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

本研究的目的是研究嗜中性微生物铁氧化的遗传基础，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鉴定铁氧化电子传递途径的组成部分。利用抗体标记和电子显微镜可以在培养的细胞中定位铁氧化蛋白。这些数据将被分析以确定酶促铁氧化、细胞外聚合物形成和氢氧化铁矿化之间的空间和功能关系。预期的主要结果包括铁氧化酶的鉴定，以及这种酶将氧化铁沉积在聚合物上的显微镜证据，这些聚合物被挤出细胞外，形成矿化的生物膜基质。这一结果代表了对铁氧化细菌（FeOB）生理机制的重大突破。这个项目更广泛的影响将是一个有前途的年轻女性研究者的职业发展。它也将对更广泛的科学界有重大的好处。铁氧化微生物在普遍矿床形成中的作用有待进一步研究。

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.