Collaborative Research: Ecology of Viruses in an Alkaline, Hypersaline Lake, Mono Lake, California

项目名称：Jiang， Sunny（与Jellison， R.S. & & Steward， G.F合作）机构：加州大学欧文分校（与加州大学圣巴巴拉分校和夏威夷大学马诺亚分校合作）提案编号：DEB-0130528（与DEB-0129160 & & DEB-0129174合作）提案标题：合作研究：感染细菌和藻类的病毒通常是水生环境中最丰富的微生物，并且已知会影响微生物群落的结构、功能和生物地球化学循环。虽然人们认识到病毒在典型的海洋和淡水环境中的重要性，但对它们在碱性高盐环境中的作用几乎一无所知。莫诺湖的pH值为~10，含盐量几乎是海水的三倍，初步观测表明，该湖的病毒浓度接近自然界所观察到的最高水平。Mono湖支持相对简单的食物网，浮游植物产量高，盐水虾作为唯一的大型浮游动物食草动物，永久分层形成微生物群落结构。本研究解决了三个基本问题。在这种不寻常的环境中，病毒的丰度、动态和多样性与海洋和淡水环境有何不同？病毒对宿主死亡率的贡献是什么？这些病毒在遗传和生理特性方面与其他病毒有何不同？病毒密度和多样性将确定使用病毒分离和直接分子方法。这项研究补充了Mono湖微生物观测站正在进行的活动，并促进了广泛的生物和非生物背景下病毒群落的综合研究。研究结果将为极端环境下微生物生命的发生、多样性和功能提供新的见解。该项目还为环境和微生物科学方面的研究生和本科生提供了教育机会。

Non-Technical SummaryPI names: Jiang, Sunny (collaborating with Jellison, R.S. & Steward, G.F)Institution: University of California - Irvine (collaborating with University of California - Santa Barbara & University of Hawaii - Manoa)Proposal Number: DEB-0130528 (collaborating with DEB-0129160 & DEB-0129174)Proposal Title: Collaborative Research: Ecology of Viruses in an Alkaline, Hypersaline Lake, Mono Lake, California Viruses infecting bacteria and algae are generally the most abundant microorganisms in aquatic environments, and are known to influence microbial community structure, function, and biogeochemical cycling. Although the importance of viruses in typical marine and freshwater environments is recognized, almost nothing is known about their roles in alkaline hypersaline environments. Preliminary observations from Mono Lake, where pH is ~10 and salt content nearly three times that of seawater, indicate that viruses are near the highest concentrations ever observed in nature. Mono Lake supports a relatively simple food web with high phytoplankton production, brine shrimp acting as the sole macrozooplankton grazer, and permanent stratification shaping the structure of the microbial community. Three basic questions are addressed in this research. How does viral abundance, dynamics, and diversity differ in this unusual environment from those in marine and freshwater environments? What is the contribution of viruses to host mortality? How are the viruses in this seeting different from other viruses in terms of genetic and physiological properties? Viral density and diversity will be ascertained using viral isolates as well as direct molecular approaches. This research complements ongoing activities at the Lake Mono Microbial Observatory, and facilitates an integrated study of the viral community in a broad biotic and abiotic context. Results will provide new insights into the occurrence, diversity and function of microbiological life forms extreme environments. The project also provides opportunities to educate graduate and undergraduate students in environmental and microbiological sciences.