{"672052":{"#nid":"672052","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Create Light-Powered Yeast, Providing Insights Into Evolution, Biofuels, Cellular Aging","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EYou may be familiar with yeast as the organism content to turn carbs into products like bread and beer when left to ferment in the dark. In these cases, exposure to light can hinder or even spoil the process.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIn a \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.cub.2023.12.044\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Enew study\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E published in \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECurrent Biology\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, researchers in Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E have engineered one of the world\u2019s first strains of yeast that may be happier with the lights on.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cWe were frankly shocked by how simple it was to turn the yeast into phototrophs (organisms that can harness and use energy from light),\u201d says \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/anthony-burnetti\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAnthony Burnetti\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, a research scientist working in Associate Professor \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/will-ratcliff\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWilliam Ratcliff\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u2019s laboratory and corresponding author of the study. \u201cAll we needed to do was move a single gene, and they grew 2% faster in the light than in the dark. Without any fine-tuning or careful coaxing, it just worked.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EEasily equipping the yeast with such an evolutionarily important trait could mean big things for our understanding of how this trait originated \u2014 and how it can be used to study things like biofuel production, evolution, and cellular aging.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003ELooking for an energy boost\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe research was inspired by the group\u2019s past work investigating the evolution of multicellular life. The group published their first report on their \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/journey-origins-multicellular-life-long-term-experimental-evolution-lab\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMulticellularity Long-Term Evolution Experiment\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E (MuLTEE) in \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41586-023-06052-1\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ENature\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E last year, uncovering how their single-celled model organism, \u201csnowflake yeast,\u201d was able to evolve multicellularity over 3,000 generations.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThroughout these evolution experiments, one major limitation for multicellular evolution appeared: energy.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cOxygen has a hard time diffusing deep into tissues, and you get tissues without the ability to get energy as a result,\u201d says Burnetti. \u201cI was looking for ways to get around this oxygen-based energy limitation.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOne way to give organisms an energy boost without using oxygen is through light. But the ability to turn light into usable energy can be complicated from an evolutionary standpoint. For example, the molecular machinery that allows plants to use light for energy involves a host of genes and proteins that are hard to synthesize and transfer to other organisms \u2014 both in the lab and naturally through evolution.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ELuckily, plants are not the only organisms that can convert light to energy.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003EKeeping it simple\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EA simpler way for organisms to use light is with rhodopsins: proteins that can convert light into energy without additional cellular machinery.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cRhodopsins are found all over the tree of life and apparently are acquired by organisms obtaining genes from each other over evolutionary time,\u201d says \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/autumn-peterson\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAutumn Peterson\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, a biology Ph.D. student working with Ratcliff and lead author of the study.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThis type of genetic exchange is called horizontal gene transfer and involves sharing genetic information between organisms that aren\u2019t closely related. Horizontal gene transfer can cause seemingly big evolutionary jumps in a short time, like how bacteria are quickly able to develop resistance to certain antibiotics. This can happen with all kinds of genetic information and is particularly common with rhodopsin proteins.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cIn the process of figuring out a way to get rhodopsins into multi-celled yeast,\u201d explains Burnetti, \u201cwe found we could learn about horizontal transfer of rhodopsins that has occurred across evolution in the past by transferring it into regular, single-celled yeast where it has never been before.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETo see if they could outfit a single-celled organism with solar-powered rhodopsin, researchers added a rhodopsin gene synthesized from a parasitic fungus to common baker\u2019s yeast. This specific gene is coded for a form of rhodopsin that would be inserted into the cell\u2019s vacuole, a part of the cell that, like mitochondria, can turn chemical gradients made by proteins like rhodopsin into energy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EEquipped with vacuolar rhodopsin, the yeast grew roughly 2% faster when lit \u2014 a huge benefit in terms of evolution.