REU: Ecological Interactions of Genetically-Engineered Microorganisms in Root-Soil Systems

REU：根土系统中基因工程微生物的生态相互作用

基本信息

批准号：
8705690
负责人：
Peter Hartel
金额：
$ 18.62万
依托单位：
University of Georgia Research Foundation Inc
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Continuing Grant
财政年份：
1987
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
1987-07-15 至 1990-12-31
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=8705690&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
REU Ecological Interactions Genetically Engineered

项目摘要

Drs. Peter Hartel and colleagues at the University of Georgia, Athens propose to conduct research on several critical, ecological questions concerning genetically engineered microorganisms. The ability of a microorganism to survive, grow, and interact in a ever changing soil environment persists because microorganisms actively exchange genes horizontally for these traits. By asking a series of questions, the investigators will assess the ecological worth of specific genes to a microorganism in a root/soil system. They have used genetic engineering to clone and manipulate the genes which encode for endoglucanase and polygalacturonase in the bacterium Pseudomonas solanacearum. They will use the same techniques for the genes encoding for extracellular polysaccharide, protease, and lipase. The loss of expression of these specific genes will be tested singly and in combination for their effect on the ability of P. solanacearum to survive, grow, and transfer these cloned genes in soil and in the rhizosphere to tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). The cloned genes will also be placed in Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli. Rhizosphere interactions will be assessed by use of a rhizosphere cell employing membranes of varying porosities. In this manner, the microbial competitiveness of the genetically-engineered bacteria will be assessed. The research is expected to yield fundamental knowledge on the ecological value of a specific gene to a microorganism in the environment. Preliminary work on the genes for endoglucanase and polygalacturonase in P. solanacearum has shown that genetic engineering has a profound influence on the performance of this organism in a plant. These data will be of immediate value to microbial ecologists and to regulatory agencies concerned about accidental release of genetically engineered microorganisms.

博士。雅典乔治亚州大学的彼得·哈特尔（Peter Hartel）及其同事提议对有关基因工程微生物的几个关键生态问题进行研究。微生物在不断变化的土壤环境中生存，生长和相互作用的能力持续存在，因为微生物积极地水平交换了这些特征的基因。通过提出一系列问题，研究人员将评估根/土壤系统中微生物的特定基因的生态价值。他们已经使用基因工程来克隆和操纵基因，这些基因编码了细菌假单胞菌中的内生糖酶和聚半乳糖苷酶。他们将使用相同的技术来用于编码细胞外多糖，蛋白酶和脂肪酶的基因。这些特定基因的表达丧失将单独测试，并结合起来，以影响甲状腺疟原虫生存，生长和转移这些克隆的基因在土壤中，根际和番茄（番茄）（Lycopersicon esculentum）的能力。克隆的基因也将放置在假单胞菌，铜绿假单胞菌和大肠杆菌中。根际相互作用将通过使用带有不同孔隙率的膜的根际细胞来评估。以这种方式，将评估遗传工程细菌的微生物竞争力。预计该研究将对特定基因在环境中的微生物的生态价值产生基本知识。在甲状腺疟原虫的内核葡萄糖酶和多边形酶基因的初步研究表明，遗传工程对植物中这种生物的性能具有深远的影响。这些数据对微生物生态学家和关注偶然释放基因工程微生物的监管机构具有直接价值。