Metagenomic Exploration of Virus-host Interactions in Deep-sea Hydrothermal Vent Environments

20世纪70年代末，在深海中发现了具有腐蚀性化学、高温和高压特征的热液喷口，它们是生命的绿洲。在这里，古老而不寻常的微生物，能够从火山而不是太阳能中提取能量，被发现是这个太古代生态系统的基础。在20世纪80年代后期，对水样的直接检查显示，全球海洋中的病毒非常丰富。随后的研究表明，病毒是地球上最丰富的生命形式，估计有10的31次方（1后面有31个0）个个体。而且，直到去年，人们才发现DNA病毒构成了生物圈中最大的未被描述的遗传多样性。这项研究计划的中心目标是探索深海热液喷口恶劣环境中丰富但很大程度上未知的病毒组合。由于病毒可以显著改变其微生物宿主的生物学特性，在某些情况下将良性细菌转变为病原体，因此深海热泉口的病毒可能密切参与了帮助微生物生命应对深海热泉口具有挑战性的条件的过程。这项研究的数据将扩大正在进行的努力，以描述地球上遗传多样性的全部范围。该项目的DNA序列数据将揭示存在于火山口的数千种新基因和蛋白质组，以及可能存在的全新病毒分支（家族）。项目期间的推广和教育工作将包括各级科学教育。该团队将使用一个基于互联网的互动教育计划，旨在让数千名中小学生参与海洋野外考察活动的日常科学进展。在圣地亚哥和特拉华州举办的短期讲习班将培训青年科学家如何将微生物DNA序列数据用于环境科学。最后，将为环境微生物学的跨学科领域培养博士生和博士后。

In the late 1970s, hydrothermal vents, characterized by caustic chemistry, hot temperatures, and high pressure, were discovered as oases of life in the deep sea. Here, ancient and unusual microbes, capable of extracting energy from volcanic rather than solar energy, were found to be the basis of this archean ecosystem. In the late 1980's, direct examination of water samples revealed that viruses were extraordinarily abundant within the global ocean. Subsequent research now indicates that viruses are the most abundant life form on Earth, estimated to number 10 to the 31st power (1 followed by 31 zeros) individuals. And, only in the past year, it was discovered that DNA viruses comprise the largest pool of uncharacterized genetic diversity in the biosphere. The central objective of this research program is to explore the abundant, but largely unknown, assemblages of viruses within the hostile environments of deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Because viruses can significantly alter the biological characteristics of their microbial hosts, in some cases changing benign bacteria into pathogens, it is possible that viruses at the deep-sea vents are intimately involved in assisting microbial life cope with the challenging conditions of deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Data from this research will expand on-going efforts to describe the full extent of genetic diversity on Earth. DNA sequence data from this project will reveal thousands of new genes and protein groups and possibly entirely new viral clades (families) existing at the vents. Outreach and education efforts during the project will include all levels of science education. The team will use an internet-based interactive education program designed to involve thousands of elementary and middle school students in the daily scientific progress of the oceanographic field expedition to the vents. Short course workshops conducted in San Diego and in Delaware will train young scientists in the use of microbial DNA sequence data for environmental science. Finally, PhD students and postdoctoral fellows will be trained for the interdisciplinary world of environmental microbiology.