Microbial Aerobic Anoxygenic Photosynthesis and Heavy Metal(loid) Transformations

地球上生命的多样性是不可替代的自然遗产。微生物生命的数量是巨大的；然而，最近的证据表明，大多数(约99%)微生物物种仍未被发现。现代科学对这种非同寻常的多样性产生了新的认识，这些多样性出现在微生物繁盛的令人惊讶的栖息地范围内。它们的代谢类型同样广泛，包括丰富的光合作用和非光合作用途径。*光合作用是贡献和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。建议的方案不仅有助于我们更好地了解好氧厌氧光营养现象，还将增强我们对不同细菌的光代谢和光合作用进化的知识。由于好氧厌氧光养生物是海洋种群的主要组成部分，在碳循环中发挥着重要作用，这可能与全球变暖过程有关，因此对它们的了解变得越来越重要。对重金属(Loid)转化的研究将带来对新群落和物种适应的深入探索。我的小组特别感兴趣的是金属(Loid)氧化物降低热液喷口隔离的能力。将Te中有毒的氧阴离子还原为毒性较低的元素形式的能力，在工业操作污染废水的生物修复方面具有巨大的潜力。此外，这种细菌可能会在稀有和昂贵的Te的实际生物冶金中被证明是有用的。因此，我们的工作将做出基础性和技术性的贡献。*我的研究计划的具体目标包括四个相关部分：a.将研究好氧光养生物的多样性、分类细微差别、系统发育/进化和生态学；b.将研究神秘的好氧厌氧光合作用装置；c.建议对重金属(Loid)的微生物生物转化进行详细分析；以及D.将考虑深海热液喷口的微生物学。将采取的方法包括使用各种现代和经典的微生物学、生化、分子生物学、分类学和系统发育技术。***

The diversity of life on Earth is an irreplaceable natural heritage. The array 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 within a surprising range of habitats where microbes flourish. Their metabolic types are equally broad and include a rich variety of photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic pathways.*** Photosynthesis is a major process that contributes and 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 photo metabolism of diverse bacteria and the evolution of photosynthesis. Because of the fact that aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs are one of the major parts of the population in ocean with a significant role in carbon cycling, which might be associated with the global warming process, it is becoming increasingly important to understand them. Investigation of heavy metal(loid) transformations will bring in-depth exploration of novel communities and species adaptations. Of particular interest to my group is the metal(loid) oxide reducing capacity of hydrothermal vent isolates. The ability to reduce toxic oxyanions of Te to the less toxic elemental form has a great potential for bioremediation of polluted effluents from industrial operations. In addition, such bacteria could prove useful in practical biometallurgy of rare and expensive Te. Hence, our work will make both fundamental and technological contributions.*** The particular objectives of my Research Proposal comprise four related parts: A. Diversity, taxonomic nuances, phylogeny/evolution and ecology of the aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs will be investigated; B. Mysterious aerobic anoxygenic photosynthetic apparatus will be studied; C. Microbial biotransformation of heavy metal(loid)s is proposed for detailed analysis; and D. Microbiology of the deep ocean hydrothermal vents will be considered. The approaches to be taken include the use of a variety of modern and classic microbiological, biochemical, molecular biological, taxonomic and phylogenetic techniques. ***