Determining the Microbial Ecological Dynamics of Lake Salda Using Next-Generation Genomic Methods

by Tuğçe Akca Güler | Dec 11, 2024

Funding Agency: ITU BAP General Research Project, TGA-2023-44647

Project Coordinator : Prof.Dr.Orhan İnce (Istanbul Technical University)

Investigators:
Prof.Dr.Bahar İnce (Bogazici University)
Assoc.Prof.Dr. Emine Gözde Özbayram (Istanbul University)
Dr.İlker Karacan (Medeniyet University)
Kübra Doymuş (Istanbul Technical University)
İbrahim Cem Özsefil (Bogazici University)
Ömer Uzun  (Bogazici University)

The Jezero Crater, selected as the landing site for the Perseverance rover as part of NASA's latest Mars 2020 mission, is the only known location on Mars that has provided significant evidence of the existence of an ancient lake, due to its geological and mineralogical characteristics. The hydromagnesite formations observed in Jezero Crater have only been found in a few lake environments on Earth, and among these, Lake Salda in Turkey is the only lake that is considered an analog to the ancient lake environment of Jezero Crater, both mineralogically and geologically, with ongoing hydromagnesite formation. In the unique ecosystem of Lake Salda, microbial activities result in the formation of microbialites containing hydromagnesite, which are the oldest known fossil records on Earth, preserving the geochemical, environmental, and biological characteristics of the environment in which they formed. While microbialites are known to be structures produced, induced, or influenced by benthic microorganisms, the precise role of microorganisms in the formation of these structures, as well as the biological and abiotic processes involved, have not yet been fully elucidated. Therefore, the comprehensive determination of microbial composition is critical to understanding the conditions and mechanisms of microbialite formation, as well as the microbe-mineral interactions that play a role in the creation of these structures. The primary objective of the proposed study is the complete characterization of the microbial ecology of Lake Salda and the deciphering of fossil records. The HiFi (High Fidelity) long-read DNA sequencing technology we will use in the project enables high-accuracy readings that cover all variable regions of the 16S rRNA gene, allowing for the precise phylogenetic characterization of the microorganisms discovered through high-accuracy data. The findings obtained from this study will provide valuable data not only in understanding the origins and evolution of life on Earth but also in assessing the potential of Jezero Crater on Mars to harbor traces of ancient life.




Salda Lake (2020) Jezero Crater(2017)[NASA]

İTÜ Faculty of Civil Engineering

It can be accepted that the history of ITU Civil Engineering Faculty was commenced in 1727 by the establishment of Humbarahane during the era of Damat İbrahim Paşa. However, this attempt was to no avail due to the martyrization of the studwents of this school by the Janissaries.

In 1734, during the grand viziership of Topal Osman Paşa, classes related to Civil Engineering was being taught in Hendesehane, which was founded in Üsküdar. Similarly, this school was also closed after three years due to the opposition of the Janissaries. The reasons of the tragedy that occured in Battle of Chesma, 1770 were inadequacy of the ships and the ignorance of the Ottoman Navy.

Although the Atlantic Map (1513) and the Map of Europe and the Mediterranean Sea (1523) by Piri Reis were the leading pieces of the era, Ottoman viziers were so ignorant that they claimed it was impossible for the Russian Baltic Fleet to reach the Mediterranean Sea assuming that there were no sea connection. With the proposal from Gazi Hasan Paşa and Baron de Tott, Mühendishane-i Bahri-i Humayun was established during the time of Sultan Mustafa III, aiming to train naval construction engineers. Since Ottoman Empire did not have any engineering schools at the time, military engineering classes were taught by French engineers beginning from 1784. French lecturers had to return to their country in 1788 with the increasing suppression from Austria and Russia, which were unwilling for the development and thriving of Ottoman Empire. In 1759, during the Grand Viziership of Koca Ragıp Paşa, Humbarahane was reopened in Karaağaç, Haliç (Golden Horn) and continued to teach even though it was incompetent. In 1792, Lağımcı Ocağı and Humbaracı Ocağı (Guild of Sappers) were established.