Speaker: Dr Makoto Saito, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, USA

Please contact seminars@cluttereawag.ch for access details to join online via zoom.

Abstract

Microbial communities are major contributors to the biogeochemical cycling of many elements, including carbon, nitrogen, iron, phosphorus, cobalt, and others. Within each microbe, enzymes are synthesized that conduct chemical reactions, and many of these enzymes require metals for functionality. Advances in mass spectrometry techniques have enabled the detection of microbial proteins within natural environments (metaproteomics), as well as the metals within proteins (metalloproteomics). This talk will discuss use of these approaches in concert with traditional trace metal measurements to uncover new aspects of biogeochemical cycling and to estimate potential biogeochemical reaction rates. Recent discoveries will be discussed including changing cobalt (including vitamin B12), zinc, and iron dynamics in Antarctic and Arctic marine environments and their climate change implications. In addition, the enzymatic capabilities of the Pacific Ocean will be discussed particularly in regard to nitrogen biogeochemical reactions. The advent of autonomous vehicles (AUV Clio) and data platforms (Ocean Protein Portal) is assisting in research and education efforts. Finally, challenges and emerging efforts (BioGeoSCAPES) to the study of global ocean microbial biogeochemistry will be briefly addressed.