美國科學(xué)家發(fā)現(xiàn)了一種納米尺度下藍綠藻吸收營養(yǎng)元素的成像和追蹤方法。
美國勞倫斯利弗莫爾國家實驗室,、南加州大學(xué)以及波蘭特大學(xué)的研究人員表示：藍綠藻在全球碳循環(huán)中起著重要的作用,，因為它們可以將大氣中的氮氣轉(zhuǎn)化為一種可以利用的營養(yǎng)元素，以致在營養(yǎng)元素缺乏的水域也可以進行光合作用,。
科學(xué)家們表示：這種新的成像－追蹤方法利用的是一種高分辨率的次離子質(zhì)譜儀——NanoSIMS,，它可以幫助科學(xué)家們解開各種藍綠藻單細胞生物體如何“固定”或者吸收大氣中的氮和碳的這個古老謎團。NanoSIMS的分辨率為50－100納米,，它可以檢測到各種元素和同位素的分布,。
南加州大學(xué)大學(xué)的教授Kenneth Nealson預(yù)測：NanoSIMS將開創(chuàng)一個全新的研究領(lǐng)域。他表示：利用這種技術(shù)可以研究細胞中正在進行的事情,，這將改變我們進行微生物學(xué)研究的方式,。
該項研究結(jié)果發(fā)表在最新一期的《國際微生物生態(tài)學(xué)協(xié)會雜志》上。
英文原文鏈接：
sciencedaily
NanoSIMS: Changing microbiology
LOS ANGELES, July 11 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists have discovered a method of imaging and tracking nutrient uptake in blue green algae at the nanoscale level.
The researchers from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the University of Southern California and Portland State University said blue green algae are significant species in the global carbon cycle because they transform nitrogen gas from the atmosphere into a useable nutrient, enabling photosynthesis in nutrient-poor waters.
The scientists said the new imaging-tracking method that uses NanoSIMS -- a high-resolution secondary ion mass spectrometer -- should help resolve the age-old puzzle of how different species of blue green algae can "fix" or take up atmospheric nitrogen and carbon in a single cell organism.
NanoSIMS can map distributions of elements and isotopes with 50-100-nanometer resolution.
USC Professor Kenneth Nealson predicts NanoSIMS will open a whole new field of study.
"You can use this technology to look at things going on inside the cell," he said. "This is going to change the way that we do a lot of microbiology."
The research appears in the latest issue of The International Society for Microbial Ecology Journal.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
