Bacteria mineral interactions

细菌矿物质相互作用

• 批准号: 250492-2012
• 负责人: Southam, Gordon
• 金额: $ 0.02万
• 依托单位: University of Western Ontario
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2013-01-01 至 2014-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=525060
• 关键词: Bacteria; mineral; interactions

Microorganisms play an important role in catalyzing a wide array of biogeochemical processes that affect the composition of our soil, water and air. Understanding these processes requires a multidisciplinary approach focused on the contribution of the ubiquitous microbial world, e.g., research on life in extreme environments in Canada's high arctic will help understand the influence of permafrost on climate change. The overall goal of my research program is to bridge the boundary between earth science and microbiology to improve our understanding of fundamental earth system processes that have occurred throughout geological history and to apply this knowledge to benefit society. Prior to 2.5 billion years ago, the Earth did not possess a significant amount of oxygen in its' atmosphere. Using a laboratory microcosm, we will examine the relationship between cyanobacteria (the precursor to plants on Earth), and carbon dioxide fixation and oxygen production. The model will determine the geochemical and mineralogical processes that occurred as cyanobacteria created this oxygen, beginning a new era in Earth's history. Understanding this fundamental relationship between oxygenic photosynthesis and atmospheric evolution will help us understand how life has contributed to planetary evolution in the past, and also hopefully providing lessons for the future. Mining is an important contributor to Canada's economy as an established global producer of a wide range of commodities (e.g., nickel, diamonds, gold, uranium and platinum group elements). The development of biotechnological processes for the mining industry will have direct benefit to the public by improving Canada's competitiveness in mining, creating new green jobs that can support existing mining operations. The continued development of this industry requires innovation in mineral exploration. Through this proposed research, we will examine the role of lithotrophic (rock-eating) bacteria on the erosion of gold containing minerals and their involvement in the synthesis of nanophase gold, which is important in developing new gold exploration strategies.

微生物在催化一系列影响土壤、水和空气组成的生物地球化学过程中发挥着重要作用。理解这些过程需要多学科的方法，重点是无处不在的微生物世界的贡献，例如，对加拿大北极地区极端环境中生命的研究将有助于了解永久冻土对气候变化的影响。我的研究计划的总体目标是弥合地球科学和微生物学之间的边界，以提高我们对整个地质历史中发生的基本地球系统过程的理解，并将这些知识应用于造福社会。在25亿年前，地球的大气层中没有大量的氧气。使用实验室微观世界，我们将研究蓝藻（地球上植物的前身）与二氧化碳固定和氧气生产之间的关系。该模型将确定蓝藻创造氧气时发生的地球化学和矿物学过程，开始地球历史上的新时代。了解光合作用和大气演化之间的这种基本关系将有助于我们了解生命在过去是如何对行星演化做出贡献的，并希望为未来提供经验教训。矿业是加拿大经济的重要贡献者，加拿大是一个公认的全球多种商品生产国（例如，镍、钻石、金、铀和铂族元素）。采矿业生物技术工艺的发展将直接造福于公众，提高加拿大在采矿业的竞争力，创造新的绿色就业机会，支持现有的采矿业务。这一行业的持续发展需要矿产勘探的创新。通过这项拟议的研究，我们将研究嗜石（食岩）细菌对含金矿物侵蚀的作用，以及它们参与纳米金的合成，这对开发新的金矿勘探战略很重要。