MSB: Genomics of Ecologically Defined Bacterial Populations

MSB：生态学定义的细菌种群的基因组学

• 批准号: 0918333
• 负责人: Eric Alm
• 金额: $ 89.4万
• 依托单位: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-09-01 至 2012-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0918333&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MSB; Genomics; Ecologically; Defined; Bacterial

Microorganisms are undisputed champions of biological diversity. They are both numerous and biochemically diverse, and they play significant roles in nearly all biologically relevant element cycles. But this diversity has made some fundamental questions difficult to solve: How do co-existing microbes partition ecological functions, and what are the evolutionary mechanisms of ecological diversification? This project addresses these questions using coastal ocean bacteria of the Vibrionaceae as a model. New statistical tools will be developed to identify ecologically distinct populations among co-existing microbes, and ~70 complete genome sequences will be analyzed to identify the genes responsible for differences among populations. The role of gene exchange within and between bacterial populations will be quantified and used to critically test existing theories of bacterial population genetics. Populations are the fundamental ecological and evolutionary units of function in changing environments, and this project advances understanding of bacterial populations. The results will contribute to prediction of how microbial communities (including pathogens, as well as microbes involved in element cycles) will act and react in changing environments. A postdoctoral researcher and graduate and undergraduate students will participate in the research. The project will create significant genetic and analytical resources and will develop visual tools to better inform the public about microbes and their important roles in vital ecosystem functions.

微生物是无可争议的生物多样性的捍卫者。它们数量众多且生化多样，并且在几乎所有生物学相关元素循环中发挥着重要作用。但这种多样性使得一些基本问题难以解决：共存的微生物如何划分生态功能，生态多样化的进化机制是什么？ 该项目使用弧菌科的沿海海洋细菌作为模型来解决这些问题。将开发新的统计工具来识别共存微生物中生态上不同的种群，并将分析约 70 个完整的基因组序列，以确定导致种群差异的基因。细菌群体内部和之间的基因交换的作用将被量化，并用于严格测试现有的细菌群体遗传学理论。 种群是不断变化的环境中基本的生态和进化功能单位，该项目增进了对细菌种群的了解。研究结果将有助于预测微生物群落（包括病原体以及参与元素循环的微生物）在不断变化的环境中如何行动和反应。一名博士后研究员以及研究生和本科生将参与该研究。该项目将创造重要的遗传和分析资源，并将开发可视化工具，以更好地向公众介绍微生物及其在重要生态系统功能中的重要作用。