Collaborative Research: Bromoform production and ROS response to stress in seaweeds

这个项目将研究海藻如何在分子水平上感知和应对压力。该合作团队将使用海藻Asparagopsis taxiformis作为模型系统，研究海藻中的基因转录和酶的生化活性如何通过合成破坏臭氧的污染物溴仿来应对压力。用于海藻遗传操作的工具尚未开发，这项研究将深入了解这一全球重要海洋生物群体的基因调控途径。全球变暖导致海洋温度升高，可能会增加海藻中溴仿的产生，更好地了解溴仿产生的分子机制可能会对环境和生物经济产生影响。在这项工作的过程中，一批研究生，博士后科学家和研究科学家将接受基因组学，酶学生物化学，计算和有机生物学的跨学科培训。此外，还将为太平洋岛民本科生提供化学和生物科学的实践实验指导，他们是STEM教育最缺乏的社区之一。该研究项目承担了提供活性氧物种的酶的生物化学表征，如海藻中的过氧化氢，提供硫代模板聚酮烃底物的酶，以及使用过氧化氢和聚酮烃底物合成溴仿的卤化酶。使用靶向基因转录谱分析和非靶向转录组测序的组合，编码这些溴仿生产酶的基因的生物和非生物胁迫的分子水平的反应将在模式海洋大型藻类Asparagopsis taxiformis中查询。将努力在其他海藻（如巨型海带Macrocystis）的酶中发现溴仿生物合成基因。总之，这项研究将提供新的分子洞察到臭氧消耗污染物溴仿的自然生产和溴仿的生产是如何调节海藻应对stress.This奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得的支持，通过评估使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。

This project will study how seaweeds sense and respond to stress at the molecular level. The collaborative team will use the seaweed Asparagopsis taxiformis as a model system to study how the transcription of genes and biochemical activities of enzymes in seaweeds respond to stress by the synthesis of the ozone-damaging pollutant bromoform. Tools for the genetic manipulation of seaweed have not yet been developed and this research will provide insight into pathways of gene regulation in this globally important group of marine organisms. Increasing ocean temperatures due to global warming may increase bromoform production in seaweeds and a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of its production could have environmental and bioeconomy impacts. During the course of this work, a cohort of graduate students, postdoctoral scientists, and research scientists will receive interdisciplinary training in genomics, enzymological biochemistry, and computational and organismal biology. In addition, hands-on experimental instruction in chemical and biological sciences will be provided to Pacific Islander undergraduate students, who are one of the most underserved communities in STEM education.This research project undertakes a biochemical characterization of enzymes involved in furnishing reactive oxygen species such as hydrogen peroxide in seaweeds, enzymes that furnish thiotemplated polyketone hydrocarbon substrates, and halogenating enzymes that use hydrogen peroxide and polyketone hydrocarbon substrates to synthesize bromoform. Using a combination of targeted gene transcriptional profiling and untargeted transcriptome sequencing, a molecular-level response to biotic and abiotic stress of genes encoding these bromoform producing enzymes will be queried in the model marine macroalgae Asparagopsis taxiformis. Efforts will be extended to discover bromoform biosynthetic genes in enzymes in other seaweeds such the giant kelp Macrocystis. Taken together, this study will provide new molecular insights into the natural production of the ozone-depleting pollutant bromoform and how the production of bromoform is modulated by seaweeds in response to stress.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.