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

维度：合作研究：控制从海洋到大气的硫通量的细菌类群

• 批准号: 1342734
• 负责人: James Birch
• 金额: $ 10.74万
• 依托单位: Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-01-01 至 2016-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1342734&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Dimensions; Collaborative; Research; Bacterial; Taxa

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.

该项目基于海洋表面水中无处不在的有机硫化合物二甲基磺酸盐（DMSP）的细菌转化的全球重要功能。最近的遗传发现已经确定了两个主要DMSP降解途径中的关键基因，现在该阶段已设置为确定调节基因表达以偏向于DMSP处理过程中的一个或另一个途径的因素。介导DMSP循环的细菌的分类学是从基因组和元基因组测序调查中推导的，其中包括海洋中的四个主要基团。了解这些群体之间DMSP降解的调节与这些群体之间的关系之间的差异是如何理解海洋硫周期并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型生物研究，缩影实验（在阿拉巴马州Dauphin Island Sea Lab）和使用自主样品收集仪器（在加利福尼亚州蒙特雷湾）的时间序列研究。 该项目将确定在海水中细菌DMSP降解器的主要分类单元如何调节DMSP转换，并解决细菌功能，遗传和分类多样性对全球硫磺循环的影响。该项目将培训研究生和研究生学者在微生物生物多样性和研究机会和培训的学生中，并为学生提供研究机会和培训。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方面的跨学科培训，并将参与研究，以提高我们对海洋细菌如何调节硫的全球命运的理解。宣传计划将增强对有前途的高中生全球元素周期中海洋微生物的作用和多样性的理解。 乔治亚州雅典种族多样化的高级生物学学生将参加海洋微生物研究，涵盖新的AP生物学课程中的关键学习目标。学生将通过从佐治亚海水分离的细菌菌株进行课堂实验室锻炼，以学习生态，微生物，分子生物学和生物信息学概念。在萨佩洛岛（Sapelo Island）的年终野外旅行中，学生将隔离新的菌株，成为下一类AP生物学学生的研究生物。将选出两名高中生在主要研究人员实验室的夏季研究实习。 该项目还支持在公共水族馆（Deb Estuarium和Monterey Bay水族馆）和夏季研究生课程的教育和外展工作。