Toward Comprehending Prokaryotic Species Using Halorubrum sp. as a Model

University Of Connecticut, Storrs CT

Investigators

Abstract

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). Bacterial species are poorly understood both in an evolutionary and taxonomic sense. Recently, through developments in DNA sequencing, the genus Halorubrum has emerged as an excellent model for testing hypotheses regarding the nature of bacterial speciation. Halorubrum species provide an innovative platform to compare modifications between characteristics like cell shape and sugar utilization and DNA sequences to better understand variation in and between bacterial species. Using these microbes, we will ask questions like: Is there a correlation between DNA defined species and physiological traits? Do physiological traits provide predictive power regarding population structure? Can distinct habitats be predicted for DNA defined species? Can we define additional species using the same techniques? Answers to these questions will go a long way towards developing solutions to the bacterial species problem. This project is international and interdisciplinary in its scope. Researchers from the U.S. and Europe will train taxonomists and population geneticists to communicate across disciplinary boundaries. Furthermore, this work has the potential to impact other disciplines like microbial ecology, which at its most fundamental level requires a usable and reliable species concept. Ultimately, improvements in our ability to classify bacteria may help researchers and technicians identify bacteria harmful to humans and or their agricultural crops and herds.