FUNDAMENTAL STUDIES OF THE ALGAL LIPID TRIGGER

这个子项目是许多利用资源的研究子项目之一 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心拨款提供。子项目的主要支持 而子项目的主要调查员可能是由其他来源提供的， 包括其它NIH来源。 列出的子项目总成本可能 代表子项目使用的中心基础设施的估计数量， 而不是由NCRR赠款提供给子项目或子项目工作人员的直接资金。 藻类是我们星球上生长最快的植物，它们与碳有关。 在海洋中的封存，并有可能成为一个重要的生物能源 生物柴油和生物喷气燃料等液体运输燃料的生产生物。 将藻油转化为生物柴油需要解决生长大量健壮的藻类种群的问题，这些藻类种群产生高比例的易于收获的特定脂肪酸。目前的努力以工程方式进行，忽略了基本的生物过程。因此，关于细胞生长、所产生的脂肪酸的效用和有效的油回收的重要问题一直难以解决。我们提出了一种激进的新方法，将提供解决这些问题所需的生物学见解。我们将运用我们在细胞电生理学和成像方面独特的实验和理论专业知识，原位询问单个细胞，以确定导致特定藻油生长和生产的分子机制。NCXT软X射线断层摄影设备是这项工作的一个重要的独特的强大工具。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. Algae are the fastest growing plants on our planet, they are involved in carbon sequestration in the oceans and have the potential to become an important bioenergy production organism for liquid transportation fuels such as biodiesel and bioJet fuel. Transforming algal oil into biodiesel requires solving the problems of growing large robust algae populations that produce high fractions of easily-harvested specific fatty acids. Current efforts proceed in engineering fashion, ignoring the fundamental biological processes in play. As a consequence, important issues regarding cell growth, utility of the fatty acids produced, and efficient oil recovery have been difficult to resolve. We propose a radical new approach that will provide the biological insight needed to solve these issues. We will apply our unique experimental and theoretical expertise in cell electrophysiology and imaging to interrogate individual cells in situ to identify molecular mechanisms leading to growth and production of specific algal oils of interest. The NCXT soft X-ray tomography facility is a vital uniquely powerful tool for this work.