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Metagenomics and metaproteomics of deep arctic hydrothermal systems - Annual report 2009
The main goal of this project is to use cutting-edge metagenomic and metaproteomic technologies on deep arctic hydrothermal systems to characterize the diversity, physiological potential and adaptive features of archaea and bacteria in these habitats. Samples from unusual and pristine environments of the Arctic will be compared to those from cold methane seeps at the Nyegga region. We expect the presence of highly diverse populations of extremophilic archaea and bacteria, defined as organisms that can thrive optimally in habitats that are hostile for human life as elevated temperatures (up to 110°C), high pressure in the deep sea (up to 1000 bar) and extremes of pH (0-12). It is well-known that enzymes derived from extremophiles (extremozymes) are superior to the traditional catalysts because they can perform industrial processes even under harsh conditions, under which conventional proteins are completely denatured.
Project director: Steen, Ida Helene, University of Bergen,
Post-doc/ scholar: Roalkvam, Irene
Project duration: 01.03.09 – 29.02.12
Technical contact person in Statoil: Kotlar, Hans Kristian
Division head: Kotlar, Hans kristian
Project number: 6501
Object
The main goal of this project is to use cutting-edge metagenomic and metaproteomic technologies on deep arctic hydrothermal systems to characterize the diversity, physiological potential and adaptive features of archaea and bacteria in these habitats. Samples from unusual and pristine environments of the Arctic will be compared to those from cold methane seeps at the Nyegga region.
The sub-goals are:
1) Explore the phylogenetic diversity and physiological potential of bacteria and archaea in sediment samples from the Nyegga region using 16S rDNA amplicon analysis.
2) Study the functioning of the microbial communities in cold seep cores using comparative metagenomics and proteomics
3) Sampling at Loki’s castle and construction of metagenomes
4) Screening of metagenomes for novel biocatalysts and enzymes involved in novel metabolic pathways
5) Extraction and identification of expressed proteins in samples from where metagenomes have been constructed
6) Writing of papers and synopsis
Status:
Subgoal 1: DNA has been extracted from sediments samples and 16SrDNA amlicons have been sent to University of Oslo, CEES, for sequencing. Bioinformatics tools for amplicon analysis have been implemented at Center for Geobiology, UoB and data-analysis is in progress.
Subgoal 2: Total DNA extracted from sediment cores has been sequenced and protein extracted. The metagenomic analysis is progressing and strategies for integration of metagenomic and proteomic data analysis are under development.
Subgoal 3: Sampling of microbial mats from deep sea hydrothermal chimneys has been performed during CGB cruise 01.08.09-11.08.09. Initial characterization of the samples and prioritizing of samples for metagenomic analysis is done. DNA will be sent for pyro-sequencing in January 2010.
Sub-goal 4-5: work has not yet started.
Sub-goal 6: Manuscripts are in progress for subgoals 1 and 2
So far there are no deviations from targets.
Publications:
No
Program for the VISTA Day 2009
VISTA Scholars' Day 2010