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cHere we have a single gene, and we\u0027re just yanking it across contexts into a lineage that\u0027s never been a phototroph before, and it just works,\u201d says Burnetti. \u201cThis says that it really is that easy for this kind of a system, at least sometimes, to do its job in a new organism.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThis simplicity provides key evolutionary insights and says a lot about \u201cthe ease with which rhodopsins have been able to spread across so many lineages and why that may be so,\u201d explains Peterson, who Peterson \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/graduate-student-and-advisor-pair-awarded-hhmi-gilliam-fellowship\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Erecently received\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Gilliam Fellowship for her work. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/cmdi\/writing-support\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECarina Baskett\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, grant writer for Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/cmdi\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECenter for Microbial Dynamics and Infection\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, also worked on the study.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBecause vacuolar function may contribute to cellular aging, the group has also initiated collaborations to study how rhodopsins may be able to reduce aging effects in the yeast. Other researchers are already starting to use similar new, solar-powered yeast to study advancing bioproduction, which could mark big improvements for things like synthesizing biofuels.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ERatcliff and his group, however, are mostly keen to explore how this added benefit could impact the single-celled yeast\u2019s journey to a multicellular organism.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cWe have this beautiful model system of simple multicellularity,\u201d says Burnetti, referring to the long-running \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/journey-origins-multicellular-life-long-term-experimental-evolution-lab\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMulticellularity Long-Term Evolution Experiment (MuLTEE)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E. \u201cWe want to give it phototrophy and see how it changes its evolution.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECitation: \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EPeterson et al., 2024, Current Biology 34, 1\u20137.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDOI: \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.cub.2023.12.044\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.cub.2023.12.044\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EResearchers in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Biological Sciences have engineered one of the world\u0027s first yeast cells able to turn light into usable metabolic energy, giving a glimpse into how this trait may have been passed between organisms across evolution \u2014 and how it could be synthesized to advance our understanding of biofuel production and cellular aging. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":" Georgia Tech researchers have engineered one of the world\u2019s first yeast cells able to harness energy from light, expanding our understanding of the evolution of this trait \u2014 and paving the way for advancements in biofuel production and cellular aging."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2024-01-11 18:24:49","changed_gmt":"2024-02-08 16:43:13","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-01-12T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-01-12T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"672738":{"id":"672738","type":"image","title":"Green rhodopsin proteins inside the blue cell walls help these yeast grow faster when exposed to light. Photo: Anthony Burnetti, Georgia Institute of Technology.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGreen rhodopsin proteins inside the blue cell walls help these yeast grow faster when exposed to light. Photo: Anthony Burnetti, Georgia Institute of Technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1704997508","gmt_created":"2024-01-11 18:25:08","changed":"1704997508","gmt_changed":"2024-01-11 18:25:08","alt":"A constellation of blue and green cell clusters. Blue cell walls surround small green compartments.","file":{"fid":"256034","name":"_20230421nid_yeast.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/01\/11\/_20230421nid_yeast.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/01\/11\/_20230421nid_yeast.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":131682,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/01\/11\/_20230421nid_yeast.jpg?itok=k1_3FC9y"}},"672739":{"id":"672739","type":"image","title":"Biology researchers who worked on the study include (from left to right) Assistant Professor William Ratcliff, CMDI grant writer Carina Baskett, biology Ph.D. student Autumn Peterson, and Research Scientist Anthony Burnetti. Photo: Audra Davidson","body":"\u003Cp\u003EBiology researchers who worked on the study include (from left to right) Assistant Professor William Ratcliff, CMDI grant writer Carina Baskett, biology Ph.D. student Autumn Peterson, and Research Scientist Anthony Burnetti. Photo: Audra Davidson\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1704997748","gmt_created":"2024-01-11 18:29:08","changed":"1704997748","gmt_changed":"2024-01-11 18:29:08","alt":"Group of people standing outside in the sun smiling.","file":{"fid":"256035","name":"Ratcliff-group-outside.