Yellowstone Times

Montana State University (MSU) has reported a significant discovery by one of its doctoral students, Lisa Keller. Keller's research focuses on the unique thermophilic organisms found in Yellowstone National Park's hot springs. Her study has been published in Nature Communications and challenges existing paradigms about cellular respiration.

Keller, working under the guidance of Eric Boyd, a professor at MSU's College of Agriculture, Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, authored the paper titled "Simultaneous aerobic and anaerobic respiration in hot spring chemolithotrophic bacteria." The research examines how Aquificales bacteria from Yellowstone thrive by simultaneously engaging in both aerobic and anaerobic respiration.

Keller's experiments revealed that these bacteria could respire oxygen while also conducting an anaerobic process involving sulfur. This dual metabolic capability was previously unknown. "There’s no explanation other than that these cells are breathing oxygen at the same time that they are breathing elemental sulfur," Keller explained.

This finding may provide insights into how ancient life forms adapted to Earth's changing oxygen levels billions of years ago. "This is really interesting, and it creates so many more questions," Keller noted regarding the implications for understanding microbial survival in low-oxygen environments like hot springs.

Eric Boyd praised Keller as a dedicated scientist whose work exemplifies foundational research with broad potential impacts. "Lisa is a curious person who, through meticulous experimentation, identified a unique phenomenon," he said. He emphasized the significance of her publication in Nature Communications and predicted further contributions from her to scientific literature.

Keller began her doctoral studies at MSU in 2019 after earning her undergraduate degree from North Carolina State University. As she prepares to complete her thesis defense, she expresses gratitude for Boyd's mentorship, stating his commitment to student success and scientific inquiry profoundly influenced her development as a researcher.

Boyd has extensive experience studying microbial processes at MSU, supported by grants from major institutions like NASA and the National Science Foundation. His lab continues to be recognized for its contributions to microbiology and geobiology research.

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