NSF East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute (EAPSI) for FY 2013 in Japan

该行动资助罗格斯大学的Christien Philip Laber于2013年夏天在日本筑波的筑波大学进行生物学研究项目。 该项目的名称是“西北太平洋浮游植物Emiliania Huxleyi的存在和活跃感染的颗石病毒”。主持人是白岩义弘（Yoshihiro Shiraiwa）。浮游植物Emiliania huxleyi是一种存在于海洋大部分地区的颗石藻，以在北大西洋夏季大量繁殖而闻名，这种繁殖经常被一种称为颗石病毒（EhV）的双链DNA病毒所终结，它“短路”了碳向更高食物网水平的运输，并影响了碳的地球化学循环。 这种宿主与病毒的相互作用在太平洋还没有记录。 该项目使用一套基于核酸和脂质的分子工具来探测日本西海岸外太平洋沃茨中颗石病毒的存在、多样性和活性。 这包括在大肠杆菌中检测进化上相似的鞘脂生物合成基因。huxleyi和EhV以及病毒鞘糖脂（vGSL），它们是天然聚集体中EhV存在和活性的可靠的基于脂质的标志物。核酸工具被用来调查的历史存在和保存EhV的沉积物记录以及。 实验室实验也在进行，以观察培养的E。huxleyi和EhV与病毒浓缩物和自然组合的颗石藻。 这种方法解决了EhVs是否在西太平洋突出，如果在病毒感染过程中触发的vGSL生物合成途径与北大西洋EhV使用的途径相似，如果自然条件足以使感染进展，以及EhV感染在区域沉积物中的历史保存。EAPSI奖学金的更广泛的影响包括为研究员提供美国以外的第一手研究经验;介绍各自所在地的科学，科学政策和科学基础设施;以及社会，文化和语言的方向。 这些活动符合NSF的目标，即在科学家，工程师和教育工作者的职业生涯早期进行国际合作教育，从而确保具有全球意识的美国科学工作者。 此外，这些结果将增加我们对EhV分布的了解，这将为多样性，生态学和生物地球化学研究提供平台。 Laber还将与罗格斯大学海洋和海岸科学研究所的COSEE NOW合作，翻译并向公众传播研究和经验。

This action funds Christien Philip Laber of Rutgers University to conduct a research project in Biology during the summer of 2013 at the University of Tsukuba in Tsukuba, Japan. The project title is "Coccolithovirus Presence and Active Infection of the Phytoplankton Emiliania Huxleyi in the Northwest Pacific Ocean." The host scientist is Yoshihiro Shiraiwa.The phytoplankton Emiliania huxleyi is a coccolithophore found in most regions of the ocean and is known for producing large summer bloom populations in the North Atlantic frequently terminated by a double stranded DNA virus called coccolithovirus (EhV), "short circuiting" carbon transport to higher food web levels and influencing the biogeochemical cycling of carbon. This host-virus interaction has not yet been documented in the Pacific Ocean. This project uses a set of nucleic acid and lipid based molecular tools to probe Pacific waters for the presence, diversity, and activity of coccolithovirus off the west coast of Japan. This includes the detection of evolutionarily similar sphingolipid biosynthesis genes in E. huxleyi and EhV as well as viral glycosphingolipids (vGSLs), which are reliable lipid based markers for EhV presence and activity in natural assemblage. Nucleic acid tools are used to investigate the historical presence and preservation of EhV in the sediment record as well. Laboratory experiments are also being conducted to observe the interaction of cultured E. huxleyi and EhV with viral concentrates and coccolithophores of natural assemblage. This approach addresses whether EhVs are prominent in the western Pacific, if the vGSL biosynthetic pathways triggered during viral infection are similar to those used by North Atlantic EhV, if natural conditions are sufficient for infection to progress, and the historical preservation of EhV infection in regional sediment. Broader impacts of an EAPSI fellowship include providing the Fellow a first-hand research experience outside the U.S.; an introduction to the science, science policy, and scientific infrastructure of the respective location; and an orientation to the society, culture and language. These activities meet the NSF goal to educate for international collaborations early in the career of its scientists, engineers, and educators, thus ensuring a globally aware U.S. scientific workforce. Furthermore, the results will increase our understanding of EhV distribution, which will provide a platform for diversity, ecological, and biogeochemical studies. Laber will also work with COSEE NOW at the Institute of Marine and Coastal Science at Rutgers to translate and broadcast the study and experience to the public.