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/01\/11\/Ratcliff-group-outside.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/01\/11\/Ratcliff-group-outside.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3671131,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/01\/11\/Ratcliff-group-outside.jpg?itok=RtKOnFN-"}},"672751":{"id":"672751","type":"image","title":"Biology Ph.D. student Autumn Peterson, the study\u0027s lead author, looks at yeast cells with Research Scientist Anthony Burnetti, the study\u0027s corresponding author, in the lab. (Photo: Audra Davidson)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EBiology Ph.D. student Autumn Peterson, the study\u0027s lead author, looks at yeast cells with Research Scientist Anthony Burnetti, the study\u0027s corresponding author, in the lab. (Photo: Audra Davidson)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1705077426","gmt_created":"2024-01-12 16:37:06","changed":"1705077426","gmt_changed":"2024-01-12 16:37:06","alt":"Biology Ph.D. student Autumn Peterson, the study\u0027s lead author, looks at yeast cells with Research Scientist Anthony Burnetti, the study\u0027s corresponding author, in the lab. (Photo: Audra Davidson)","file":{"fid":"256047","name":"AutumnPeterson-AnthonyBurnetti-lab.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/01\/12\/AutumnPeterson-AnthonyBurnetti-lab.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/01\/12\/AutumnPeterson-AnthonyBurnetti-lab.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2157697,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/01\/12\/AutumnPeterson-AnthonyBurnetti-lab.jpg?itok=E2BzH-GN"}},"672750":{"id":"672750","type":"image","title":"William Ratcliff, assistant professor in the School of Biological Sciences, chats with Carina Baskett, grant writer for Georgia Tech\u0027s Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection. Ratcliff\u0027s group led the study. (Photo: Audra Davidson)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EWilliam Ratcliff, assistant professor in the School of Biological Sciences, chats with Carina Baskett, grant writer for Georgia Tech\u0027s Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection. Ratcliff\u0027s group led the study. (Photo: Audra Davidson)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1705077367","gmt_created":"2024-01-12 16:36:07","changed":"1705077367","gmt_changed":"2024-01-12 16:36:07","alt":"William Ratcliff, assistant professor in the School of Biological Sciences, chats with Carina Baskett, grant writer for Georgia Tech\u0027s Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection. Ratcliff\u0027s group led the study. (Photo: Audra Davidson)","file":{"fid":"256046","name":"WilliamRatcliff-CarinaBaskett-lab.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/01\/12\/WilliamRatcliff-CarinaBaskett-lab.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/01\/12\/WilliamRatcliff-CarinaBaskett-lab.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2972476,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/01\/12\/WilliamRatcliff-CarinaBaskett-lab.jpg?itok=b9dedK0j"}}},"media_ids":["672738","672739","672751","672750"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/journey-origins-multicellular-life-long-term-experimental-evolution-lab","title":"A Journey to the Origins of Multicellular Life: Long-Term Experimental Evolution in the Lab"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/graduate-student-and-advisor-pair-awarded-hhmi-gilliam-fellowship","title":"Graduate Student and Advisor Pair Awarded HHMI Gilliam Fellowship"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/sciences-scholars-named-university-center-exemplary-mentoring-program-fellows","title":"Sciences Scholars Named University Center of Exemplary Mentoring Program Fellows"}],"groups":[{"id":"620089","name":"Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection (CMDI)"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"},{"id":"188231","name":"CMDI"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"136661","name":"origins of life"},{"id":"170334","name":"yeast"},{"id":"2056","name":"biofuel"},{"id":"16631","name":"artificial photosynthesis"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAudra Davidson\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II, College of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\ndavidson.audra@gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["davidson.audra@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"670762":{"#nid":"670762","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Janelle Dunlap Turns Beekeeping Into Art ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHundreds of thousands of honeybees make their home atop The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design, and it\u0027s up to Janelle Dunlap to make sure the hives thrive.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDunlap was hired earlier this year as the Urban Honey Bee Project\u0027s (UHBP) first-ever beekeeper in residence. Throughout her residency, she\u0027ll conduct research into the pollinator\u0027s place in our ecosystem and how beekeeping may offer relief to veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), while connecting with the bees through art.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDunlap had been gardening for over a decade, but in 2016, when she got the urge to find new ways to engage with nature, she recalled a powerful piece of imagery that shaped her childhood \u2014 Wu-Tang Clan\u0027s music video for \u201cTriumph\u201d and its depiction of the group\u0027s members as a powerful swarm of Africanized killer bees.