Linking genetics and mineralization of iron-oxidizing microbes at midocean ridges

最初和现在的研究目的是研究中性微生物铁氧化的遗传基础，以阐明其与氢氧化铁生物矿化的关系，并开发一种监测环境中生物铁氧化的方法。这项工作包括使用基因组分析和蛋白质分离和表征技术来确定铁氧化电子传递途径的成分。利用抗体标记和电子显微镜，铁氧化蛋白将在培养的细胞中定位。将对这些数据进行分析，以确定酶促铁氧化、胞外聚合物形成和氢氧化铁矿化之间的空间和功能关系。预计的初步结果包括鉴定一种铁氧化酶，并在显微镜下证明这种酶在聚合物上沉积了氧化铁，这些聚合物被挤出细胞外，形成矿化的生物膜基质。这些结果将代表着在理解氧化铁细菌(FeOB)生理学方面的重大突破。该项目的更广泛影响将是它促进了一位有前途的年轻女性研究员的职业生涯。它还将对更广泛的科学界产生重大影响。铁氧化微生物在形成无处不在的矿床中的作用需要更多的研究。

The objective of the original and current research is to study the genetic basis of neutrophilic microbial iron oxidation to elucidate its relation to iron oxyhydroxide biomineralization and develop a means to monitor biological iron oxidation in the environment. This work involves identifying components of the iron oxidation electron transport pathways using genomic analysis and protein isolation and characterization techniques. Iron-oxidizing proteins will be located in cells from cultures using antibody labeling and electron microscopy. The data will be analyzed to determine the spatial and functional relationships between enzymatic iron oxidation, extracellular polymer formation, and iron oxyhydroxide mineralization. The primary results anticipated include the identification of an iron oxidase enzyme and microscopic proof that this enzyme deposits oxidized iron on polymers that are extruded outside the cell to form a mineralized biofilm matrix. Such results would represent a major breakthrough in understanding the physiology of iron-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB).The broader impacts of this project will be its advancement of the career of a promising young female investigator. It will also have a significant beenfit to the broader scientific community. The role of iron oxidizing microbes in the formation of ubiquitous deposits is in need of greater study.