Project: Connecting genomes and metabolomes to their biogeochemical consequences at Station ALOHA

The marine microbiome is a complex system of individuals that live in a "noisy" world. In order to succeed, many have evolved sophisticated pathways for "listening" to their environment and regulating their own metabolism, as well as that of others, in response to what they "hear". These regulatory networks involve chemical sensors and biosynthetic capabilities that allow exploitation of scarce resources as well as evasion and engagement of friends and foes. The nature and implications of these chemical interactions in the marine microbial realm remains relatively unknown. As part of this collaborative effort, we will apply tools to study the chemical communication pathways that have evolved to allow microorganisms to "listen" to their environment, "talk" to each other and entrain physiological responses to what they "hear". Our ultimate goal will be to link gene expression and chemical messaging with observations and models of large-scale biogeochemical cycling of energy and matter in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre.

Bio

Anitra Ingalls is an Associate Professor in the School of Oceanography at the University of Washington. She received her B.A. from Reed College and her Ph.D. from Stony Brook University. She completed her post-doctoral training at Harvard University and Columbia University before joining the faculty at University of Washington in 2002. Dr. Ingalls specializes in using organic molecules as a window into the metabolic capabilities of marine microbes. She recently established the Microbial Metabolomics Research Center, a mass spectrometry facility focused on the study of environmentally significant microbes.