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The political messaging and tying Africanized killer bees in with the stereotypes and the tropes of African Americans in the media, and the way that that was so poetically tied in, visually stuck with me,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was the first time I recognized a political message being articulated through art. For that reason, it stuck with me that bees were a form of strong symbolism tied to resilience.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELiving in Charlotte, North Carolina, Dunlap became a certified beekeeper under the Mecklenburg County Beekeepers Association in 2017. She continued practicing as she moved around the country, with stops in Chicago and Denver, eventually landing in Atlanta in 2021. Looking for a way to connect to the local beekeeping community, she attended an April presentation by UHBP Director Jennifer Leavey, who offered Dunlap a chance to get involved at Georgia Tech. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EShe now handles the inspection of the hives on The Kendeda Building roof, where she monitors for pests and ensures the bees have proper nutrition to sustain their population through the seasons. The UHBP began in 2012 with the goal of educating the Tech community on the importance of these pollinators within the Atlanta ecosystem and beyond \u2014 a charge that Dunlap carries on. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOver the next year, she will continue working on her sound art project that examines the frequency at which bees \u201cbuzz\u201d and how it, along with the responsibilities of beekeeping, is being used by VA hospitals and programs to ease the effects of PTSD. While the science behind the connection is still being explored, beekeeping was recommended more than a century ago \u2014 to soldiers returning home from World War I \u2014 \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=W6LcsuwS41I\u0026amp;t=138s\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eaccording to a CNBC profile of Bees4Vets\u003C\/a\u003E, a nonprofit based in Nevada. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003EFrom the Hive to the Canvas\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhether it was baking sourdough bread or learning a new language, many people, including Dunlap, took the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic to pick up a new hobby. She began a master\u0027s program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago with the goal of using beeswax in encaustic painting, which uses hot wax mixed with pigments. The use of natural materials collected through her beekeeping practice connects Dunlap to her work.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u0027s a way of tapping into another level of consciousness. It\u0027s a way of articulating the noncommunicable relationship between me and the bees. When there\u0027s a language gap between people, we try to fill it in with translation, but without a direct way to translate the language or the sensation that I feel from the bees, this allows me to document my practice in an abstract form,\u201d she said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBy layering the wax and applying heat throughout the process, Dunlap watches the pieces take shape, often with the unpredictability of an active hive, as she says the art \u201ccan create itself.\u201d She collects the wax in small amounts, knowing that she can only produce her art if the bees are healthy.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022It\u0027s an eco-conscious practice, making sure I don\u0027t use more than I need,\u0022 she explained. \u201cI love the landscape it creates, and it\u0027s all about me creating a direct relationship with my medium and knowing that I earned it by developing a relationship with the bees.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs Dunlap continues her year-long residency with the UHBP, she intends to help educate the community, both on campus and around the Atlanta area, in the hopes that more prospective beekeepers will explore their curiosity to unlock the full potential of the practice.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022It\u0027s been a practice that keeps unveiling itself to me,\u0022 she said. \u0022As you get more engaged, you learn there is so much more to it than just the day-to-day hive inspections. There is a lot of beauty to it as well.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStudents at Tech have several ways to get involved with research and beekeeping, including the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/applewebdata\/\/61F6008C-6B58-4DE2-B20A-C0D3358BE585\/Living%20Building%20Science%20VIP%20team\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ELiving Building Science VIP team\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.campuslabs.com\/engage\/organization\/bee-keeping\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ethe Beekeeping Club\u003C\/a\u003E, and various classes and workshops hosted by the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/bees.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EUHBP\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The Urban Honey Bee Project\u2019s new beekeeper in residence is creating art and educating the public with her practice.  "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Urban Honey Bee Project\u2019s new beekeeper in residence is creating art and educating the public with her practice.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Urban Honey Bee Project\u2019s new beekeeper in residence is creating art and educating the public with her practice.  "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2023-10-30 13:52:09","changed_gmt":"2024-02-05 14:18:41","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-10-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-10-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"672208":{"id":"672208","type":"video","title":"Janelle Dunlap Turns Beekeeping Into Art","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Urban Honey Bee Project\u2019s new beekeeper in residence is creating art and educating the public with her practice.