SGER: The Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal Metaproteome

由于缺乏负责这一重要而常见的处理过程复杂代谢的细菌的纯培养物，人们对废水中强化生物除磷（EBPR）的生化机制知之甚少。纯培养物的缺乏反映了分离这些微生物的多次失败。现代分子工具现在能够以以前仅限于纯培养的方式分析混合微生物群落的结构和功能。直到最近，研究EBPR元蛋白质组（即负责EBPR的混合微生物群落的蛋白质组）的尝试也受到缺乏其元基因组序列的限制。本研究的目的是通过分析EBPR的元蛋白质组来促进对其微生物学的理解。该项目将使用最新测序的EBPR宏基因组，并应用最先进的质谱法，特别是新的定量2D-LC-MS/MS方法，首次将蛋白质组学应用于重要的废水处理过程。该项目将展示新的蛋白质组学技术在理解负责重要废水处理过程（如EBPR）的混合微生物群落行为方面的有用性，这些过程通常难以管理。作为项目的一部分，环境工程专业的一名研究生将接受培训。PI计划每年访问一所中学，向六年级学生介绍环境工程和科学。这个项目符合SGER的标准，因为它具有创新性和“高风险-高回报”，是一个新的领域。

0634304McMahonThe biochemical mechanisms of enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) from wastewater are poorly understood because of the lack of pure cultures of the bacteria responsible for the complex metabolism of this important and common treatment process. The lack of pure cultures reflects repeated failures to isolate these microbes. Modern molecular tools now enable the analysis of the structure and function of mixed microbial communities in ways that were previously limited to pure cultures. Until recently, attempts to study the EBPR metaproteome (i.e., the proteome of the mixed microbial community responsible for EBPR) also were limited by lack of availability of its metagenome sequence. The objective of the research is to advance understanding of the microbiology of EBPR by analyzing its metaproteome. The project will use the newly sequenced EBPR metagenome and apply state-of-the-art mass spectrometry, specifically the new method of quantitative 2D-LC-MS/MS, in a first-time application of proteomics to an important wastewater treatment process. The project will demonstrate the usefulness of new proteomics techniques in understanding the behavior of mixed microbial communities responsible for important wastewater treatment processes like EBPR that typically are difficult to manage. A graduate student in Environmental Engineering will be trained as part of the project. The PI will feature this work in an annual visit to a middle school to introduce environmental engineering and science to sixth graders. This project fits the SGER criteria in that it is innovative and "high risk-high reward" and breaks new ground.