Development of novel mass spectrometric visualization approaches for the metabolic interaction of microbial communities in marine environments

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Daniel Petras
• Subject Area: Analytical Chemistry ; Microbial Ecology and Applied Microbiology ; Metabolism, Biochemistry and Genetics of Microorganisms
• Term: from 2016 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 322167805

Marine microorganisms form complex communities with extreme taxonomic and genetic diversity. These communities play an important role in global biogeochemical processes. Besides the basic academic understanding of such global ecosystems, the research on marine microbial communities is of great importance for mankind. Along with next-generation DNA community sequencing (metagenomics), analysis of chemical interaction within microorganisms and their environment is important for the understanding of these complex ecosystems.With the continuous technical enhancement of mass spectrometry (MS), non-targeted analysis of metabolites (metabolomics) was introduced in many fields of research. In contrast to the typically MS-based exact mass determination for dissolved organic matter in marine water samples analysis, novel metabolomics workflows often apply non-targeted tandem mass spectrometry. The inherent advantage of this technique includes the higher selectivity through compound specific peak patterns after gas phase dissociation. Known molecules can thus be easier identified and the structural (de novo) characterization of unknowns on the other hand will be dramatically improved.The initial task of this proposal will be the establishment of a non-targeted metabolomic workflow for the characterization of dissolved organic matter in seawater. In addition to the generation of detailed metabolic inventories, the spatial and time-resolved imaging of metabolite concentration at different geographic and time points is the primary goal of this proposal. The herby generated metabolic concentration maps will then be compared to microbial inventories of the same sample sizes through multivariate statistical approaches. The final aim of this study is to shown metabolic interactions and relations within microbial patterns.The feasibility of this workflow will be first validated in a proof-of-concept study that includes a small sampling campaign close to the coast of San Diego and will be expanded to a bigger sampling area where other biological relevant events, like an algal bloom, will be studied. The results of this study will significantly improve our current knowledge of marine microbial interaction and furthermore generate novel biological hypothesis. The combination of metagenomics and meta-metabolomics will moreover establish an important new toolbox for the investigation of microbial ecosystems and is an indispensable step towards (marine) ecosystem-biology.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: USA
• Host: Professor Pieter Dorrestein, Ph.D.