RCN: Nitrification, a Bacterial Process at the Interface of the Carbon and Nitrogen Cycles

这笔赠款用于支持协调活动，包括为研究微生物硝化作用所有方面的研究人员网络举行会议、研讨会、网站和共享资源。硝化作用是一个细菌过程，涉及将氨转化为硝酸盐。除固氮和反硝化作用外，硝化作用是影响全球氮循环的主要过程之一。当有机物降解时，土壤和地表水中会形成氨，在工业上也会作为农作物的肥料生产。进行硝化作用的细菌从氨及其降解的副产品中提取生长所需的能量。形成的硝酸盐很容易被淋溶到地下水中，从而使其不适合人类食用。通过影响植物对氮素的利用率，硝化作用还影响碳循环。全球变暖(通过释放氮氧化物和亚硝酸盐)、水质、食品和纤维生产、废水处理和生物修复都受到硝化作用的影响。基因组学革命正在对硝化作用的研究产生巨大影响，同时也产生了对该领域研究努力进行更大协调的需要。目前已有五种硝化菌的基因组序列，另外三种正在进行中。这个研究协调网络的目标是协调这一重要领域的下一代研究。最重要的是将这些细菌的生理、生化和基因组学与它们在环境中进行的过程联系起来。这种联系将为在各种环境中控制和利用这些细菌提供基础。这项工作对农作物生产、废水处理、生物修复和全球变暖具有重要意义。参与的实验室将为研究科学家在其职业生涯的所有阶段提供积极的培训机会，并将吸收科学中代表性不足的群体的成员。将编写教材，教育K-12学生和教师有关全球氮循环的一般知识，特别是硝化作用。

This grant is to support coordination activities, including meetings, a workshop, a website, and sharing of resources for a network of researchers studying all aspects of nitrification by microorganisms. Nitrification is a bacterial process that involves the transformation of ammonia to nitrate. Along with nitrogen fixation and denitrification, nitrification is one of the major processes contributing to the global nitrogen cycle. Ammonia is formed in soils and surface waters when organic matter is degraded and it is also produced industrially as a fertilizer for crops. The bacteria that carry out nitrification extract energy for growth from ammonia and the byproducts of its degradation. The nitrate that is formed can easily be leached into ground water, thereby making it unfit for human consumption. By influencing the availability of nitrogen for plants, nitrification also influences the carbon cycle. Global warming (through release of nitric and nitrous oxides), water quality, food and fiber production, wastewater treatment and bioremediation are all influenced by nitrification. The genomics revolution is having a tremendous impact on the study of nitrification, while simultaneously creating a need for greater coordination of research efforts in this field. Genome sequences are available for five nitrifiers and three more are in progress. The goal of this Research Coordination Network is to coordinate the next generation of research in this important field. Of paramount importance is linking the physiology, biochemistry and genomics of these bacteria to the processes that they carry out in the environment. This linkage will provide the basis for controlling and exploiting these bacteria in various environments. The work is of significance to crop production, wastewater treatment, bioremediation, and global warming. The participating laboratories will provide active training opportunities for research scientists at all stages in their careers, and will incorporate members of underrepresented groups in science. Materials will be developed to educate K-12 students and teachers about the global nitrogen cycle in general and about nitrification in particular.