ANT LIA: Collaborative Research: Mixotrophic Grazing as a Strategy to meet Nutritional Requirements in the Iron and Manganese Deficient Southern Ocean

ANT LIA：合作研究：混合营养放牧作为满足铁和锰缺乏的南大洋营养需求的策略

• 批准号: 2240780
• 负责人: Natalie Cohen
• 金额: $ 37.97万
• 依托单位: University of Georgia Research Foundation Inc
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-02-15 至 2026-01-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2240780&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: ANT; LIA; Collaborative; Research; Mixotrophic

Mixotrophs are essential components of the Antarctic planktonic community able to photosynthesize and also ingest small particles like bacteria to meet their nutritional needs. This project aims to understand the physiological response of mixotrophs exposed to micronutrient limitation in the Southern Ocean, specifically iron, manganese and simultaneous limitation of more than one trace metal, or colimitation. Such environmental conditions are characteristic of the Southern Ocean and can only be tested with local algae. The Principal Investigators hypothesize that under trace metal colimitation, some mixotrophs will have a competitive advantage by increasing their ability to consume particles to obtain energy and trace metals from their prey. Given the lack of understanding of how mixotrophs have adapted to the micronutrient limitation, the researchers propose studies with microalgal cultures isolated from the Southern Ocean; they will measure growth responses, consumption behavior, changes in cellular chemistry and transcription of genetic material in response to iron and manganese limitation. This project benefits the National Science Foundation goals of understanding Life in Antarctica and adaptation of organisms to this extreme environment. Society will benefit from the training proposed, whereby students from rural colleges will be instructed in computer coding and scientific data analyses. Furthermore, this work will support one graduate student, two undergraduate summer interns, and two early career scientists.The Principal Investigators hypothesize that under Fe-Mn colimitation, some mixotrophs will have a competitive advantage by increasing their grazing rates to obtain energy, Fe, and Mn from their prey. Given the lack of understanding of how mixotrophs have adapted to seasonal changes in the availability of these micronutrients and how they influence mixotrophic growth dynamics, the PIs propose culture studies to measure growth responses, grazing behavior, and changes in elemental stoichiometry in response to Fe and Mn limitation. Transcriptomic analyses will reveal the metabolic underpinnings of trophic behavior and micronutrient stress responses, with implications for key biogeochemical processes such as carbon fixation, remineralization, and nutrient cycling. Results are expected to clarify the ecological roles of Antarctic mixotrophs and elucidate the adaptations of Southern Ocean organisms to their unique polar ecosystem following the 2015 Strategic Vision for Polar Programs. This work will support one graduate student, two undergraduate summer interns, and two early career scientists. A series of virtual coding and bioinformatic workshops will be organized, in which basic principles of coding, and data processing used in the proposed analysis will be taught to undergraduate students. Small colleges in rural areas will be targeted for 8 modules on bioinformatics training.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.

混合营养是南极浮游生物社区的重要组成部分，能够光合作用并摄取细菌等小颗粒以满足其营养需求。该项目旨在了解暴露于南大洋中微量营养素限制的混合营养的生理反应，特别是铁，锰和同时限制多种痕量金属或化合物。这种环境条件是南大洋的特征，只能用当地藻类进行测试。主要研究人员假设在痕量金属化合物下，一些混合营养将通过增加消耗颗粒的能力以从其猎物中获取能量和追踪金属的能力，从而具有竞争优势。鉴于缺乏了解如何适应微量营养素的限制，研究人员提出了对从南大洋分离的微藻培养物进行的研究。他们将测量生长反应，消费行为，细胞化学的变化以及响应铁和锰限制的遗传材料的转录。该项目使国家科学基金会的目标有利于了解南极生活的生命以及对这种极端环境的适应。社会将受益于提议的培训，从而在计算机编码和科学数据分析中指导了来自农村大学的学生。此外，这项工作将支持一名研究生，两名本科暑期实习生和两名早期职业科学家。鉴于缺乏对混合营养如何适应这些微量营养素的季节性变化以及它们如何影响综合营养生长动态的变化，PIS提出培养研究以衡量生长反应，放牧行为以及对FE和MN限制的响应中元素石化的变化。转录组分析将揭示营养行为和微量营养素应力反应的代谢基础，这对关键的生物地球化学过程（例如碳固定，回想起和养分循环）的影响。预计结果有望阐明南极混合营养的生态作用，并在2015年对极地计划的战略愿景之后，阐明了南方海洋生物对其独特极地生态系统的适应。这项工作将支持一名研究生，两名本科生暑期实习生和两名早期职业科学家。将组织一系列的虚拟编码和生物信息学研讨会，其中编码的基本原理以及所提出的分析中使用的数据处理将被教授给本科生。农村地区的小型大学将针对8个关于生物信息学培训的模块。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是值得通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响审查标准通过评估来支持的。