Dimensions: Collaborative Research: Bacterial Taxa that Control Sulfur Flux from the Ocean to the Atmosphere

该项目基于海洋表面沃茨中普遍存在的有机硫化合物二甲基磺基丙酸盐（DMSP）的细菌转化的全球重要功能。最近的遗传学发现已经确定了两个主要DMSP降解途径中的关键基因，现在的阶段是确定在DMSP加工过程中调节基因表达以支持一个或另一个途径的因素。介导DMSP循环的细菌的分类已从基因组和宏基因组测序调查中推导出，包括海洋中的四个主要群体。了解这些群体之间DMSP降解的调节如何不同，并映射到这些群体之间的关系，是了解海洋硫循环和预测其在不断变化的海洋中的功能的重要信息。该项目将结合使用模式生物研究，微观实验（在多芬岛海洋实验室，AL），和时间序列的现场研究与自主样本采集仪器（在蒙特雷湾，CA）。 该项目将确定海水中细菌DMSP降解剂的主要分类群如何调节DMSP转化，并解决细菌功能，遗传和分类多样性对全球硫循环的影响。该项目将对研究生和一名博士后学者进行微生物生物多样性方面的培训，并为本科生提供研究机会和指导。学生将获得微生物生态学，硫化学/生物地球化学和环境生物信息学的跨学科培训，并将参与研究，以提高我们对海洋浮游细菌如何调节硫的全球命运的理解。一个推广计划将提高有前途的高中生对海洋微生物在全球元素周期中的作用和多样性的理解。 先进的安置（AP）生物学学生在种族多元化的雅典，GA，高中将参加海洋微生物研究，涵盖在新的AP生物学课程的关键学习目标。学生将进行课堂实验室练习，从沿海格鲁吉亚海水中分离的细菌菌株，学习生态，微生物学，分子生物学和生物信息学概念。在今年年底到萨佩洛岛实地考察期间，学生们将分离出新的菌株，这些菌株将成为下一届AP生物学学生的研究生物体。两名高中生将被选中在主要研究人员的实验室进行夏季研究实习。 该项目还支持公共水族馆（DISL河口水族馆和蒙特雷湾水族馆）的教育和外联工作以及夏季研究生课程。

This project is based on the globally important function of bacterial transformation of the ubiquitous organic sulfur compound dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) in ocean surface waters. Recent genetic discoveries have identified key genes in the two major DMSP degradation pathways, and the stage is now set to identify the factors that regulate gene expression to favor one or the other pathway during DMSP processing. The taxonomy of the bacteria mediating DMSP cycling has been deduced from genomic and metagenomic sequencing surveys to include four major groups in the ocean. Understanding how the regulation of DMSP degradation differs among these groups and maps to the relationships between these groups is important information for understanding the marine sulfur cycle and predicting its function in a changing ocean. The project will incorporate the use of model organism studies, microcosm experiments (at Dauphin Island Sea Lab, AL), and time-series field studies with an autonomous sample collection instrument (at Monterey Bay, CA). This project will ascertain how the major taxa of bacterial DMSP degraders in seawater regulate DMSP transformations, and address the implications of bacterial functional, genetic, and taxonomic diversity for global sulfur cycling..The project will train graduate students and a post-doctoral scholar in microbial biodiversity and provide research opportunities and mentoring for undergraduate students. Students will obtain interdisciplinary training in microbial ecology, sulfur chemistry/biogeochemistry, and environmental bioinformatics, and will participate in research to improve our understanding of how marine bacterioplankton regulate the global fate of sulfur. An outreach program will enhance understanding of the role and diversity of marine microorganisms in global elemental cycles among promising high school students. Advanced Placement (AP) Biology students at a racially diverse Athens, GA, high school will participate in marine microbial research that covers key learning goals in the new AP Biology curriculum. Students will conduct classroom laboratory exercises with bacterial strains isolated from coastal Georgia seawater to learn ecological, microbiological, molecular biological, and bioinformatic concepts. During an end-of-the-year field trip to Sapelo Island, students will isolate new strains that become the study organisms for the next class of AP Biology students. Two high school students will be selected for summer research internships in the laboratories of the principal investigators. The project also supports education and outreach efforts at public aquaria (DISL Estuarium and Monterey Bay Aquarium) and summer graduate courses.