Understanding syntrophic hydrocarbon metabolism under methanogenic conditions

了解产甲烷条件下的互养碳氢化合物代谢

• 批准号: RGPIN-2015-05214
• 负责人: Gieg, Lisa
• 金额: $ 2.77万
• 依托单位: University of Calgary
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2016-01-01 至 2017-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=613417
• 关键词: Understanding; syntrophic; hydrocarbon; metabolism; under

Hydrocarbon spills into subsurface environments such as groundwater aquifers frequently lead to the development of methanogenic conditions. Many studies have shown that hydrocarbons can be biodegraded to methane by microbes, suggesting that we may be able to rely on such microbial activity for contaminated site clean up. To do so, we must have a better understanding of how this metabolism operates in order to determine the advantages and limitations of relying on methanogenic consortia for remediation. Syntrophy, meaning ‘feeding together’, is a mode of microbial metabolism wherein different species must cooperate (for thermodynamic reasons) to carry out metabolic processes. Syntrophic microbial processes play key roles in large-scale beneficial industrial processes such as waste water treatment and make significant contributions to carbon cycling in anaerobic ecosystems. As such, syntrophy has mainly been studied using microbes that metabolize relatively simple carbon sources (such as fatty acids). As with fatty acids, methanogenic hydrocarbon metabolism must occur via syntrophic processes wherein cooperation among microbial species is needed to break down a given hydrocarbon to carbon dioxide and methane. However, little is known about the ecological principles of syntrophy in hydrocarbon-containing methanogenic ecosystems. Thus, the long-term objective of this research program is to elucidate the fundamental scientific principles underlying syntrophic hydrocarbon metabolism under methanogenic conditions that will be accomplished via two major short-term objectives. Objective 1 will be to improve upon and/or develop new strategies for cultivating syntrophic hydrocarbon-degrading methanogenic consortia in order to decrease lag times and improve rates of metabolism to enable more efficient study of syntrophic hydrocarbon metabolism. This objective will use a cultivation approach to test the use of various medium additives, solid supports, and growth conditions to improve rates of metabolism. Objective 2 will be to identify and quantify the key syntrophy genes and hydrocarbon-degrading genes that are expressed during methanogenic hydrocarbon metabolism using molecular biology approaches. This information is currently unknown. The proposed research will address major gaps in the fields of syntrophy and methanogenic hydrocarbon metabolism, leading to fundamental scientific discoveries and potential applications for contaminated site remediation.  The outcome of the research will be of great benefit to Canada by helping to ensure clean environments (such as groundwater resources). Through the proposed program, many highly qualified personnel will be trained in diverse technical skills (ranging from analytical chemistry to genomics) and soft skills (leadership, communication) that will position them well for jobs in academia, industry, or government.

碳氢化合物泄漏到地下水含水层等地下环境中经常导致产甲烷条件的发展，许多研究表明碳氢化合物可以被微生物生物降解为甲烷，这表明我们可以依靠这种微生物活动来清理污染场地。为此，我们必须更好地了解这种新陈代谢的运作方式，以确定依靠产甲烷菌群进行修复的优点和局限性。 “一起”是一种微生物代谢模式，不同物种必须合作（出于热力学原因）进行代谢过程，互养微生物过程在废水处理等大规模有益工业过程中发挥着关键作用，并对碳循环做出了重大贡献。因此，在厌氧生态系统中，主要使用代谢相对简单的碳源（例如脂肪酸）的微生物来研究，与脂肪酸一样，产甲烷碳氢化合物代谢必须通过互养过程发生，因此之间的合作。需要微生物物种才能将特定的碳氢化合物分解为二氧化碳和甲烷。然而，人们对含碳氢化合物产甲烷生态系统中综合症的生态原理知之甚少，因此，该研究计划的长期目标是阐明其基本原理。产甲烷条件下互养碳氢化合物代谢的科学崇拜原理将通过两个主要短期目标来实现，即改进和/或开发互养新策略。碳氢化合物降解产甲烷菌群，以减少滞后时间并提高代谢效率，以便对互养碳氢化合物代谢进行更多研究。该目标将使用培养方法来测试各种培养基添加剂、固体支持物和生长条件的使用，以改善。目标 2 是利用分子生物学方法识别和量化产甲烷碳氢化合物代谢过程中表达的关键共养基因和碳氢化合物降解基因，该信息目前尚不清楚。研究成果将有助于确保环境清洁（例如地下水资源），从而为污染场地修复带来基础性科学发现和潜在应用。通过该计划，许多高素质人才将接受各种技术技能（从分析化学到基因组学）和软技能（领导力、沟通）方面的培训，这将使他们能够在学术界、工业界或政府中找到工作。