The nitrate that is formed can easily be leached into ground water, thereby making it unfit for human consumption. By influencing the availability of nitrogen for plants, nitrification also influences the carbon cycle. Global warming (through release of nitric and nitrous oxides), water quality, food and fiber production, wastewater treatment and bioremediation are all influenced by nitrification. The genomics revolution is having a tremendous impact on the study of nitrification, while simultaneously creating a need for greater coordination of research efforts in this field. Genome sequences are available for five nitrifiers and three more are in progress. The goal of this Research Coordination Network is to coordinate the next generation of research in this important field. Of paramount importance is linking the physiology, biochemistry and genomics of these bacteria to the processes that they carry out in the environment. This linkage will provide the basis for controlling and exploiting these bacteria in various environments. The work is of significance to crop production, wastewater treatment, bioremediation, and global warming. The participating laboratories will provide active training opportunities for research scientists at all stages in their careers, and will incorporate members of underrepresented groups in science. Materials will be developed to educate K-12 students and teachers about the global nitrogen cycle in general and about nitrification in particular.