EAGER: Evaluation of Dual Symbiosis in Lucinid Bivalves

EAGER：Lucinid 双壳类双重共生的评估

• 批准号: 1239903
• 负责人: Annette Engel
• 金额: $ 10.77万
• 依托单位: University of Tennessee Knoxville
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-01-01 至 2014-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1239903&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: EAGER; Evaluation; Dual; Symbiosis; Lucinid

Numerous symbiotic associations between chemotrophic bacteria and marine bivalves have been identified over the last three decades. Most are associations with thiotrophic (sulfur-oxidizing) bacteria, but methanotrophic (methane-oxidizing) and dual symbiosis of thiotrophic and methanotrophic bacteria have also been reported from deep-water bivalves. This laboratory has recently found bacterial endosymbionts in lucinid bivalves from shallow seagrass beds of Florida and the Bahamas that indicate a dual system in Phacoides pectinatus hosts. This project will take advantage of the availability of these bivalves to (1) resolve the phylogeny of genes associated with thiotrophic and methanotrophic bacterial metabolism from P. pectinatus hosts, and (2) use this genomic information to develop a combination of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technologies, microautoradiography and secondary ion mass spectroscopy to assess endosymbiont abundance and sulfide and methane utilization in the same animals. The multidisciplinary findings will not only provide insight into this novel bivalve symbiosis, but will have the potential to transform the field of symbiosis biology. Because lucinids substantially impact the productivity and diversity of seagrass beds and other nearshore marine environments, with abundances of up to 1500 individuals/m2, this research will improve understanding of methane cycling in climatically sensitive, nearshore marine systems, and should have broad implications for coastal resource management decisions in threatened coastal settings. The research will directly contribute to an enriching research and educational opportunity for women and minority students that are underrepresented in STEM areas. The findings will be used to develop online grade-appropriate science-education modules on 'animal-bacterial partnerships' for the K-12 science-education community.

在过去的三十年里，许多化学营养细菌和海洋双壳类动物之间的共生关系已经被确定。大多数与硫营养（硫氧化）细菌有关，但也报道了深水双壳类动物中硫营养（甲烷氧化）和硫营养和甲烷营养细菌的双重共生。该实验室最近在佛罗里达和巴哈马群岛的浅海草床上的lucinid双壳类中发现了细菌内共生体，这表明在Phacoides pectinatus宿主中存在双重系统。该项目将利用这些双壳类的可用性：(1)解决与P. pectinatus宿主硫营养型和甲烷营养型细菌代谢相关的基因系统发育问题；(2)利用这些基因组信息开发荧光原位杂交（FISH）技术、显微放射自显影技术和二次离子质谱技术的组合，以评估同一动物体内共生生物的丰度以及硫化物和甲烷的利用。多学科的研究结果不仅将提供对这种新型双壳类共生的深入了解，而且将有可能改变共生生物学领域。由于lucinids极大地影响了海草床和其他近岸海洋环境的生产力和多样性，其丰度高达1500个/m2，因此本研究将提高对气候敏感的近岸海洋系统中甲烷循环的理解，并应对受威胁的沿海环境中的沿海资源管理决策具有广泛的影响。这项研究将直接为在STEM领域代表性不足的女性和少数族裔学生提供丰富的研究和教育机会。研究结果将用于为K-12科学教育界开发适合年级的“动物-细菌伙伴关系”在线科学教育模块。