Microbial Systems in the Biosphere: Unraveling the Lifestyles of Dominant Freshwater Fe-oxidizing Bacteria

生物圈中的微生物系统：揭示淡水中主要的铁氧化细菌的生活方式参考资料：David Emerson， Bigelow海洋科学实验室细菌以其代谢多样性和利用看似难吃的食物来源的能力而著称。铁氧化细菌（FeOB）就是一个典型的例子，因为它们通过将亚铁氧化为三铁（铁锈）来获得生长所需的能量。这些细菌数量众多，很容易被大量的铁锈色沉淀物识别，这些沉淀物是在自然水中或家庭和工业配水系统中含有亚铁的地方形成的。由本提案资助的工作将调查一组特定淡水FeOB的系统学、生态学和生理学。系统分类很重要，因为我们不知道一些最重要的FeOB的真实身份；如果不知道他们是谁，就不可能可靠地识别他们。生态很重要，因为我们知道不同类型的FeOB有非常特殊的栖息地要求。弄清楚这些要求可以为确定特定FeOB组的水质方面提供一种简单的方法。这可能是评估水质的一个很好的诊断工具。生理学研究很重要，因为我们实际上对细菌如何氧化铁，甚至为什么氧化铁知之甚少。通过回答这些问题，我们可以了解一个重要的基本生物过程。这可能会让我们更好地控制它，或者让我们利用它来实现有益的目的。为了研究这些问题，我们将采用一系列现代微生物学和化学技术，使我们能够在微观尺度上研究自然环境中的细胞，并在实验室中重现这些受控条件。最终，这项工作将提高我们对一群微生物的理解，这些微生物长期以来一直被认识，但对环境的重要性却知之甚少，它们既是引起生物污染和腐蚀的有害生物，又是可以从水中去除金属和其他污染物的有益生物。

IOS 0951077 - Microbial Systems in the Biosphere: Unraveling the Lifestyles ofDominant Freshwater Fe-oxidizing BacteriaPI: David Emerson, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean SciencesBacteria are remarkable for their metabolic diversity and ability to utilize seemingly unpalatable food sources. The Fe-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB) are a prime example, since they gain energy for growth by oxidizing ferrous iron to ferric iron (rust). These bacteria are prolific and easily recognized by abundant rust-colored precipitates that form whereever ferrous iron is present in natural waters, or in domestic and industrial water distribution systems. The work funded by this proposal will investigate the systematics, ecology, and physiology of a particular group of freshwater FeOB. The systematics are important because we do not know the true identity of some of the most important FeOB; without knowing who they are it is impossible to reliably identify them. The ecology is important because we know different types of FeOB have very specific habitat requirements. Figuring out those requirements may provide an easy way to determine aspects of water quality that are specific for a given group of FeOB. This could be a good diagnostic tool for assessing water quality. The physiology studies are important because we actually know very little about how, or even why, bacteria oxidize iron. By answering these questions we can learn about an important fundamental biological process. This may allow better control over it, or allow us to harness it for beneficial purposes. To investigate these questions we will employ a host of modern microbiological and chemical techniques that allow us to study cells in their natural environments at the microscale, as well as reproduce those controlled conditions in the laboratory. Ultimately this work will improve our understanding of a long recognized, but poorly understood group of microbes, of significant environmental importance, both as nuisance organisms that cause biofouling and corrosion, and as beneficial organisms that can remove metals and other pollutants from water.