Collaborative Research: EAGER: Genomic insights into microbial mat diversity and Proterozoic geobiology

蓝细菌垫在地球的进化中至关重要？是化学和生物。他们长期以来一直被公认为司机的？大氧化事件？(GOE)在地球早期的元古代，也可能延续了一段长时间的中间氧化还原状态。然而，蓝藻的类型，可以介导这种地球化学转变知之甚少，因为而元古宙海洋的特点是低氧，分层和/或波动的氧化还原条件，氧气是需要的最现代的蓝藻研究的日期。此外，用于微生物垫的研究的传统工具提供有限的信息代谢或生理多样性的蓝藻。在这份提案中，PI提出了一个探索性项目，将结合联合收割机尖端的单细胞和社区基因组测序技术与元素和同位素地球化学，以解决问题的重点是facultimogenic/anoxogenic蓝藻占主导地位的现代微生物垫是很好的类似物的元古宙垫生态系统。EAGER的这一提议是由最近两个不同的发展所推动的，这两个发展共同为研究代谢多功能的蓝藻提供了独特的机会：㈠在休伦湖北方发现了一个容易进入的现代垫状生态系统，这是元古代地球化学和生物学的一种新的类似物，以及（ii）新的基因组测序技术的出现，使人们能够前所未有地深入了解未培养的单细胞以及整个微生物群落。影响：本科生将进行主要研究集中在生理学（GVSU）和地球化学（UM）和博士生将领导基因组学的努力（UM）。该项目的发现驱动和探索性质为将研究转化为教育机会和公共宣传提供了绝佳的机会。PI将利用视频资源（水下潜水镜头，显微镜细胞分离），运动的延时摄影，以及探索频道（http：//watch.discoverychannel.ca/daily-planet/September-22-2009/#clip216315）和当地新闻台的最新报道，开发多媒体材料（？运动中的微生物然后呢？激光围捕电影）。这些将被整合到UM和GVSU的外展活动中，以及TBNMS的地球生物学展览中。游客中心。

Cyanobacterial mats were critical in the evolution of Earth?s chemistry and biology. They have long been recognized as drivers of the ?great oxidation event? (GOE), and may have also perpetuated a prolonged period of intermediate redox state in the early Earth's time period call the Proterozoic. However, the types of cyanobacteria that could have mediated such geochemical transitions are poorly understood because whereas Proterozoic oceans were characterized by low oxygen, stratified and/or fluctuating redox conditions, oxygen is required by most modern cyanobacteria studied to date. Further, traditional tools used for study of microbial mats provide limited information regarding metabolic or physiological diversity of cyanobacteria. In this proposal, the PIs propose an exploratory project that will combine cutting-edge single-cell and community genome sequencing technologies with elemental and isotopic geochemistry to address questions focused on facultatively oxygenic/anoxygenic cyanobacteria dominating modern microbial mats that are excellent analogs of Proterozoic mat ecosystems. This EAGER proposal is motivated by two recent, disparate developments that together provide unique opportunities to investigate metabolically versatile cyanobacteria: (i) discovery of an easily accessible modern mat ecosystem in northern Lake Huron that is a novel analog of Proterozoic geochemistry and biology, and (ii) the advent of new genome sequencing technologies that enable unprecedented insights into uncultivated single cells as well as whole microbial communities.Broader Impacts: Undergraduate students will conduct the primary research focused on physiology (GVSU) and geochemistry (UM) and a PhD student will lead the genomics effort (UM). The discovery-driven and exploratory nature of this project provides outstanding opportunities for translating research into educational opportunities and public outreach. The PIs will take advantage of video resources (underwater dive footage, microscopic cell separations), time-lapse photography of motility, and recent coverage on the Discovery Channel (http://watch.discoverychannel.ca/daily-planet/september-2009/daily-planet-september-22-2009/#clip216315) and local news stations to develop multi-media materials (?microbes in motion? and ?laser roundup? movies). These will be integrated into outreach activities at UM and GVSU, and geobiology exhibits at TBNMS?s Visitor Center.