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

非技术摘要PI姓名：Jiang，Sunny（与Jellison，R.S. &Steward，G.F）机构：University of加州- Irvine（collaborating with University of加州-圣巴巴拉University of Hawaii - Manoa）提案编号：DEB-0130528（collaborating with DEB-0129160 DEB-0129174提案标题：Collaborative Research：Ecology of Viruses in an Alkaline，Hypersaline Lake，Mono Lake，加州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，并且已知影响微生物群落结构、功能和生物地球化学循环.虽然病毒在典型的海洋和淡水环境中的重要性已得到公认，但对它们在碱性高盐环境中的作用几乎一无所知。 在pH值约为10，盐含量几乎是海水的三倍的莫诺湖进行的初步观察表明，病毒接近自然界中观察到的最高浓度。 莫诺湖支持一个相对简单的食物网，浮游植物产量高，卤虫作为唯一的大型浮游动物食草动物，永久分层塑造微生物群落的结构。 在这项研究中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中的病毒有何不同？ 病毒对宿主死亡率的贡献是什么？ 在遗传和生理特性方面，这种病毒与其他病毒有何不同？ 将使用病毒分离株以及直接分子方法确定病毒密度和多样性。 这项研究补充了莫诺湖微生物观测站正在进行的活动，并促进了在广泛的生物和非生物背景下对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形式的发生、多样性和功能提供新的见解。 该项目还提供机会，教育研究生和本科生在环境和微生物科学。

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.