Research Explorer

Project

Diversity and evolution of bacterial symbionts in the Siphonocladales (Chlorophyta) and their effects on algal morphogenesis
Code
3E009907
Duration
01 October 2007 → 30 September 2013
Funding
Regional and community funding: Special Research Fund, Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO)
Research disciplines
  • Natural sciences
    • General biology
    • Microbiology
    • Plant biology
    • Systems biology
  • Medical and health sciences
    • Laboratory medicine
    • Microbiology
    • Laboratory medicine
    • Laboratory medicine
    • Microbiology
Keywords
green algae bacteria symbiosis
 
Project description
 

The aims of the project are to characterize the bacterial diversity of the surface associated and endophytic microflora of siphonocladalean algae, examine whether the seaweed-associated bacteria are strictly host specific or repeatedly acquired from the local environment, investigate the possibility of coevolutionary processes between the bacterial symbionts and the green algal hosts, and study potential effects of bacterial symbionts on growth and morphogenesis of the green algal hosts.