Structural analysis of peculiar organic materials produced by marine bacteria: Mechanism for microbial conversion of CO2 in the seawater to organic materials

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26820389
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Naval and maritime engineering
• Research Institution: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: MAKITA Hiroko 国立研究開発法人海洋研究開発機構, 深海・地殻内生物圏研究分野, 技術副主任 (40553219)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 鉄酸化細菌 / CO2固定 / 有機物生産 / 海洋環境

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research aims to investigate the possibility of substance production utilizing carbon dioxide in the seawater independent of photosynthesis, and to construct a circulation system to remove CO2 from the environment using microbial functions. In order to achieve the purpose, it is necessary to establish a new mass-culturing method of chemotrophic bacteria and to evaluate the usefulness of extracellular organic materials they produce.
In this study, we succeeded in developing a mass-culturing method of marine iron oxidizing bacteria using CO2 in the seawater as the carbon source for their growth. Moreover, we succeeded in isolating a number of new iron-oxidizing bacteria using this method, as well as in clarifying the composition and structure of extracellular organic materials they produce. Through the present research, we obtained crucial knowledge required for the development of a system to produce organic materials from CO2 in the seawater by microbial activity.

Free Research Field

微生物生態学