Sara Bender
Education
B.A., Biological Sciences. Rutgers University (2005).
Graduate Student, Biological Oceanography. University of Washington (2006-Present).
Research Background
In the marine environment, diatom blooms occur in regions where nitrogen (N) concentrations are elevated, associating these organisms with high N budgets. Although inorganic N sources (such as ammonium, NH4+; nitrate, NO3-) are considered to be the main form of diatom nutrition, recent work has promoted the importance of dissolved organic N (DON) in phytoplankton growth. DON is an often overlooked component of marine N-sources and can account for up to 83% of the N pool composition. A better understanding of the effects of N-source on diatom physiology will improve both estimates of total carbon fixation in coastal environments and the effects of increased DON inputs into marine waters.
Research Interests
My research interests include the study of diatom molecular ecology in both the laboratory and the field. More specifically, my research seeks to understand the role of the urea cycle, a recently identified pathway involved in N metabolism in marine diatoms using gene expression studies, flow cytometry, field incubations, and metatranscriptomics. Typically, the urea cycle is found in heterotrophic organisms, and it provides a way for cells to detoxify NH4+. Recently, a complete urea cycle was identified in the photoautotroph Thalassiosira pseudonana, and it is hypothesized to connect N metabolism with several other vital cellular pathways such as: the synthesis of cell wall precursors, biosynthesis of energy stores, and biosynthesis of arginine. My main research questions include:
B.A., Biological Sciences. Rutgers University (2005).
Graduate Student, Biological Oceanography. University of Washington (2006-Present).
Research Background
In the marine environment, diatom blooms occur in regions where nitrogen (N) concentrations are elevated, associating these organisms with high N budgets. Although inorganic N sources (such as ammonium, NH4+; nitrate, NO3-) are considered to be the main form of diatom nutrition, recent work has promoted the importance of dissolved organic N (DON) in phytoplankton growth. DON is an often overlooked component of marine N-sources and can account for up to 83% of the N pool composition. A better understanding of the effects of N-source on diatom physiology will improve both estimates of total carbon fixation in coastal environments and the effects of increased DON inputs into marine waters.
Research Interests
My research interests include the study of diatom molecular ecology in both the laboratory and the field. More specifically, my research seeks to understand the role of the urea cycle, a recently identified pathway involved in N metabolism in marine diatoms using gene expression studies, flow cytometry, field incubations, and metatranscriptomics. Typically, the urea cycle is found in heterotrophic organisms, and it provides a way for cells to detoxify NH4+. Recently, a complete urea cycle was identified in the photoautotroph Thalassiosira pseudonana, and it is hypothesized to connect N metabolism with several other vital cellular pathways such as: the synthesis of cell wall precursors, biosynthesis of energy stores, and biosynthesis of arginine. My main research questions include:
- What role does the urea cycle play in cellular metabolism in diatoms, and does this cycle affect the balance of energy within the cell?
- Is the urea cycle dependent upon the availability of organic and inorganic N-sources?
- How does temperature and light intensity affect the urea cycle?
- What are the connections between N source and photosynthesis in diatoms?
- What role does the urea cycle play in diatom growth and metabolism in the marine environment?
For my Master’s work, I am focusing on the relationships among nitrogen uptake, cellular metabolism, photosynthesis, and the urea cycle in T. pseudonana.
Publications
Bidle, K.D. and Bender, S.J. (2008). Iron starvation and culture age activate metacaspases and programmed cell death in the marine diatom, Thalassiosira pseudonana. Eukaryotic Cell. 7(2): 223-46.
Bidle, K.D. and Bender, S.J. (2008). Iron starvation and culture age activate metacaspases and programmed cell death in the marine diatom, Thalassiosira pseudonana. Eukaryotic Cell. 7(2): 223-46.