NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2019: Viruses: Architects of Microbial Community Metabolism

该行动为2019财年美国国家科学基金会生物学博士后研究奖学金提供资金，扩大生物学中代表性不足群体的参与。该奖学金支持研究员的一项研究和培训计划，该计划将增加生物学中代表性不足的群体的参与。该研究员将探索病毒、它们的微生物宿主和人类驱动的海洋营养物变化之间的界面。病毒是地球上最丰富的生物实体，但没有细胞宿主（包括微生物）就无法繁殖。病毒通过多种机制操纵它们感染的微生物的代谢，这对全球营养循环产生影响。病毒改变微生物活动的一种方式是通过基因改变微生物代谢以更好地适应病毒复制，这也可以改变微生物利用关键营养物质的方式，包括氮。氮是海洋中的一种基本化学物质，也是所有生物的重要组成部分。在上个世纪，人类活动使进入自然生态系统的氮沉降量增加了5倍。这种流入改变了微生物群落的组成和功能。这项研究的目的是了解病毒的遗传如何促进微生物代谢，以更好地预测微生物群落如何对人类驱动的营养增加做出反应。该研究员还将通过与来自代表性不足群体的学生（包括残疾学生）合作，加强科学领域的包容性。该项目的目标是利用多维测序方法在硝酸盐/尿素充满的海洋生态系统中对病毒编码的辅助代谢基因（AMG）谱和宿主-病毒动力学进行总体描述。通过原位实验和计算机分析共存的病毒和细胞群体，本研究旨在解决氮修饰对(1)微生物群落更替和假定代谢能力的重要性，(2)病毒编码的AMGs的组成和分布，以及(3)宿主-病毒相互作用途径的微生物转录。实验设计旨在区分富营养化的短期和长期影响，提供有关过渡条件下AMG动态和稳定性的基线信息。病毒作为水生生态系统的组成部分，控制着微生物的多样性、进化和代谢；因此，在未来的生物地球化学条件下，研究宿主-病毒动力学和病毒介导的AMGs增殖是必要的。除了促进研究员发展关键的生物信息学和分子技能外，该项目还将促进国际合作，提高实地工作场所通用设计的包容性和整合性，并通过课程设计和指导吸引代表性不足的群体的个人。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2019, Broadening Participation of Groups Under-represented in Biology. The fellowship supports a research and training plan for the Fellow that will increase the participation of groups underrepresented in biology. The Fellow will explore the interface between viruses, their microbial hosts, and human-driven changes in marine nutrients. Viruses are the most abundant biological entities on the planet yet cannot multiply without cellular hosts, including microbes. Viruses manipulate the metabolism of the microbes that they infect through numerous mechanisms, which has consequences for global nutrient cycling. One way that viruses modify microbial activities is by genetically altering microbial metabolism to better suit viral replication and this can also alter the way that microbes utilize key nutrients, including nitrogen. Nitrogen is a fundamental chemical in oceans and an essential component of all organisms. Human activities have increased the deposition of nitrogen into natural ecosystems five-fold over the last century. This influx alters the composition and function of microbial communities. The goal of this research is to understand how the genetics of viruses contributes to microbial metabolism to better predict how microbial communities respond to human-driven nutrient increases. The Fellow will also enhance inclusivity in science by working with students from underrepresented groups, including students with disabilities.This project targets an aggregate portrait of virus-encoded auxiliary metabolic gene (AMG) repertoires and host-virus dynamics in nitrate/urea-replete marine ecosystems using a multidimensional sequencing approach. By coupling in situ experimentation with in silico analysis of coexisting viral and cellular consortia, this research aims to resolve the significance of nitrogen amendment on (1) microbial community turnover and putative metabolic capacity, (2) composition and distribution of virus-encoded AMGs, and (3) microbial transcription of pathways involved in host-virus interactions. The experimental design expects to differentiate between short- and long-term impacts of eutrophication, providing both baseline information about AMG dynamics and stability under transitional conditions. As integral members of aquatic ecosystems, viruses govern microbial diversity, evolution, and metabolism; it is imperative to investigate host-virus dynamics and virus-mediated proliferation of AMGs under anticipated future biogeochemical conditions. In addition to facilitating the Fellow's development of key bioinformatic and molecular skills, this program will enable international collaboration, improve inclusivity and integration of universal design at fieldwork sites, and engage individuals of underrepresented groups through curriculum design and mentorship.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.