Starter Grant: Molecular Detection of Diverse Arsenic Transforming Prokaryotes and Their Activities in Estuarine Sediments.

入门补助金：多种砷转化原核生物及其在河口沉积物中的活性的分子检测。

• 批准号: 0527193
• 负责人: Bongkeun Song
• 金额: $ 4.99万
• 依托单位: University of North Carolina at Wilmington
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-01-01 至 2007-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0527193&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Starter; Grant; Molecular; Detection; Diverse

Arsenic is classified as a carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which lowered the allowable maximum arsenic levels in drinking water from 50 ppb to 10 ppb to prevent a significant number of cancer death and other illnesses. The levels of arsenic contaminants found in environments are strongly related to microbial activities involved in arsenic transformation. Diverse microbial isolates have been investigated to understand the physiology and genetics of arsenic biotransformation. However, in situ microbial activities of arsenic transformation in the environment have not been well documented and the diversity of uncultivated arsenic transformers has not been fully elucidated. Molecular tools have been developed to detect arsenic transformers from environmental samples and determine the presence of diverse uncultured arsenic-transforming bacteria in Chesapeake Bay sediments. Building upon previous studies, this project will determine in situ microbial activities of arsenic transformation by quantifying the functional genes encoding arsenic transformation. In addition, uncultured indigenous arsenic-transforming microorganisms in sediment communities will be accessed using environmental genomic approaches to examine their genomic diversity. Thus, this proposed research will provide better understanding of general microbial diversity and specific interactions related to arsenic transformation in natural sediments.The broader significance of this research consists of the rigorous insights gained into the dynamics of arsenic in sediments. Results of this research are also of importance to assess the fate and transport of arsenic in groundwater systems. This research will also support the education and training of graduate and undergraduate (senior honors) students.

砷被美国环境保护署列为致癌物，该署将饮用水中砷的最大允许含量从 50 ppb 降低到 10 ppb，以防止大量癌症死亡和其他疾病。环境中砷污染物的水平与砷转化中涉及的微生物活动密切相关。人们对多种微生物分离株进行了研究，以了解砷生物转化的生理学和遗传学。然而，环境中砷转化的原位微生物活动尚未得到充分记录，未培养的砷转化者的多样性尚未得到充分阐明。分子工具已被开发用于检测环境样本中的砷转化剂，并确定切萨皮克湾沉积物中是否存在多种未培养的砷转化细菌。 在先前研究的基础上，该项目将通过量化编码砷转化的功能基因来确定砷转化的原位微生物活性。此外，将使用环境基因组方法获取沉积物群落中未培养的本土砷转化微生物，以检查其基因组多样性。因此，这项研究将有助于更好地了解一般微生物多样性和与天然沉积物中砷转化相关的特定相互作用。这项研究的更广泛意义包括对沉积物中砷动态的严格见解。 这项研究的结果对于评估地下水系统中砷的归宿和迁移也很重要。 这项研究还将支持研究生和本科生（高级荣誉）学生的教育和培训。