CAREER: Elucidating the Interaction(s) Between Bacteria and Archaea in a Biocathode

该奖项全部或部分由《2021年美国救援计划法案》（公法117-2）资助。一些微生物可以在电极上生长。电原是一种可以消化有机物并产生电子和二氧化碳的细菌。如果电子能被输送到细胞外，这种细菌就被称为外电菌。这些细菌可以为电子设备提供动力。它们还为附近的生物体提供驱动重要反应的电子。该项目的目的是了解一种已知的外电如何与一种可以将二氧化碳转化为甲烷的微生物相互作用，这种微生物被称为产甲烷菌。这两种生物的群落可以来回交换电子和含碳分子。了解这是如何发生的可以帮助我们了解全球碳循环的细节。它还可能导致一个碳中性的电力能源系统。培训来自西班牙裔学校的K-12教师进行研究并将工程原理纳入课程是另一个主要目标。该推广活动还将让K-12学生与大学生一起参加以stem为重点的指导活动。在产甲烷的生物阴极中，外电影响电子流、碳流和生物量的形成。M. maripaludis和S. oneidensis是该项目中使用的典型产甲烷菌和产外菌。碳和电子转移途径将被绘制为单微生物生物阴极和双种群生物阴极。CRISPR Cas9介导的基因组编辑探究了电子如何从s.o oneidensis传递到m.m aripaludis，以及捐赠的电子在哪里进入甲烷生成途径。碳运输途径将通过13C标记二氧化碳、甲酸盐和乳酸盐在各种单种群和双种群生物阴极构型中进行阐明，随后是生物质的核磁共振波谱和动力学建模。荧光显微镜、扫描电子显微镜和转录组学分析将用于比较细胞空间取向和生物膜相关基因在单种群和双种群阴极生物膜中的表达。项目结果将有助于更好地理解生物阴极细菌-古细菌的相互作用。这将最终支持改进设计和扩大用于能量回收和废水处理的生物电化学系统。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，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。

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2).Some microbes can grow on electrodes. Electrogens are bacteria that can digest organic matter and generate electrons along with carbon dioxide. If the electrons can be shipped outside the cell, the bacteria are referred to as exoelectrogens. These bacteria can power electrical devices. They also supply electrons that drive important reactions to nearby organisms. This objective of this project is to understand how a known exoelectrogen interacts with a microbe that can convert carbon dioxide to methane, referred to as a methanogen. Communities of these two types of organisms can swap electrons and carbon-containing molecules back and forth. Understanding how this occurs can help us understand the details of the global carbon cycle. It could also lead to a carbon-neutral electric energy system. Training K-12 teachers from Hispanic-serving schools to conduct research and to incorporate engineering principles into lessons are other major objectives. This outreach will also engage K-12 students in STEM-focused mentorship activities with university students.Exoelectrogens influence the electron flow, carbon flow, and biomass formation in a methanogenic biocathode. M. maripaludis and S. oneidensis are the model methanogen and exoeletrogen used in the project. Carbon and electron transfer pathways will be mapped for single-microbe biocathodes and for a dual-population biocathode. CRISPR Cas9 mediated genome editing interrogate how electrons are passed from S. oneidensis to M. maripaludis, and where donated electrons enter the methanogenesis pathway. Carbon transport pathways will be elucidated using 13C labeling of carbon dioxide, formate, and lactate in various single- and dual-population biocathode configurations, followed by NMR spectroscopy of biomass, and kinetic modeling. Fluorescence microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transcriptomics analyses will be used to compare cell spatial orientation and biofilm-related gene expression in the single- and dual-population cathode biofilms. Project results will lead to a better understanding of biocathode bacteria-archaea interactions. This will ultimately support improved design and scaling up of bioelectrochemical systems for energy recovery and wastewater treatment.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.