Anoxygenic Photosynthesis in Cyanobacteria

蓝藻的缺氧光合作用

• 批准号: 1939303
• 负责人: Trinity Hamilton
• 金额: $ 38.49万
• 依托单位: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-06-01 至 2024-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1939303&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Anoxygenic; Photosynthesis; Cyanobacteria

Understanding the evolution of photosynthesis, the process of using light energy to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into biomass, remains an outstanding question. A number of factors confound our ability to trace the evolution of photosynthesis: associated observed chemical limitations are not clearly defined in genetic information and horizontal gene transfer (the transfer of genetic information between microorganisms) hinders phylogenetic approaches. In the absence of characterized deeply-branching microorganisms, a robust phylogenomic framework, and undisputed biosignatures in the rock record, facultative anoxygenic photosynthesis in extant cyanobacteria represents an opportunity to better understand and constrain the evolution of photosynthesis. In this project, the investigator will characterize photosynthesis in an emerging model cyanobacterium, Leptolyngbya sp. strain hensonii, isolated from an anoxic, sulfide-rich sinkhole. This research will evaluate the genetic response of Leptolyngbya sp. strain hensonii to the presence of sulfide (which has been linked to inhibition of oxygenic photosynthesis) and the potential for a cyanobacterium to express a single photosystem based on environmental conditions. Collectively, the data will provide insight into the physiology and potential success of cyanobacteria prior to the evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis. The study will examine the role of life in the transformation and evolution of Earth's geochemical cycles and the evolution of photosynthesis, which is an outstanding question in geobiology. The project will train a graduate student and an undergraduate student. In addition, the research team will develop a demonstration for Market Science to broadly disseminate findings at Farmers' Markets in and around the Twin Cities area of Minnesota.The ability to harvest light and fuel cellular processes through phototrophy is arguably one the most important biological innovations in Earth history. Yet, understanding the evolution of photosynthesis remains an outstanding question in geobiology. Oxygenic photosynthesis is often cited as the most important microbial innovation having tipped the scale from a reducing early Earth to an oxygenated world that eventually lead to complex life. However, oxygenic phototrophs use two reaction centers: Photosystem II and Photosystem I for light-driven oxidation of water to fuel primary productivity. In extant sunlit environments where low oxygen concentrations and sulfide persist, some cyanobacteria can use sulfide as the electron donor to photosystem I, performing anoxygenic photosynthesis. In the absence of characterized deeply-branching isolates, a robust phylogenomic framework, and irrefutable biosignatures in the rock record, facultative anoxygenic photosynthesis in extant cyanobacteria represents a tractable system for examining the evolution of photosynthesis including the potential for an early evolving one-photosystem cyanobacterium. The proposed research plan will integrate a set of physiological studies coupled with systems biology approaches—transcriptomics and proteomics—to characterize an emerging model cyanobacterium isolated from a sulfidic, anoxic environment. The following objectives will guide this work: 1) define the molecular machinery necessary for anoxygenic photosynthesis; 2) characterize the effects of sulfide on photosystem II during anoxygenic photosynthesis; 3) determine oxidation kinetics of sulfide during anoxygenic photosynthesis; 4) examine the enhancement of carbon fixation in the presence of sulfide. The proposed research will examine the role of life in the transformation and evolution of Earth's geochemical cycles and the evolution of photosynthesis.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

了解光合作用的演变，利用光能将二氧化碳（CO2）转化为生物质的过程，仍然是一个悬而未决的问题。许多因素混淆了我们追踪光合作用进化的能力：相关的观察到的化学限制在遗传信息中没有明确定义，水平基因转移（微生物之间遗传信息的转移）阻碍了系统发育方法。在没有特征的深分支微生物，一个强大的基因组框架，和无可争议的生物签名的岩石记录，兼性缺氧光合作用在现存的蓝藻代表了一个机会，以更好地了解和限制光合作用的演变。在这个项目中，研究人员将描述光合作用在一个新兴的模式蓝藻，Leptolyngbya sp.菌株hensonii，从缺氧，富含硫化物的天坑分离。这项研究将评估Leptolyngbya sp.菌株hensonii对硫化物存在的遗传反应（这与抑制产氧光合作用有关）以及蓝细菌根据环境条件表达单一光系统的潜力。总的来说，这些数据将提供深入了解蓝藻的生理和潜在的成功之前，进化的光合作用。这项研究将研究生命在地球地球化学循环的转变和演变中的作用，以及光合作用的演变，这是地球生物学中的一个突出问题。该项目将培训一名研究生和一名本科生。此外，研究团队还将为市场科学开发一个示范项目，在明尼苏达州双子城地区及其周边的农贸市场广泛传播研究结果。通过光养收获光和燃料细胞过程的能力可以说是地球历史上最重要的生物学创新之一。然而，理解光合作用的进化仍然是地球生物学中一个悬而未决的问题。氧光合作用经常被认为是最重要的微生物创新，它使早期地球的规模从减少到最终导致复杂生命的含氧世界。然而，产氧光养生物使用两个反应中心：光系统II和光系统I，用于光驱动的水氧化以燃料初级生产力。在现存的阳光照射的环境中，低氧浓度和硫化物持续存在，一些蓝藻可以使用硫化物作为光系统I的电子供体，进行无氧光合作用。在没有特征的深分支分离株，一个强大的基因组框架，在岩石记录和无可辩驳的生物签名，兼性缺氧光合作用在现存的蓝藻代表了一个易于处理的系统，用于检查光合作用的演变，包括早期发展的潜力一个光系统蓝藻。拟议的研究计划将整合一套生理学研究加上系统生物学方法转录组学和蛋白质组学的特点，一个新兴的模式蓝藻分离的硫化物，缺氧的环境。以下目标将指导这项工作：1）定义缺氧光合作用所必需的分子机制; 2）表征在缺氧光合作用期间硫化物对光系统II的影响; 3）确定在缺氧光合作用期间硫化物的氧化动力学; 4）检查在硫化物存在下的碳固定的增强。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。