Collaborative: Characterization of Marine and Freshwater Photosynthetic Consortia that Accomplish Cellulose Degradation and Nitrogen Fixation

环境中的养分循环是由复杂的微生物群落进行的。考虑到大多数自然系统的分类、功能和生化多样性，揭示驱动自然界碳和氮循环的生物相互作用网络是一项具有挑战性的任务。该项目将研究一系列环境衍生的淡水和海洋光合微生物群落，它们分别以纤维素和二氮作为碳和氮的唯一来源。这些群落包含不同的种群，它们可以降解贫氮纤维素，固定大气中的N2，并在厌氧条件下通过不同光波长的光合作用收集光能。本研究的目的是通过生物化学、分子和基于模型的分析，对产生稳定的营养循环微生物系统的群落结构、生产力和有机相互作用之间的联系产生新的见解。这些环境衍生的联盟可以深入了解纤维素、氮气和光等可再生资源如何在海洋和淡水条件下有效地转化为细胞生物量和其他可用产品。更广泛的影响这项研究将在主要的本科机构奥林学院和非营利性研究机构海洋生物实验室（MBL）进行。这些院校之间的互动将为本科生培养提供丰富的机会。本科生将积极参与奥林学院所有菌种的培养、生化和生理表征。他们将在MBL接触到高通量测序和生物信息学的前沿技术。这将为研究生课程和一系列科学职业提供宝贵的经验、鼓励和准备。本研究所产生的数据将被带入课堂，并整合到课程中，以使用真实的数据来增强学生对生物信息学的学习。本科生将参与这项研究的各个方面，将在科学会议上展示结果，并将共同撰写论文。

Intellectual MeritNutrient cycling in the environment is carried out by complex microbial communities. Unraveling the network of organismal interactions that drive carbon and nitrogen cycling in nature is a challenging task given the taxonomic, functional, and biochemical diversity of most natural systems. This project will study a series of environmentally derived freshwater and marine photosynthetic microbial communities that grow using cellulose and dinitrogen as sole sources of carbon and nitrogen, respectively. These communities contain distinct populations that can degrade nitrogen-poor cellulose, fix atmospheric N2, and harvest light energy through photosynthesis at different light wavelengths under anaerobic conditions. The goal of this research is to generate new insights into the links between community structure, productivity, and organismal interactions that produce stable nutrient-cycling microbial systems by using biochemical, molecular, and model-based analyses. These environmentally derived consortia can provide insight into how renewable resources such as cellulose, N2, and light can be efficiently converted into cell biomass and other usable products under marine and freshwater conditions. Broader ImpactsThis research will be conducted at the primarily undergraduate institution, Olin College and the non-profit research institution, Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL). The interaction between these institutions will provide rich opportunities for undergraduate training. Undergraduates will be strongly involved in all cultivation, biochemical, and physiological characterization of consortia at Olin College. They will be exposed to cutting edge techniques in high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics at the MBL. This will provide valuable experience, encouragement and preparation for graduate programs and for a range of careers in science. The data generated by this research will be brought into the classroom and integrated into curricula to enhance student learning of bioinformatics using authentic data. Undergraduates will be involved in all aspects of this research, will present results at scientific meetings, and will co-author manuscripts.