SGER: Single-Cell Genomics of Marine Bacterioplankton

这是一项用于探索研究的小额赠款(SGER)，旨在开发从天然水生微生物组合中高通量制备单细胞全基因组扩增产物的新方法。该项目有一定的风险，因为实验方法将把细胞分选和分子生物学工具推向新的极端。研究人员将把荧光激活的细胞分类与全基因组扩增和测序方法结合起来。如果成功，这些结果将在以下领域产生重大影响：1)包括稀有物种在内的尚未培养的微生物的部分基因组的快速获得；2)高通量的独立于培养的功能分配；以及3)在生物水平而不是种群水平的遗传变异研究。虽然这个项目并不是没有风险，但它可能在基础和应用微生物科学方面带来高回报。环境基因组学研究揭示了原核生物巨大的、以前未知的系统发育和代谢多样性，为微生物进化、全球生物地球化学循环以及生物技术和药理学产品的来源提供了新的见解。然而，即使是非常大的“元基因组”测序项目也没有导致即使是最丰富的微生物的完整基因组组装。这在将代谢功能分配给尚未培养的微生物以及解构可能在生物技术和药理学中找到实际应用的整个代谢途径方面构成了一个关键障碍，特别是在稀有的未培养物种中。目前SGER项目将采取的办法就是为了解决这些问题。通过该项目开发的方法可能会对微生物生态学、环境微生物学和生物勘探领域产生重大影响，并将加强学术界和工业界之间的知识转移。将通过与海洋科学教育卓越中心(COSEE)海洋系统外联方案合作，传播与教育有关的调查结果。

This is a Small Grant for Exploratory Research (SGER) to develop novel methodology for high-throughput preparation of single cell whole genome amplification products from natural aquatic microbial assemblages. The project has an element of risk in that the experimental approaches will push cell sorting and molecular biological tools to new extremes. The investigators will combine fluorescence-activated cell sorting, with whole-genome amplification and sequencing methods. If successful, these results will have a significant impact in the following areas: 1) rapid availability of partial genomes of yet-uncultured microorganisms, including rare species; 2) high-throughput culture-independent function assignment; and 3) genetic variation studies at organismal rather than population level.While not without risk, this project could lead to high payoffs in basic and applied microbial science. Environmental genomic studies have revealed enormous, previously unknown phylogenetic and metabolic diversity of prokaryotes, providing new insights into microbial evolution, global biogeochemical cycles, and sources of products for biotechnology and pharmacology. However, even very large 'metagenome' sequencing projects have not resulted in complete genome assembly of even the most abundant microorganisms. This poses a critical obstacle in assigning metabolic functions to yet-uncultured microorganisms and in deconstructing entire metabolic pathways that may find practical applications in biotechnology and pharmacology, particularly from rare, uncultured species. The approach to be taken in the current SGER project is designed to solve these issues. Methodology developed through this project may have a major impact on the fields of microbial ecology, environmental microbiology, and bioprospecting and will enhance the transfer of knowledge between academia and industry. The dissemination of education-relevant findings will be conducted through collaboration with the Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE) Ocean Systems outreach programs.