Expanding the Tool Box: Environmental Metabolomics Improves Decision Making and Management of Contaminated (Superfund) Sites

项目概要/摘要 代谢组学是一种较新的分子生物学工具， 灵敏的仪器来获得存在于生物样品中的所有小有机分子的测量。 sample.当代MBT依赖于定量PCR，并测量存在， 大量的关键细菌（例如，Dehalococcoides）参与解毒的优先 污染物，如氯化乙烯;然而，目前的工具不足以告知 实际原位脱氯活性。代谢组学测量的小分子与 活跃的新陈代谢，并提供了微生物群落功能和健康的关键见解。 氯化乙烯是影响超级基金场地的最常见污染物之一。 可以通过呼吸有机卤化物的细菌（例如，Dehalococcoides）via 逐步还原脱氯为环境友好的乙烯;然而，降解 该过程通常在有毒和致癌中间体顺式-1，2-二氯乙烯（cDCE）处停止 和氯乙烯（VC）。在当代监测制度中应用的MBT不能预测 需要发生失速和昂贵的补救策略改变。实验室 实验表明，代谢组学将健康的微生物组与“生病”的微生物组区分开来， 微生物组并预测降解停止或乙烯形成发生时。MBT与这些 这些能力将大大降低总体项目成本和管理时间， 最有希望的补救措施的实施，有助于早日关闭网站，从而成为一个 对修复行业来说是宝贵的资产，对美国纳税人来说是实实在在的好处。的 拟议的研究将证明代谢组学方法的价值和实用性， 预测和诊断监测工具的补救行业，并制定一条道路， 这种MBT的商业化。

Project Summary/Abstract Metabolomics is a relatively novel Molecular Biological Tool (MBT), which employs highly sensitive instrumentation to obtain a measure of all small organic molecules present in a biological sample. Contemporary MBTs rely on quantitative PCR and measure the presence and abundance of keystone bacteria (e.g., Dehalococcoides) involved in the detoxification of priority contaminants such as chlorinated ethenes; however, the current tools fall short of informing about actual in situ dechlorination activity. Metabolomics measures small molecules that directly relate to active metabolism, and provides key insights into microbial community function and health. Chlorinated ethenes are among the most common contaminants impacting Superfund sites. Detoxification can be achieved by organohalide-respiring bacteria (e.g., Dehalococcoides) via stepwise reductive dechlorination to environmentally benign ethene; however, the degradation process often stalls at the toxic and carcinogenic intermediates cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cDCE) and vinyl chloride (VC). MBTs applied in contemporary monitoring regimes cannot predict the occurrence of stalls, and costly remediation strategy changes are required. Laboratory experiments demonstrated that metabolomics distinguishes healthy microbiomes from “sick” microbiomes and predicts degradation stalls or when ethene formation occurs. An MBT with these capabilities would greatly reduce overall project costs and management time, streamline the implementation of the most promising remedy, contribute to early site closures, and thus be a valuable asset to the remediation industry with tangible benefits to the U.S. tax payer. The proposed study will demonstrate the value and utility of the metabolomics approach as a prognostic and diagnostic monitoring tool for the remediation industry, and develop a path towards commercialization of this MBT.