Collaborative Research: Examination of Diverse Anaerobic Methane Oxidizing Archaea and Associated Syntrophic Relationships Using High Resolution Molecular and Isotopic Methods

合作研究：使用高分辨率分子和同位素方法检查多种厌氧甲烷氧化古菌及其相关的互养关系

• 批准号: 0348596
• 负责人: Victoria Orphan
• 金额: $ 25万
• 依托单位: California Institute of Technology
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2004
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2004-09-01 至 2008-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0348596&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Examination; Diverse; Anaerobic

The characterization of methane-consuming microorganisms and the factors that control their activity on the micro scale is important in our understanding the biogeochemical cycling of methane on a global scale. The world's oceans are one of the largest sources of methane, yet only a fraction of this greenhouse gas is released into the atmosphere because it is consumed by microorganisms in anoxic marine sediments. Cross-disciplinary investigations have recently shown that the process of anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) is mediated by novel uncultured Archaea, the ANME-1 and ANME-2, in syntrophic association with sulfate-reducing bacteria. This project is studying methanotrophic Archaea (including ANME-1 and ANME-2) from methane seep environments and pure cultures of Methanosarcina acetivorans and Methanococcoides methylutens (close cultured relatives of the ANME-2) using a series of experiments combining fine scale molecular RNA-based and isotopic analyses. The objectives are aimed at identifying the microbes responsible for and understanding the process of AOM through three broad areas of research. The goals of this research are: (1) to characterize the diversity and metabolic versatility of microorganisms responsible for AOM by expanding and refining the current database on the natural carbon isotopic composition of cells in methane-rich sediments, (2) to develop constraining thermodynamic models of AOM by identifying where active cells reside in natural ANME-2/Desulfosarcina consortia, (3) to elucidate metabolic aspects of AOM by constraining intermediates of the process and by identifying possible vitamins and co-factors involved. These cross-disciplinary studies are hypothesis-driven investigations aimed at understanding the underlying mechanisms and syntrophic relationships of methane-oxidizing microbial cells and consortia through combined cell-specific molecular and isotopic analyses. This research will generate a unique high-resolution isotopic data set that will serve as a basis for modeling the thermodynamics of AOM as well as assist in defining the complex interactions between microorganisms involved in the cycling of methane. This approach is highly complementary to ongoing studies of anaerobic methane oxidation by geochemists and microbiologists and provides a unique perspective to assist in elucidating this globally important, but poorly characterized process.The education and outreach program will expand interest in geomicrobiology at the grade school, undergraduate, and graduate level. This project will provide team-oriented graduate education in microbial geobiology, engaging undergraduates through existing programs aimed at increasing diversity in the sciences, and building on existing infrastructure aimed at K-12 teacher education. Specifically, the PIs are contributing to the annual PSU teacher's workshop by teaching a session on the important role microbes play in regulating climate on Earth. Through connections with Dr. Benita Bell from Bennett College, a historically Black women's college in Greensborough, North Carolina, the PIs are introducing underrepresented students to the field of geobiology through a workshop during Space Science Week at Bennett. At the graduate level, the project will provide educational opportunities to graduate students at Penn State and Caltech.

甲烷消耗的微生物的表征以及控制其在微观尺度上活性的因素在我们理解全球尺度上甲烷的生物地球化学循环非常重要。世界上的海洋是甲烷的最大来源之一，但这种温室气体只有一小部分被释放到大气中，因为它是在缺氧海洋沉积物中的微生物消耗的。跨学科的研究最近表明，甲烷（AOM）的厌氧氧化过程是由新型的未培养的古细菌，ANME-1和ANME-2介导的，在与硫酸盐还原细菌的综合性相关性中。 该项目正在研究甲烷渗水环境中的甲烷营养古细菌（包括ANME-1和ANME-2），以及甲烷核酸乙酸甲酸酯乙酰乙烷和甲基甲基甲基甲基甲酯（ANME-2的亲密亲戚）的纯培养物，使用一系列实验结合了一系列实验，结合了一系列实验。这些目标旨在通过三个广泛的研究领域来确定负责AOM的微生物和了解AOM的过程。这项研究的目标是：（1）通过在富含甲烷的沉积物中的天然碳同位素组成上扩展和完善当前数据库来表征负责AOM的多样性和代谢多功能性（2），以开发出活性细胞的限制性细胞，以识别活性细胞的限制，以识别活性细胞，以识别自然and conction conction conction conction conction conction conction conction conction conction conction conction（3）通过约束过程中间体和确定可能涉及的维生素和副因素，AOM的各个方面。 这些跨学科研究是通过假设驱动的研究，旨在通过结合细胞特异性的分子和同位素分析来理解甲烷氧化微生物细胞和伴侣的基本机制和综合症关系。 这项研究将产生独特的高分辨率同位素数据集，该集将作为建模AOM热力学的基础，并有助于确定与甲烷循环相关的微生物之间的复杂相互作用。 这种方法是对地球化学主义者和微生物学家对厌氧甲烷氧化的持续研究的高度补充，并提供了一种独特的观点，可以帮助阐明这一全球重要但较差的过程。 该项目将在微生物地球生物学领域提供面向团队的研究生教育，通过旨在增加科学多样性的现有计划，并建立针对K-12教师教育的现有基础设施的现有计划。具体来说，PI通过教授Microbes在调节地球气候中的重要作用的会议来为年度PSU教师的研讨会做出贡献。通过与北卡罗来纳州格林斯伯勒历史上历史悠久的黑人女性学院的贝尼特学院的贝尼塔·贝尔（Benita Bell）博士的联系，PIS通过在贝内特（Bennett）的太空科学周期间的讲习班将代表性不足的学生介绍到地理学领域。 在研究生层面，该项目将为宾夕法尼亚州立大学和加州理工学院的研究生提供教育机会。