1. Metal Uptake and Regulation in a Methanogenic Microorganism Isolated from the Rancho La Brea Tar Pits
John Stedman Magyar
Department of Chemistry, Barnard College, New York, NY 10027
Microorganisms are everywhere. Even environments as seemingly inhospitable to life as Tar Pit Lake at Rancho La Brea, Los Angeles, are teeming with microbial diversity. The bubbles in the photo at left are caused by methane gas released by methanogenic (methane-producing) microorganisms in the tar pit sediments.
We are interested in the role that these microorganisms play in the natural biogeochemical cycles of environments like that of Tar Pit Lake. If we understand how these organisms thrive, we may be able to use them or microbes like them to extract useful fuels from recalcitrant sources such as tars.
The work in the Magyar group focuses on how microorganisms take up metal ions from their environment. We are particularly interested in a microbe called Methanocorpusculum labreanum Z, which was first isolated from Tar Pit Lake.
So far, we have identified and purified a protein that we suggest is involved in controlling metal uptake by Methanocorpusculum. We are currently working to characterize this protein in detail so we can learn how it works!