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1698676668","gmt_created":"2023-10-30 14:37:48","changed":"1698676668","gmt_changed":"2023-10-30 14:37:48","video":{"youtube_id":"kmwY9k8zAzQ","video_url":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/kmwY9k8zAzQ"}},"672210":{"id":"672210","type":"image","title":"Georgia Tech\u0027s Janelle Dunlap conducts a hive inspection at the The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design. ","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJanelle Dunlap conducts a hive inspection at The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design. Photo by Allison Carter.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1698676881","gmt_created":"2023-10-30 14:41:21","changed":"1698676881","gmt_changed":"2023-10-30 14:41:21","alt":"Georgia Tech\u0027s Janelle Dunlap conducts a hive inspection at the The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design. ","file":{"fid":"255411","name":"Janelle Dunlap and Bees-013.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/10\/30\/Janelle%20Dunlap%20and%20Bees-013.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/10\/30\/Janelle%20Dunlap%20and%20Bees-013.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2133539,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/10\/30\/Janelle%20Dunlap%20and%20Bees-013.JPG?itok=Bi3Ux2wb"}},"672212":{"id":"672212","type":"image","title":"Janelle Dunlap Profile","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJanelle Dunlap is the new beekeeper in residence for Georgia Tech\u0027s Urban Honey Bee Project. Photo by Allison Carter.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1698677006","gmt_created":"2023-10-30 14:43:26","changed":"1698677006","gmt_changed":"2023-10-30 14:43:26","alt":"Janelle Dunlap is the new beekeeper in residence for Georgia Tech\u0027s Urban Honey Bee Project. ","file":{"fid":"255412","name":"Janelle Dunlap and Bees-001.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/10\/30\/Janelle%20Dunlap%20and%20Bees-001.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/10\/30\/Janelle%20Dunlap%20and%20Bees-001.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2610755,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/10\/30\/Janelle%20Dunlap%20and%20Bees-001.JPG?itok=OJoczqk9"}}},"media_ids":["672208","672210","672212"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/bees.gatech.edu","title":"The Georgia Tech Urban Honey Bee Project"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"},{"id":"1316","name":"Green Buzz"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"42941","name":"Art Research"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"177012","name":"kendeda building for innovative sustainable design"},{"id":"70141","name":"Georgia Tech Urban Honey Bee Project"},{"id":"8144","name":"Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:Steven.Gagliano@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/a\u003E - Institute Communications\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Steven.Gagliano@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"670904":{"#nid":"670904","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Digging Into Greenland Ice: Unraveling Mysteries in Earth\u0027s Harshest Environments","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cYou\u0027re in the middle of an ice sheet, and it\u2019s one of the most desolate places on Earth. There are no living animals there. There are no plants there. The only animals you see are birds. They might be lost.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThat\u2019s how \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ERachel Moore\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E describes the view from the top of the Greenland Ice Sheet. \u201cIt\u0027s a really challenging environment, but it was really, really interesting to be there. I was there for nearly 50 days.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMoore is an expert at collecting data in difficult research environments, traveling to some of the most extreme places on Earth in order to research microbes, and what hints they might give regarding astrobiology.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cIt all started in grad school, when I joined a microbial ecology lab,\u201d Moore recalls. \u201cI pretty quickly learned that I love to do really difficult, challenging projects. I got interested in working around fire, biomass burning and forests, and I started collecting bacteria from the air. That was a challenge in and of itself, just trying to collect these really tiny things while standing in the smoke from the forest fires. But from that I learned that I loved to go out into the environment and collect things and try to understand everything around me.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cI have a lot of different projects, but they all connect through astrobiology,\u201d Moore says. \u201cI\u2019m interested in anything that hasn\u0027t been answered yet.\u201d Moore is also leading a project called EXO Methane, which is investigating if different Archaea could survive in Martian and Enceladus-like environments. She\u2019s also collaborating on a project that will send a probe to Venus next year.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMoore started her postdoctoral research at Georgia Tech, and is now continuing her work as a Research Scientist \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pxl.earth\/\u0022\u003Ein the same laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cThe first project I started in this lab focused around how microbes can survive a really, really dry environment,\u201d she adds. To study this, Moore traveled to the Atacama desert in Chile \u2014 the driest place on Earth, and also one of the best analogs to the surface of Mars. \u201cWhat we were interested in there is how organisms survive intense radiation and intense desiccation. And how does that change as you look at different sites in the Atacama?