Biouptake of Mercury: Speciation and Processes at the Cell Surface

汞的生物吸收：细胞表面的形态和过程

• 批准号: 1308504
• 负责人: Jean-Francois Gaillard
• 金额: $ 30万
• 依托单位: Northwestern University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-09-15 至 2017-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1308504&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Biouptake; Mercury; Speciation; Processes; Cell

The Environmental Chemical Sciences Program in the Chemistry Division at the National Science Foundation supports the research of Professor Jean-Francois Gaillard at Northwestern University who seeks to establish the processes that control the bioavailability of Mercury (Hg) in aquatic systems and particularly to better delineate the role played by complexation reactions with human made ligands. Mercury biouptake by microbial species is a key step in the formation of methyl-mercury, one of the most potent neurotoxins known. Professor Gaillard will examine how bacterial surface processes regulate this process when the chemical speciation of Hg in solution is controlled by the presence of either anthropogenic or biogenic ligands. The interactions of Hg with cell binding sites will be investigated using spectroscopic and microscopic methods, whereas Hg biouptake will be assessed using a whole cell biosensor. Hg complexation reactions in solution will also be investigated using voltammetric methods. The goal of this research is to provide a molecular perspective on mercury biouptake as well as challenge conventional views on ligands controlled metal biouptake. The exacerbation of the release of mercury to the global environment as a result of human activities such as coal burning has raised a general concern about this pollutant that is distributed worldwide. The proposed work has many essential connections to engineering applications and the protection of human and ecological health. It evaluates in both fundamental and practical ways the fate of Hg in response to anthropogenic releases and redefines Hg entry pathways into microbial foodwebs. This research program will train a Ph.D. and undergraduate students in environmental bioinorganic chemistry and develop collaborations with the industry that is working to control Hg concentrations in the environment.

美国国家科学基金会化学部的环境化学科学项目支持西北大学Jean-Francois盖拉尔教授的研究，该研究旨在建立控制水生系统中汞（Hg）生物利用度的过程，特别是更好地描述与人造配体的络合反应所发挥的作用。 微生物物种对汞的生物摄取是形成甲基汞的关键步骤，甲基汞是已知最强的神经毒素之一。教授盖拉尔将研究如何细菌表面过程调节这一进程时，汞在溶液中的化学形态是由人为或生物配体的存在下控制。汞与细胞结合位点的相互作用将使用光谱和显微镜方法进行研究，而汞生物摄取将使用全细胞生物传感器进行评估。还将使用伏安法研究溶液中的汞络合反应。本研究的目的是提供一个分子的角度对汞的生物量，以及挑战传统的观点配体控制的金属生物量。由于人类活动（如燃煤），汞向全球环境的排放加剧，引起了对这种分布在世界各地的污染物的普遍关注。拟议的工作与工程应用以及保护人类和生态健康有许多重要联系。它从根本上和实际上评估了汞在人为排放中的命运，并重新界定了汞进入微生物食物网的途径。这个研究项目将培养一个博士。在环境生物无机化学方面，该中心为学生和本科生提供了培训，并与致力于控制环境中汞浓度的行业开展合作。