Microbial Aerobic Anoxygenic Photosynthesis and Heavy Metal Transformations

地球上生命的多样性是不可替代的自然遗产。微生物生命的多样性是巨大的，但最近的证据表明，大多数（约99%）的微生物物种仍然未被发现。现代科学已经对这种非凡的多样性以及微生物蓬勃发展的惊人栖息地范围产生了新的认识。它们的代谢类型同样广泛，包括各种各样的光合和非光合途径。光合作用是增加地球上自由能的主要过程，这一领域的研究具有重要意义。该项目不仅有助于我们更好地了解好氧无氧光合现象，而且有助于我们加深对不同细菌的光代谢和光合作用进化的认识。重金属转化研究的发展将带来对新群落和物种适应的深入探索。特别令人感兴趣的是热液喷口分离物的金属还原能力。将Te的有毒含氧阴离子还原为毒性较小的元素形式的能力可应用于工业操作中污染废水的生物修复。此外，这种细菌可以证明在稀有和昂贵的Te的实际生物计量学中是有用的。因此，我们的工作将作出基础性和技术性贡献。研究计划的具体主题由四个相关部分组成：A.多样性，分类的细微差别和进化的好氧缺氧光合生物将进行调查; B。研究神秘的有氧无氧光合机构;深海热液喷口微生物学;微生物对重金属的生物转化作用有待进一步研究。拟采取的方法包括使用各种微生物学、生物化学、分子生物学、分类学和系统发育学技术。

The diversity of life on Earth is an irreplaceable natural heritage. The diversity of microbial life is enormous, however recent evidence indicates that most (around 99%) of microbial species remain undiscovered. Modern science has produced a new awareness of this extraordinary diversity, as well as the surprising range of habitats where microbes flourish. Their metabolic types are equally broad and include a wide variety of photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic pathways. Photosynthesis is a major process that increases the free energy on Earth, and research in this field has great importance. The proposed Program will help us not only better understand the aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic phenomenon, but also enhance our knowledge of the photometabolism of diverse bacteria and the evolution of photosynthesis. Development of study in heavy metal transformations will bring in-depth exploration of novel communities and species adaptations. Of particular interest is the metal reducing capacity of hydrothermal vent isolates. The ability to reduce toxic oxyanions of Te to the less toxic elemental form may be applied in bioremediation of polluted effluents from industrial operations. In addition, such bacteria could prove useful in practical biometallurgy of rare and expensive Te. Thus our work will make both fundamental and technological contributions. The particular subjects of the Research Proposal are composed of four related parts: A. Diversity, taxonomic nuances and evolution of aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs will be investigated; B. Mysterious aerobic anoxygenic photosynthetic apparatus will be studied; C. Microbiology of the deep ocean hydrothermal vents; and D. Microbial biotransformation of heavy metals is proposed for detailed analysis. The approaches to be taken include the use of a variety microbiological, biochemical, molecular biological, taxonomic and phylogenetic techniques.