\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThen, this past summer, Moore traveled to another extreme environment \u2014 Greenland. \u201cInstead of being hot and dry, Greenland is extremely cold and dry,\u201d Moore explains. \u201cSo it was similar in some aspects, but completely different in terms of logistics and sampling methods. Because we were there in the summer, the sun never set. We were also at high elevation \u2014 10,530 feet above sea level.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBeneath the ice\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe project was started by \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.dri.edu\/directory\/nathan-chellman\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ENathan Chellman\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E and \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.dri.edu\/directory\/joe-mcconnell\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EJoe McConnell\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.dri.edu\/\u0022\u003EDesert Research Institute (DRI)\u003C\/a\u003E, and Moore\u2019s role this year was to investigate the microbiology component of the research. \u201cThey had been seeing some anomalies in methane and carbon monoxide in ice samples,\u201d Moore says. \u201cWe were curious if microbes might be producing some of this, either in the ice core after it\u2019s been sampled, or while it\u2019s still in the glacier.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cThe microbes would not be swimming around or anything\u201d in the ice cores, Moore explains, \u201cbut it\u2019s possible that their metabolism is still active, and they\u2019re potentially able to make some of the gases, like methane, in this frozen environment. Our goal was to measure these things in the environment.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGathering samples wasn\u2019t easy. \u201cWe set up a lab on the glacier, and we set it up in a trench to try to keep any of the ice cores that we pulled out roughly at the same temperature as the glacier itself,\u201d Moore says. Because of that, \u201cweather was a huge, huge thing. Anytime it would get stormy, the wind would blow all of the snow around, and it would fill the entrance to our trench. We had to dig ourselves out several times. People would put out flags so that you could see your way back to the main house or back to your dorms.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe team hopes that this research will give a more defined record of the past from the Greenland Ice Sheet, improving climate change predictions. Moore also notes applications in astrobiology, adding that \u201cthere are a lot of icy worlds like Mars, Enceladus, and Europa, with either an icy crust over the ocean or glaciers on the northern and southern poles.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMoore was also able to test new technology in the field, using a tool built by Georgia Tech undergraduates alongside her advisor \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cecarr.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EChristopher Carr\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, assistant professor in the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/carr-dr-christopher\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E. An ice melter that can be used to take and clean ice samples, the tool is a miniaturized prototype that may be able to help take measurements on Mars, or in similar remote environments in the future.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cBeing able to take a tool that Georgia Tech undergraduates made to Greenland and test it on 600-year-old ice in the field was a really cool experience,\u201d Moore adds. \u201cWe brought Starlink with us, and so I was able to video call the undergraduate team while I was testing their tool, which was really special.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe team is now lab-analyzing ice cores that they brought back from Greenland, unraveling which microbes might be present and potentially active. \u201cIt\u0027s really interesting to see: Is this all chemistry? Is it biology based? Or is there some intersection of the two?\u201d Moore says. \u201cMaybe there\u0027s some chemistry or photochemistry happening, plus some biology happening. Whatever it is, we\u0027ll have to wait and see.\u201d \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERachel Moore is an expert at collecting data in difficult research environments, traveling to some of the most extreme places on Earth to research microbes and better understand astrobiology.\u0026nbsp;This summer, she traveled to Greenland to collect ice cores, spending nearly 50 days on top of the Greenland Ice Sheet. The research could improve climate change predictions, while also helping astrobiologists better search for signs of life on icy worlds.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Rachel Moore spent nearly 50 days in one of the most remote places on Earth, collecting ice cores; the research has implications for climate change predictions and searching for signs of life on icy worlds."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2023-11-06 16:09:29","changed_gmt":"2024-02-05 14:21:54","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-11-09T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2023-11-09T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"672274":{"id":"672274","type":"image","title":"The team snowmobiling to a remote field site.","body":null,"created":"1699287040","gmt_created":"2023-11-06 16:10:40","changed":"1699287040","gmt_changed":"2023-11-06 16:10:40","alt":"The team snowmobiling to a 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