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没有阳光的环境中，因此缺乏光能来推动光合作用等化学反应。这些细菌依靠其他类型的化学反应为生，这些化学反应使用岩石和水而不是光，并产生微生物赖以生存的化合物，如氢、甲烷或硫化氢。其中一种相互作用被称为蛇纹岩化，主要发生在与火山活动和大洋中部裂谷相关的深海中，它可以支持专门的微生物生命。然而，关于特定的化学反应、微生物的多样性和代谢活动，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。该项目将描述加利福尼亚州北部的一种天然泉水--奈泉，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，包括微尺度剖析。将建立春季和春季泥浆微生物的实验室培养，以了解微生物的过程。从这种环境中培养微生物可以分离出新的细菌和应用生物技术。研究小组将在当地学校和社区大学开展外联和学习活动，使不同群体的年轻STEM参与者受益。该项目由地球科学和已建立的刺激竞争研究计划(EPSCoR)共同资助。该团队将通过描述这个独特的、类似海洋的陆地泉水中的微生物和化学成分，重点分析支持生命的微生物活动的证据(利用硫化物和甲烷等无机化合物)，从而实现了解微生物中介的化学过程在这个独特的、类似海洋的陆地泉中支持生命的首要目标。将进行一系列基于现场和基于实验室的实验，以支持对微生物活动的预测。将使用尖端的电化学技术，包括春天化学的微电极剖析，以及用于测试可以利用固相矿物作为能源的微生物的现场电化学培养。微生物活性的确认将通过获得分离的品种来进行。因此，通过在这个独特的化学泉水中对微生物群落的活动产生第一个具有凝聚力的洞察，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，帮助在实地开发新的实验方法。在这种环境下培养微生物，也有可能支持应用生物技术的发展。这项工作的独特、跨学科性质还将使联合信息系统能够在当地学校和社区大学开展外联和学习活动，使不同的年轻STEM参与者群体受益。该项目支持两名职业生涯早期的女性调查人员，并极大地加强了她们的新研究小组。该项目由地球科学和既定的激励竞争研究计划(EPSCoR)共同资助。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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. This project is jointly funded by Earth Sciences and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).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 project is jointly funded by Earth Sciences and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).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.