Collaborative Research: Understanding the Drivers of Microbial Survival and Autotrophy in a Characteristically Marine and Terrestrial Serpentinizing System–Ney’s Spring

地球上的许多微生物生活在无法获得阳光的环境中，因此缺乏来自光的能量来驱动光合作用等化学反应。 这些细菌生活在其他类型的化学反应中，这些化学反应使用岩石和水而不是光，并产生微生物可以生存的化合物，如氢，甲烷或硫化氢。 其中一种相互作用称为蛇纹岩化，主要发生在与火山活动和大洋中裂谷有关的深海，它可以支持专门的微生物生命。然而，关于特定的化学反应，微生物和代谢活动的多样性，以及微生物如何在这些极端环境中生存，仍然存在许多问题。该项目将描述北方加州的一个天然泉，内伊泉，它类似于海洋蛇形系统，使其成为唯一可供调查的地方，并允许使用深海系统中不可能使用的监测技术。 将在春季和实验室进行实验和测量，以检查微生物活动和化学环境，包括微尺度剖面。 将建立来自泉水和泉水泥的微生物的实验室培养物，以了解微生物的过程。 从这种环境中培养微生物可能会导致新细菌的分离和应用生物技术。该研究团队将在当地学校和社区大学开展推广和学习活动，使不同群体的年轻STEM参与者受益。该团队将通过描述这个春天的微生物和化学组成，来实现理解微生物介导的化学过程的总体目标，这些化学过程支持这个独特的“海洋般”的陆地春天的生命，重点是支持微生物活动证据的分析，这些活动被认为是支持生命的（利用硫化物和甲烷等无机化合物）。将进行一系列基于现场和实验室的实验，以支持微生物活动的预测。将使用尖端的电化学技术，包括弹簧化学的微电极分析，以及用于测试可以利用固相矿物作为能源的微生物的原位电化学孵育。将通过获得分离的栽培品种来确认微生物活性。因此，通过对微生物群落在这个独特的化学“海洋般”的春天中的活动产生第一个有凝聚力的洞察，将实现重大的智力价值。这项工作还将通过实施新颖和尖端的实验和分析方法，帮助在该领域开发新的实验方法。微生物的培养形成这种环境，也有可能支持应用生物技术的发展。这项工作独特的跨学科性质也将使Co-Is能够在当地学校和社区学院开展外展和学习活动，使不同群体的年轻STEM参与者受益。 该项目支持两名早期职业女性研究人员，并大大提高了他们的新研究小组。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

Many of the microorganisms on Earth live in environments without access to sunlight and therefore lack the energy from light to power chemical reactions like photosynthesis. These bacteria live on other types of chemical reactions that use rocks and water instead of light and produce compounds that microorganisms can live on, like hydrogen, methane, or hydrogen sulfide. One of these interactions, known as serpentinization, occurs principally in the deep sea associated with volcanic activity and mid-ocean rifts, and it can support specialized microbial life. Many questions remain however about specific chemical reactions, diversity of the microbes and metabolic activities, and how the microbes survive in these extreme environments. This project will characterize a natural spring in Northern California, Ney’s spring, which is similar to marine serpentinzing systems, making it uniquely accessible for investigation and allows the use of monitoring techniques not possible in deep marine systems. Experiments and measurements will be made in the spring and the laboratory to examine microbial activity and chemical environment including microscale profiling. Laboratory cultures of microbes from the spring and spring muds will be established to understand microbial processes. Cultivations of microbes from this environment could result in the isolation of novel bacteria and applied biotechnology. The research team will implement outreach and learning activities in local schools and community colleges that benefit a diverse group of young STEM participants.The team will approach the overarching goal of understanding microbially-mediated chemical processes that support life in this unique, ‘marine-like’ terrestrial spring by characterizing the microbial and chemical makeup of this spring, with a focus on analyses that support evidence of microbial activities that are thought to support life (utilizing inorganic compounds such as sulfide and methane). A series of field based, and lab-based experiments to support predictions of microbial activities will be performed. Cutting edge electrochemical techniques, including microelectrode profiling of spring’s chemistry, and in situ electrochemical incubations used to test for microbes that can utilize solid phase mineral as energy sources, will be used. Confirmation of microbial activities will be conducted by obtaining isolated cultivars. Significant intellectual merit will therefore be achieved by producing the first cohesive insight into the activity of microbial communities in this ‘marine-like’ spring of unique chemistry. This work will also help develop new experimental approaches in the field through the implementation of novel and cutting-edge experimentation and analytical approaches. Cultivations of microbes form this environment, also has the potential to support development of applied biotechnology. The unique, cross-discipline nature of this work will also allow the Co-Is to implement outreach and learning activities in local schools and community colleges that benefit a diverse group of young STEM participants. This project supports two early career female investigators and significantly enhances their new research groups.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.