COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: MIP: The Thermo-acidophilic Cyanidiales: Genetic and Physiological Diversity in Relation to Environment and Seasonal Change in Yellowstone National Park

理查德·卡斯滕霍尔茨博士（俄勒冈州大学）、蒂莫西·麦克德莫特博士（蒙大拿州立大学）、斯科特·米勒博士和弗兰克·罗森茨韦格博士（均来自蒙大拿大学）获得了一笔赠款，用于研究在黄石国家公园（YNP）极端环境中茁壮成长的单细胞蓝藻目藻类。绝对数量，生物量和明亮的蓝绿色使这些藻类成为栖息在酸性地热泉中的微生物群落的主要特征，在YNP中尤其明显。 人们对研究这些简单的植物样微生物如何耐受定义其栖息地的极端环境特征[高温，酸性，重金属]有相当大的兴趣。这些藻类含有几乎所有光合真核生物中最少数量的基因，并且结构也相对简单。目前的努力已经导致了关于种群多样性和动态的重大发现，产生的证据强烈表明，紫外线辐射是一个关键的环境因素，控制着这些藻类在这些恶劣环境中的一般健康和活动。本研究中进行的实验将继续探索这些藻类的遗传和生理机制和过程，目的是更好地了解这些藻类如何在这种极端环境中茁壮成长。 基因表达将研究在纯培养和YNP地热温泉居住的这些藻类的紫外线照射。对这些藻类的研究是黄石公园嗜热微生物研究的关键环节，并将与YNP的其他科学家的工作密切配合，以最大限度地提高研究协同作用和发现。这项工作也应该导致在一般的植物的环境范围限制的因素的更好的理解。YNP是一个世界遗产公约网站和联合国教科文组织生物圈保护区;然而，有一个用于评估YNP的生态健康（包括任何时间变化，由于自然或人为活动）的信息匮乏。 这项研究中的工作为YNP管理人员提供了一个重要的资源评估工具，他们几乎完全依赖学术科学家来记录公园内物种的多样性和丰富性。 此外，在这项研究中产生的信息将用于YNP的教育和推广工作，以教育方式丰富数百万公园游客，他们惊叹于YNP的地热池和温泉，其中一些最明显和最常看到的温泉是那些拥有大量Cyanidiales垫的温泉。 最后，本研究所要完成的工作也与人力资源开发有关。 研究生和本科生将获得重要的培训，帮助他们获得与他们早期职业目标一致的职位（私营部门，研究生院，学术界）。

A grant has been awarded to Drs. Richard Castenholz (University of Oregon), Timothy McDermott (Montana State University), and Scott Miller, and Frank Rrosenzweig (both of University of Montana) to study the unicellular algae of the order Cyanidiales that thrive in extreme environments in Yellowstone National Park (YNP). The sheer numbers, biomass, and brilliant blue-green color establish these algae as a dominant feature of the microbial communities inhabiting acidic geothermal springs and are especially conspicuous in YNP. There is considerable interest in studying how these simple plant-like microorganisms tolerate the extreme environmental features [high temperature, acidity, heavy metal(loid)s] that define their habitat. These algae contain nearly the smallest numbers of genes of all photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms and are also structurally relatively simple. Current efforts have resulted in major discoveries regarding population diversity and dynamics, generating evidence that strongly suggests that UV radiation is a keystone environmental factor that governs the general health and activity of these algae in these harsh environments. The experiments to be conducted in this study will continue to explore the genetic and physiologic mechanisms and processes of these algae with the goal being to better appreciate how these algae thrive in such extreme environments. Gene expression will be studied in response to UV irradiation in pure cultures and in YNP geothermal springs inhabited by these algae. The study of these algae occupies a key link in the study of the thermophilic microorganisms in Yellowstone, and will align closely with the work of other scientists in YNP to maximize research synergy and discovery. This work should also result in an improved understanding of factors that limit the environmental range of plants in general.YNP is a World Heritage Convention Site and an UNESCO Biosphere Preserve; however, there is a paucity of information for use in assessing the ecological health of YNP (including any temporal changes due to natural or anthropogenic activity). Work in this study represents a critical resource evaluation tool for YNP managers, who depend almost entirely on academic scientists to document the diversity and richness of species within the park. Furthermore, information generated in this study will be used in YNP's education and outreach efforts to educationally enrich the millions of park visitors who marvel at YNP's geothermal pools and springs, with some of the most obvious and frequently viewed springs being those that are home to extensive Cyanidiales mats. Finally, work to be completed in this study also bears on human resource development. Graduate and undergraduate students will obtain important training, helping them acquire positions that are consistent with their early career goals (private sector, graduate school, academia).