Descripción del proyecto
Estudio de la función de los microorganismos en el impacto ambiental del ciclo del nitrógeno
El nitrógeno es un compuesto muy importante para la vida y comprender su ciclo es fundamental para prevenir pérdidas en la productividad agrícola. Los microorganismos desempeñan una función clave en este ciclo al transformar el nitrógeno atmosférico en formas biológicamente disponibles. Con todo, son considerados como modelos de caja negra a la hora de estudiar el impacto ambiental del ciclo del nitrógeno. Los microorganismos no existen como entidades aisladas, sino que se mezclan, manteniendo un número diverso de interacciones sociales creadas a través de la adaptación y la evolución. El objetivo del proyecto Microbial-light, financiado por las Acciones Marie Skłodowska-Curie, es dilucidar estos modelos de caja negra a través de la adquisición de datos multiparamétricos. En el proyecto se aplicarán perturbaciones fisicoquímicas a un gran número de poblaciones microbianas mixtas y se controlará el crecimiento microbiano mediante citometría de flujo.
Objetivo
With an increasing world population growth, prediction of climate change on the sustainability and resilience of farming ecosystems is key. Since the nitrogen cycle's role within the farming ecosystem is of utmost importance, and an environmental disturbance leads to farming production loss, understanding the cycle's resilience is crucial. The main actors within this cycle are microorganisms, yet these are ignored when predicting ecological effects to climate change (black box models). Microorganisms do not exist as isolated entities, but are mixed in high numbers, maintaining a diverse number of social interactions created through adaptation and evolution. Microbial-Light will illuminate black box models via the acquisition of a multi-parametric database. Physicochemical disturbances will be applied to a large combinatorial number of mixed microbial populations of well studied nitrifiers. Microbial growth monitoring at microtiter scale will include strain tracking (FISH-flow cytometry), while function (i.e. nitrification) will be determined at a larger scale. The ample data collected will enable elucidation of functional landscapes for each synthetic community under combining environmental stresses. Additionally, the role of microbial interactions (BSocial tool) across disturbance gradients will be sought. Microbial-Light, will engage in modelling individual growth from synthetic mixed population growth, thereby validating the models with previous experimental evidence. Moreover, the optimal social nitrifying community will be coated on tomato seeds, and plant growth efficiency will be compared with uncoated seeds. Parallel to the acquisition multi-parametric database, evaluation of the nitrification potential of poor and rich soils will be tested coupled with microbial diversity (Illumina sequencing). The analysis of synthetic and natural communities, will allow for a more comprehensive ecological model on nitrification.
Ámbito científico
Programa(s)
Régimen de financiación
MSCA-IF-EF-CAR - CAR – Career Restart panelCoordinador
18071 Granada
España