Collaborative Research: Understanding the Drivers of Microbial Survival and Autotrophy in a Characteristically Marine and Terrestrial Serpentinizing System–Ney’s Spring

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Many of the microorganisms on Earth live in environments without access to sunlight and therefore lack the energy from light to power chemical reactions like photosynthesis. These bacteria live on other types of chemical reactions that use rocks and water instead of light and produce compounds that microorganisms can live on, like hydrogen, methane, or hydrogen sulfide. One of these interactions, known as serpentinization, occurs principally in the deep sea associated with volcanic activity and mid-ocean rifts, and it can support specialized microbial life. Many questions remain however about specific chemical reactions, diversity of the microbes and metabolic activities, and how the microbes survive in these extreme environments. This project will characterize a natural spring in Northern California, Ney’s spring, which is similar to marine serpentinzing systems, making it uniquely accessible for investigation and allows the use of monitoring techniques not possible in deep marine systems. Experiments and measurements will be made in the spring and the laboratory to examine microbial activity and chemical environment including microscale profiling. Laboratory cultures of microbes from the spring and spring muds will be established to understand microbial processes. Cultivations of microbes from this environment could result in the isolation of novel bacteria and applied biotechnology. The research team will implement outreach and learning activities in local schools and community colleges that benefit a diverse group of young STEM participants.The team will approach the overarching goal of understanding microbially-mediated chemical processes that support life in this unique, ‘marine-like’ terrestrial spring by characterizing the microbial and chemical makeup of this spring, with a focus on analyses that support evidence of microbial activities that are thought to support life (utilizing inorganic compounds such as sulfide and methane). A series of field based, and lab-based experiments to support predictions of microbial activities will be performed. Cutting edge electrochemical techniques, including microelectrode profiling of spring’s chemistry, and in situ electrochemical incubations used to test for microbes that can utilize solid phase mineral as energy sources, will be used. Confirmation of microbial activities will be conducted by obtaining isolated cultivars. Significant intellectual merit will therefore be achieved by producing the first cohesive insight into the activity of microbial communities in this ‘marine-like’ spring of unique chemistry. This work will also help develop new experimental approaches in the field through the implementation of novel and cutting-edge experimentation and analytical approaches. Cultivations of microbes form this environment, also has the potential to support development of applied biotechnology. The unique, cross-discipline nature of this work will also allow the Co-Is to implement outreach and learning activities in local schools and community colleges that benefit a diverse group of young STEM participants. This project supports two early career female investigators and significantly enhances their new research groups.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.