EAGER: Assessing Functional Diversity of Algal Communities at the Single Cell Level with a Compact Multi-function Microfluidic Cytometer

光合作用微藻是水生系统中占主导地位的初级食物生产者，藻类大规模养殖在生产石油燃料和从大气中去除二氧化碳方面具有很强的潜力。然而，食物/油的藻类产量波动很大，其原因尚不清楚，因为目前无法获得自然条件下单个藻类细胞的信息。这里通过新技术(定制设计的多功能超小型细胞仪)满足了这一需求，该技术能够同时评估单个藻类细胞利用太阳能进行光合作用的效率及其含油量。鉴于微生物对人类健康、能源需求和生态系统可持续性的关键重要性？在缺乏表征微生物功能多样性的既定技术的情况下？这项研究解决了一个紧迫的需求。具体地说，这项研究将(I)首先用实验室培养的藻类确认适当的细胞仪性能，(Ii)增加区分混合自然群落中单个藻类细胞所需的进一步监测参数，以及(Iii)评估科罗拉多州湖泊中这些群落中藻类的功能多样性。预计这项研究的结果将能够更好地预测有毒藻类水华和整个食物链微生物油含量变化的影响，并确定具有生产生物燃料的优良特性的藻类。这个高度多样化的研究团队包括一名生态学家、一名生物物理学家和光生物学家，因此不仅提供了新技术和生态专业知识的必要交集，而且为学生提供了跨学科的教育机会，特别是为具有数学、物理或工程背景的学生提供生物(藻类生理学和生态学)方面的培训。

Photosynthetic microalgae are dominant primary food producers in aquatic systems, and algal mass culture has a strong potential to produce oil-based fuel and to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. However, algal production of foods/oils fluctuates strongly, and the reasons for this are unknown since information on individual algal cells under natural conditions is currently inaccessible. This need is addressed here with novel technology (a custom-designed, multifunction, ultra-compact cytometer) able to simultaneously assess the efficiency with which individual algal cells utilize solar energy for photosynthesis and their oil content. In light of the critical importance of microbes for human health, energy needs, and ecosystem sustainability ? and in the absence of established technology for the characterization of microbial functional diversity ? this research addresses an urgent need. Specifically, this research will (i) first confirm proper cytometer performance with laboratory-grown algal cultures, (ii) add further monitoring parameters needed to differentiate individual algal cells in mixed natural communities, and (iii) assess the functional diversity of algae in these communities in Colorado lakes. The results of this study are expected to allow a better prediction of toxic algal blooms and repercussions of changes in microbial oil content throughout food chains as well as identification of algae with superior properties for biofuels production. This highly diverse collaborative team of researchers includes an ecologist, a biophysicist, and photobiologists, thus providing not only the necessary intersection of novel technology and ecological expertise, but also providing an interdisciplinary educational opportunity for students, especially for training in biology (algal physiology and ecology) of students with a background in math, physics, or engineering.