Collaborative Research: EAGER: Genomic insights into microbial mat diversity and Proterozoic geobiology

蓝藻垫子在地球-S化学和生物学的进化中起着至关重要的作用。长期以来，他们一直被认为是重大氧化事件的驱动因素。(GOE)，也可能在地球早期的元古界延续了一段较长的中间氧化还原状态。然而，由于元古界海洋的特点是低氧、分层和/或波动的氧化还原条件，而迄今为止研究的大多数现代蓝藻都需要氧气，因此可能促成这种地球化学转变的蓝藻类型知之甚少。此外，用于研究微生物垫的传统工具提供的关于蓝藻代谢或生理多样性的信息有限。在这项提案中，PIS提出了一个探索性项目，将尖端的单细胞和群落基因组测序技术与元素和同位素地球化学相结合，以解决以兼性产氧/产氧蓝细菌为主的现代微生物垫的问题，这些微生物垫是元古代垫生态系统的极好类似物。这项热切的提议是受到最近两个截然不同的发展的推动，这两个发展共同为研究新陈代谢多功能的蓝藻提供了独特的机会：(I)在休伦湖北部发现了一个易于访问的现代MAT生态系统，它是元古代地球化学和生物学的新模拟；(Ii)新的基因组测序技术的出现，使人们能够对未培养的单个细胞以及整个微生物群落有前所未有的见解。广泛的影响：本科生将进行专注于生理学(GVSU)和地球化学(UM)的初步研究，一名博士生将领导基因组学工作(UM)。该项目以发现为导向，具有探索性，为将研究转化为教育机会和公众宣传提供了极好的机会。PI将利用视频资源(水下潜水镜头、显微细胞分离)、运动的延时摄影以及最近在探索频道(http://watch.discoverychannel.ca/daily-planet/september-2009/daily-planet-september-22-2009/#clip216315)和当地新闻电视台的报道来开发多媒体材料(运动中的微生物？然后呢？激光除草剂？电影)。这些活动将被整合到密歇根大学和弗吉尼亚州立大学的外联活动中，并在台湾国立卫生研究院S游客中心展出地球生物学展品。

Cyanobacterial mats were critical in the evolution of Earth?s chemistry and biology. They have long been recognized as drivers of the ?great oxidation event? (GOE), and may have also perpetuated a prolonged period of intermediate redox state in the early Earth's time period call the Proterozoic. However, the types of cyanobacteria that could have mediated such geochemical transitions are poorly understood because whereas Proterozoic oceans were characterized by low oxygen, stratified and/or fluctuating redox conditions, oxygen is required by most modern cyanobacteria studied to date. Further, traditional tools used for study of microbial mats provide limited information regarding metabolic or physiological diversity of cyanobacteria. In this proposal, the PIs propose an exploratory project that will combine cutting-edge single-cell and community genome sequencing technologies with elemental and isotopic geochemistry to address questions focused on facultatively oxygenic/anoxygenic cyanobacteria dominating modern microbial mats that are excellent analogs of Proterozoic mat ecosystems. This EAGER proposal is motivated by two recent, disparate developments that together provide unique opportunities to investigate metabolically versatile cyanobacteria: (i) discovery of an easily accessible modern mat ecosystem in northern Lake Huron that is a novel analog of Proterozoic geochemistry and biology, and (ii) the advent of new genome sequencing technologies that enable unprecedented insights into uncultivated single cells as well as whole microbial communities.Broader Impacts: Undergraduate students will conduct the primary research focused on physiology (GVSU) and geochemistry (UM) and a PhD student will lead the genomics effort (UM). The discovery-driven and exploratory nature of this project provides outstanding opportunities for translating research into educational opportunities and public outreach. The PIs will take advantage of video resources (underwater dive footage, microscopic cell separations), time-lapse photography of motility, and recent coverage on the Discovery Channel (http://watch.discoverychannel.ca/daily-planet/september-2009/daily-planet-september-22-2009/#clip216315) and local news stations to develop multi-media materials (?microbes in motion? and ?laser roundup? movies). These will be integrated into outreach activities at UM and GVSU, and geobiology exhibits at TBNMS?s Visitor Center.