Functional Metagenomic Analysis of Anaerobic Methane Oxidizing Communities

• Applicant: Dr. Marcus Taupp
• Subject Area: Microbial Ecology and Applied Microbiology
• Term: from 2006 to 2008
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 34118168

We will use environmental genomic approaches coupled to heterologous gene expression studies to elucidate metabolic pathways involved in the degradation of xenobiotic compounds in samples derived from anoxic marine sediments supporting the anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM). Prior to genomic screening, small molecule libraries derived from source samples will be constructed in order to chart the indigenous chemical composition of the sediment system. These libraries will be used with pore water geochemistry and metagenomic datasets to profile AOM communities from Eel River and the Black Sea, to identify environmentally relevant substrates, and to develop screens focused on the proposed syntrophy between methane oxidizing archaea and sulfate reducing bacteria. This work will provide a "proof of principle" for the application of functional metagenomics to marine ecosystems to explore the microbial biotransformation capacity of AOM and the chemical ecology of a complex microbial community with global metabolic impact.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: Canada
• Host: Professor Dr. Steven James Hallam